It starts when you first enter the court with your partner, as a team. Like it or not, you are being sized up by everyone in the gym, whether you’re a new face or a veteran. The players, coaches, event management and the spectators — they’re all watching. They’re looking at your uniform. Be sharp! They’re watching you go through your routine — measuring the net, checking game ball pressure, assessing the court’s overhead obstructions and obstacles on the floor. They’re trying to figure out what kind of game you’re going to call. And right now, all they have to go on is your appearance and your prematch routine.

Strive to be “quietly efficient.” Establish good habits and stick to them. Go about your routine without drawing undue attention. The teams are probably stretching when you first arrive courtside. Use that time to check the net and adjust the antennas — it’s less intrusive than interrupting teams once they begin warmups at the net. If you’re the first referee, get on the stand to make sure it’s stable and elevates you high enough above the net. If not, ask host management to adjust it for you. Check the padding of the net equipment and make sure exposed cables or tensioning devices are covered as needed.

Showing attention to detail during those first moments on the court will help to establish your competency, knowledge and trustworthiness with those who are watching you.

Next, observe the area around the court to determine the ground rules and make sure the two of you agree with the rulings. If one of you is familiar with the venue, share information about ground rules that were used in the past. Tackling that duty together helps establish you and your partner as a team and builds confidence with those watching you.

Now it’s time to check the game ball pressure and ensure the scoring materials are in order. Consider asking that a spare game ball be kept courtside, and check its pressure too. Introduce yourself with a handshake to the scoring crew. Likewise, seek out your line judges and let them know when you’ll be meeting for prematch instructions. Those professional gestures set a good tone, again establishing the crew as a team.

If you didn’t inquire when you arrived, now is the time to make sure you have any match details from the host management — Senior Night, Parents’ Night, special presentations, etc. You’ll want that information for the upcoming captains’ meeting.

At that point, you’ve had the opportunity to establish your presence on the court. People have noticed your teamwork and professionalism. You’ve started on the right foot. Now it’s time to talk the talk at the captains’ meeting.

Here’s your second chance to make a good first impression — the face-to-face meeting and interaction with team leaders. Speak clearly and loudly since there’s often warmup music playing in the background. Be courteous and approachable. Don’t be afraid to smile. Again, have an established routine.  Know what you need to cover and the order in which you need to cover it; the order may vary from referee to referee.

Always start with a firm handshake and introduce yourself and allow your partner to do the same. Highlight the playing area, noting any floor or ceiling obstructions. Remind the teams about legal equipment or uniforms, and offer to check questionable items. If it’s early in the season, inform the teams about new protocols or procedures, and ask if they have questions about rule changes. Notify the teams of any prematch presentations or announcements. Ask if there are any questions. Now toss the coin. Wish both teams good luck and return to the scorer with the serve/receive information.

As the season progresses, your prematch captains’ meeting should become shorter. The teams have heard it a dozen times before. Share match-specific details, which can change from night to night, but be a little more general with the routine details, such as court markings. Instead of highlighting every detail of the court, consider asking, “Do you have any questions about the court or playing area?” Keep the meeting short and sweet.

You have two opportunities to make a good first impression before every match — during your prematch routine while you tend to your responsibilities and during the prematch conference with the captains and/or coaches. You don’t often get a second chance to make a good first impression, so you should take advantage of that opportunity and use your prematch time wisely.

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The play I speak of? A back-row setter attempting to save a ball that is near, or maybe in, the plane of the net.

You are going to have one of four outcomes: illegal back-row attack, illegal back-row block, prolonged contact or play on. These plays can be very difficult for a variety of reasons but plays happening at the net and on top of the net are the ones we really need to get right. These are the decisions that need to be made quickly and decisively … the ones that put our skill on display and in general, put coaches’ minds at ease. Of course, we know that at certain times we will be getting an earful from one side or the other depending on who we whistle for the fault.

In many cases you may be told, “Expect the unexpected.” However, I would like to make a slight edit to that saying: “Expect the expected and be prepared for the unexpected.” This mantra may help us more when these plays occur during a match. Let’s look at two situations, possible outcomes and factors that may affect our decision.

Situation 1:

The ball is above the height of the net and it is clearly on the attacker’s side of the net. The back-row setter is in the action of setting the ball to a teammate. The attacker puts the ball over the net and an opposing player makes a play on the ball. Play continues. This is the expected.

The ball is above the height of the net and it is clearly on the attacker’s side of the net. The back-row setter sets the ball to one of her teammates. The attacker swings and gets a kill. Point awarded to the attacking team. This is the expected.

The ball is above the height of the net and it is clearly on the attacker’s side of the net. The back-row setter attempts to set the ball to a teammate. The ball drifts into the plane of the net and a blocker touches it before her attacking teammate . Point awarded to the blocking team and back-row attack is whistled. This is a possibility — be ready!

Questions to ask:

Was the ball clearly above the height of the net to make this a back-row attack? Did the ball enter, or completely cross, the plane of the net? Did the blocker touch the ball before the attacker? If the ball did not reach the plane of the net, and the blocker touched it, was there a player on the attacking team nearby and making an attempt to play the ball?

The ball is above the height of the net and it is clearly on the attacker’s side of the net. The back-row setter is in the action of setting the ball to a teammate. A blocker reaches over and blocks the ball as, or after, it is set. Point awarded to the attacking team and reaching over the net is whistled. This is the unexpected — why would she do that?

Questions to ask:

Was the ball clearly on the setter’s side of the net to make reaching over the correct call? Was the setter directing the ball to a teammate or toward the opponent’s side of the court? Did the blocker definitely make contact with the ball? Was the blocker’s contact a block or an attack?

Referee reflection time:

Did you see the contact by the blocker? How did you and your partner communicate? Did you shift your focus to the attacker too quickly? Was your whistle weak because you had no air, as you didn’t expect the blocker to reach beyond the net? Did you appear confident in your decision?

Situation 2:

The ball is passed and enters the plane of the net. As the back-row setter sets the ball to a teammate, there are no blockers making an attempt to block the ball. The attacker hits the ball into the opponent’s court where it is kept alive by the opposing team. Play continues. This is the expected.

The ball is passed and enters the plane of the net. As the back-row setter sets the ball to a teammate, there are no blockers making an attempt to block the ball. The attacker hits the ball to the floor of the opponent’s court. Point awarded to the attacking team. This is the expected.

The ball is passed and enters the plane of the net. As the back-row setter is contacting the ball, a blocker simultaneously makes contact with the ball. Point awarded to the blocking team and back-row block is whistled. This is a possibility — be ready!

Questions to ask:

Had the ball definitely broken the plane of the net? Who actually made first contact with the ball? Was the setter definitely reaching higher than the top of the net when contact was made with the ball?

The ball is passed and enters the plane of the net. The setter contacts the ball first, followed by a contact by the blocker. Point awarded to the blocking team and back-row attack is whistled. This is a possibility — be ready!

Questions to ask:

Had the ball definitely broken the plane of the net? Who actually made first contact with the ball? Was the ball completely above the height of the net when the setter made contact with the ball?

The ball is passed and enters the plane of the net. As the back-row setter contacts the ball and blockers are attempting to block, the contact is not made cleanly (whether it be under- or over-controlled). Point awarded to the blocking team and a double contact or caught/thrown ball is whistled. This is the unexpected — her hands have been so good all night!

Questions to ask:

Did the blockers contact the ball before, during or after the set? Who made the next contact — the attacker or a blocker? Where was the ball when it was contacted next? Did the setter make a double contact? Did the setter have prolonged contact with the ball, leading to a caught/ thrown fault?

Referee reflection time:

Did you observe that no blockers touched the ball? How did you and your partner communicate? Were you over-focused on whistling back-row attack or back-row block? Did you have a late whistle, but made the correct ballhandling call? Did you miss the call because you were not focused in the correct spot (on the setter’s hands)?

These situations do not cover every possibility, but give an overview of two common occurrences with possible outcomes. When net play is about to happen, or is happening, where are you focused? How do you prepare for what’s about to happen (or not)? How do you communicate with your partner during tight plays at and above the net? How accurate are you with your decisions in these situations?

As match facilitators, there is one non-negotiable … we must have knowledge of the rules! For example, if a back-row attack is whistled, it is because certain criteria are met: 1) a back-row player played the ball within the front zone; 2) the ball was completely above the height of the net; and 3) the ball completely crossed the net or was legally blocked by the opponent.

Knowledge of the rules applies to both situations and all possible outcomes listed. On top of that, we must be able to communicate clearly and succinctly why we whistled a fault or not.   Therefore, it is vital to read the rulebook, reflect on your performance with trusted peers, observe high-level referees work matches, and improve how and what we communicate to captains and coaches. Additionally, stay active and get as much court time as possible in order to gain experiences to better deal with similar future situations. We may not succeed the first time, but there is no excuse for not improving the next time(s) it occurs!

Here is a takeaway. There are four Rs that can help us improve in our performance and get these calls correct more often:

Read — rules knowledge from reading the rulebook.

Repetition — the more matches you do, the more you will see these types of plays.

Reflection — be honest in your self-assessment and talk to other referees.

Readiness — be prepared, be confident, be focused in the right spot at the right time.

Bill Thornburgh, Simpsonville, Ky., is a National USAV and PAVO referee, as well as a FIVB International referee. He works in the Big Ten, ACC, SEC and other D-I conferences in the Midwest. *

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Professionalism

It should go without saying that our veterans place professionalism at the top of their priority list. They have hundreds of matches under their belts. They’ve worked with dozens and dozens of different partners and encountered hundreds or even thousands of different coaches over the years. They’ve seen great examples of professionalism and some not so great. They know what it means to be professional, and they make that a goal each time they step onto the court. Ethics, integrity, reliability and responsibility are characteristics they possess.

Communication skills

Interpersonal communication skills are a key focal point for veteran referees. It’s a constant work in progress, evaluating body language, eye contact, facial expressions and hand gestures, not to mention verbal skills. Each coach and each partner has different ways of communicating. It’s situational. The words we used with one coach on a given night won’t work in the same way with a different coach, or even the same coach, on a different night. We work with a variety of partners and line judges who have myriad personalities and communication styles. The best communicators can work with anyone and can get the officiating crew to perform at its best. Veteran referees will help create a cohesive officiating team by using their communication skills.

Teamwork

Teamwork goes hand-in- hand with communication skills. The better we work with our partner, the line judges and the scoring crew, the more successful we will be, individually and as a team. Veterans — the leaders on the officiating crew — know that by helping everyone on the crew, the value of the crew’s work increases. They help others to succeed on the officiating team by encouraging them, engaging them and supporting them. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and our top referees help to strengthen each link in the chain.

Signals and mechanics

Veteran referees strive to be sharp and accurate with their signals and mechanics. When a mechanic changes, they’re quick to adapt and implement the new procedure. Those who officiate under multiple rules codes transition between rules codes as seamlessly as possible, following the prescribed techniques for each. They understand the importance of consistency among the officiating cadre when it comes to mechanics, signals and techniques.

Tempo

Maintaining a consistent match tempo is a trait of veteran referees. The cadence and timing of their signal sequence is smooth regardless of the call they’re making. They have a scanning pattern before and after each rally, and the time between rallies seldom varies. As the intensity of the match increases, an experienced referee will stay calm and focused by relying on his or her established tempo. The teams will rely on that tempo as well. Veterans understand momentum and match flow, and they will contribute to the match by maintaining a smooth flow.

Court awareness

A mantra for many veteran referees is “be aware of everything that happens on your court, from warmups until the match is over.” That means they are keenly aware of the playing area and everything that happens on and around the court. Having that awareness allows the referees to react and respond to situations with increased knowledge. Their goal is to always be able to answer the question, “Hey, did you see (insert situation) happen on your court?” Whether it’s a spectator, media personnel, an errant practice ball, a player injury, or a random distraction, a veteran’s goal is to identify the situation quickly and then handle it appropriately. They never want their response to be, “No, I didn’t notice that,” or “I didn’t see that.”

Visual focus

Veteran referees know when, where and how to momentarily take their eyes off the ball to look ahead to the next playing action. They know that certain playing actions may have a particular result, and that allows them to be focused in the right area at the right time to view the play. It requires anticipation and alertness, and they constantly fine-tune their visual focus skills in order to be in the best position to make decisions.

And yes, in addition to all of those things, veteran referees are still working on their ballhandling, overlaps/alignments, back-row awareness, and every other aspect of their game. They aren’t resting on their laurels when it comes to the rules, and they stay abreast of changes in the sport. Players’ skill levels are ever-increasing. Our seasoned referees don’t want to become stagnant or maintain the status quo. They want to excel on the court, and they want to contribute positively to the participants’ experience. They’ve learned how to juggle all of those different facets of the game so that they’re better, even if it’s only just a little bit better, every time they head to the court.

If you’re not already one of our veterans, you will be some day. Until then, learn from the veterans you work with. Watch what they do. Mimic the good things that they do and be ready to step into your role as one of our seasoned veterans.

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Consider a situation in which a line judge has called a ball “out” by team A, but the first referee overrules the line judge and calls the ball “in” or calls a touch against team B. If the scorers happened to see the line judge’s decision, they may assume that team B has won the rally when, in fact, the referees may be awarding the point to team A.

Similarly, a mind change can result in the same situation. For example, the first referee whistles and calls a back-row attack by the team B setter after the setter attacks the ball to the floor on team A’s court. A point is then awarded to team A, which the scorers record. Then the first referee realizes the team B setter was actually a frontrow player and the decision is changed to award the “kill” and a point to team B.

A replay may cause the same type of confusion because the referees may award a point to one team and then realize the decision was incorrect, so they must replay the rally.

In all three cases, it is imperative for the second referee to take an extra moment to ensure the scoring crew is aware of exactly what happened, as shown in the PlayPic. Without that important communication, the scorers may fall behind during the next rally as they try to correct the recording error from the previous rally. And the scoreboard operator can’t be neglected either since the scoreboard may also need to be corrected.

The second referee must be alert when an unusual situation occurs and allow the table crew to make any necessary corrections without being rushed. Correcting a scoresheet error several rallies after the error occurred can result in a more lengthy delay; correcting it when it happens takes only a few extra seconds. And keep in mind that computerized scoring programs may take several steps to undo the previous actions and implement the correction.

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In your postgame discussion with your co-official, have you ever asked or been asked, “Were you feeling it today?” Everything was clicking, the communication between you and your partner was ESP-like. When you had a question, your partner was there with the answer. Just a wink or a nod and you knew that your fellow referee was in perfect sync with you and the match. When there was a questionable call, you knew exactly what your partner had and were able to explain it to the captain or coach without conferring with your partner.

Treat every match as a critical match. It can be the first match of the year, senior night, the rivalry night in the middle of the season or the match against former teammates from the spring that creates the need for extra focus. When we walk into the gym to referee, we need to assume that the match that we have the honor of working is critical.

As we prepare for that match, we must clear our minds of the events of the day and leave our worries about tomorrow in the pockets of the clothes that we hang in the dressing room. As you change into your referee attire, you begin to focus on feeling the game. You change from your everyday life to the mindset of a facilitator for one of the greatest sports in the world.

Share Expectations with Your Partner

Begin by sharing your expectations of the match with your partner. As you walk onto the court, continue the conversation with your partner about the ground rules and any information that you have about the play of the teams. If there are confusing alignments for service receive patterns, try to unscramble them by sharing cues and tips. Start feeling the game with team-building and collaboration.

You also can unlock the mystery of the needs of the coaches by listening to them during the meet and greet, and whenever they have a question during the match. Don’t assume you know the question; actively listen and then respond using the language of the rules. Give the coach your undivided attention and a respectful answer that projects the confidence that you have in your partners. Every match is a new opportunity for building new or existing confidence that the coaches have in you and your partner.

If you “feel the game,” then you begin to get a sense of the impact players that are on the court feel for the match. The great server, the incredible defensive specialist/libero and the go-to hitters are all key elements for the continuous chess game that the coaches will play. Be prepared for the service pattern to shift at the last second to get the better passer in position to counter the great server or give the go-to hitter the opportunity for a one-on-one with the opposing block, while having the confidence to know that the reception pattern is legal.

As the pace quickens and the intensity of the match grows, keep in mind that you are there to allow the players to exhibit the talents and skills that their coaches have cultivated. We are not there to make a call, we are there to call a fault when it occurs. When the match has developed its natural flow, there are typically fewer infractions to call, so be sure that you don’t act on a feeling of expectation to make a call.

Feeling the game includes holding the participants to a certain behavior standard as well. Referees, players and coaches must respect the game, and act accordingly. As a referee, you are feeling the game effectively when you can draw the line appropriately to allow a reasonable expression of emotion by the participants without crossing the behavioral line.

If the flow of the match allows the players to play and the coaches to coach, then we can truly be an accent to the match that is truly a non-factor. We meet the primary needs of the game by keeping everyone safe, allowing for fairness of play and continuing to be an integral part of the sport by being the equal partner of the three-legged stool of coaches, player and referees.

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USA Volleyball has a scorer certification program, including a national scorer rating. PAVO provides an initial certification program for collegiate scorers through local PAVO boards, which includes in-depth training materials using the NCAA scoresheet. And NFHS also recognizes the importance of the scorer, and this year added the libero tracker as a required member of the officiating crew.

So with our three governing bodies acknowledging the importance of the scorer in their rules and officiating structures, it’s time that referees do the same. It starts with learning how to interact with a scorer to ensure a smooth-flowing contest.

We all have to start somewhere.

Inevitably, you will have an assignment where your scorer is inexperienced — maybe a parent from the stands or a kid from study hall. They deserve good pre-match instructions. If they have little or no experience, then stick to the basics, like recording points, substitutions and timeouts. It will be important that you give them all the time they need to record substitutions accurately during the match. When it comes to less common situations like recording a sanction, help them get it right by telling them exactly what information to record. The scoresheet is the official record of the match, and you want to make sure it is as accurate as possible.

Some experience under their belt.

If the scorer has some experience, your pre-match instructions are still important, but it is equally important for you to assess their level of experience so that you can communicate clearly, giving them the information they need. Ask how they will handle certain match situations — recording a sanction or substitution, a libero serving or notifying you of a wrong server, for example. You can also ask that they help you by quickly providing basic team information such as substitutions or timeouts used upon request.

The most experienced table crew.

When you have the opportunity to work with an experienced crew at the scorer’s table, the match can flow smoothly with minimal interruptions. It is best if you ask an experienced crew how they communicate with each other during the match. Often the libero tracker will provide player numbers during substitutions, verbally identify when the libero serves, and assist with other match details. It is best that you allow them to work within their system and that you adapt to their methods.     

The libero tracker. Although the scorer handles much of the scoring responsibility, the libero tracker is still an integral part of the team. Again, his or her experience level will dictate how you communicate with each other and what information he or she will provide to you. It’s important that libero trackers understand their role, especially if they don’t have much experience. Show them how libero replacements and substitutions are recorded on the tracking sheet and explain when a replacement is illegal and how they should notify you. Remind them that you’ll be asking about the status of each team’s libero (on/off the court) during timeouts.

When it all comes together.

Our goal in each match, regardless of the experience level of the table crew, is to communicate clearly and respectfully, not only with each other but also with the teams. It starts with your approach and demeanor during pre-match instructions. Ask questions. Be flexible. Work within their system instead of trying to make them do it your way. 

Hints and tips.

Start the match on the right foot by working together. As the scorer records team lineups on the scoresheet, ensure that the service order has been recorded correctly. The libero tracker should record lineups directly from the lineup sheet instead of the scoresheet; otherwise, if the scorer made an error recording the lineup, the libero tracker will repeat the same mistake. Then as you check lineups to start each set, ask that the scorer and libero tracker verify the players on the court. That ensures a wrong player doesn’t start the set.

With an experienced scorer who works well with the libero tracker, you’ll often find that they’re communicating substitution numbers quite well. Don’t interfere. Listen to their communication, and if you’ve seen the same players exchanging that they’ve identified, you don’t need to repeat numbers.

Come up with a few catch phrases that you can use with the scorer, and discuss the use of those phrases during your pre-match discussions. For example, “give me Team X” might mean “give me the next three servers for Team X.” That will be your front row and can help with identifying alignment issues. You might also ask for the last server for one of the teams, which will again help you with alignments. 

Let the scorer know when you’d like them to start notifying you about team substitution counts. That allows you to have that information immediately ready late in a set when a coach might ask how many substitutions have been used. Even though a team can have 18 subs in NFHS (12 in USAV; 15 in NCAA), it’s a good idea to have the scorer start reminding you four or five subs in advance of that total even if you’re using a lineup card (NFHS).

Scorers — the entire crew at the table, in fact — are vital to successfully officiating a match. Work on your communication skills with those team members. Be respectful, flexible and patient. Allow an experienced crew to work within its system, or be prepared to help a new scorer learn the basics. Your investment in those individuals will make you a better referee.

The post Set the Table appeared first on Referee.com.

The world first saw this new position in the 1998 FIVB World Championships, and use of that player has now been incorporated into USAV, NCAA and NFHS rules. The three governing bodies have similar rules.

The use of a libero increases the length of rallies because he or she is an outstanding passer, which provides the setter a greater number of accurate, successful passes to run the offense. They are not allowed to complete an attack-hit from anywhere on the court or free zone if the ball is completely above the top of the net at the moment of contact. They also may not block or attempt to block.

All three rule sets allow that in one rotation in the service order, the libero may replace the player in the serving position to serve. The coach must indicate the number of the player coming in on the lineup sheet. If no libero is listed on the starting lineup, none may be used in that set. The coach may change the libero in subsequent sets. For NFHS and NCAA rules only, the libero may be designated as the floor captain.

In order to be immediately recognizable on the court, the libero wears a different jersey from the rest of the team. Their jersey must be contrasting in color with the other team members’ jerseys and must have a visible legal number on the front and back.

Libero replacements occur across the sideline between the imaginary extensions of the attack line and end line (“libero replacement zone”). They are authorized at the start of each set by the second referee after he or she has checked each team’s lineup. Additional replacements must occur when the ball is out of play and before service authorization. Libero replacements are unlimited and do not count as substitutions. There must be at least one rally between replacements involving the libero, except when the libero on the court will be the next server. In that case, the libero on the court may move directly to the service position without exiting the court for a rally. The original server and the player who was replaced by the libero will exchange in the replacement zone in that case.

The only player who can replace the libero is the one whom the libero replaced. Once there has been a replacement, a substitution may take place immediately before the next service beckon. Replacements may not occur during timeouts, but may occur after a timeout has ended. For USAV, if two liberos are used by a team, only one libero may be on the floor at a time.

The libero tracker/assistant scorekeeper records libero replacements and substitutions. The scorekeeper records the libero number on the scoresheet; draws a triangle around the Roman numeral indicating the position in the service order where the libero serves; triangles the point or loss of rally in the individual scoring section (NFHS and NCAA only); and triangles the corresponding point in the running score if the libero’s service results in a point.

When the libero, who is on or in front of the attack line (in the “front zone”), uses overhand finger action to set the ball, a teammate may not complete an attack hit on that ball if the ball is entirely higher than the top of the net. The fault is signaled as an illegal attack, followed by indicating the libero (point toward them with an open hand).

If the libero is injured and cannot continue play, a new one may be re-designated by the coach at any time. Any substitute may be re-designated as the new libero and the former may not play in the remainder of the set (remainder of the match in USAV rules). In subsequent sets, if a new libero is listed on the lineup, the former may change jerseys and play as a regular player. NCAA and USAV rules require the libero’s uniform number to remain the same whether playing as a libero or a regular player. The libero may not be used as a substitute for expelled or disqualified teammates.

The libero may be used as an exceptional substitution for an injured player if no other substitutes exist; he or she must change into a regular uniform and the team continues with no libero. If the libero is disqualified, he or she must be replaced by the player whom he or she replaced; play continues with no libero.

With the introduction of the libero, defensive control has increased, fostering longer rallies. With the contrasting jersey that sets him or her apart from the other teammates, fans often closely follow this ball-control specialist in spectacular dives, digs and extraordinary passes in getting the ball to the target. As the game evolves, so does the speed of the game, due in great part, to the addition of the libero.

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This actual word should be in every referee’s vocabulary. What does it mean, anyway? And how is it relevant to officiating?

Spectacularity is a hustling or extraordinary effort by a player to play the ball that results in the inner fan in you, the referee, silently raving, “Wow! Nice play.” It can occur at any level of competition.

What may apply for one level doesn’t necessarily apply for another level. Spectacularity is to be judged in relation to the caliber of the competitors present.

Regardless of the degree of spectacularity, a referee must remain objective and call any absolute or clear-cut ballhandling violation. Of course, some referees, jokingly or not, consider every ball contact a spectacularity and seldom call anything at all. That’s fine and dandy, provided they know what has to be called, are consistent in choosing what not to call and can sell their decisions.

More often than not, spectacularity will be a borderline ballhandling violation. That is due to the quick reacting player lacking a good, fundamental playing position or making an unorthodox contact. The dazzling outcome may draw cheers and “ooohs” from the spectators (as opposed to groans and “whoas”) and respect from the players and coaches.

Keep the whistle in check. Be sure of a ballhandling violation before halting a
sensational action exhibiting athleticism. Don’t get noticed, let alone have your judgment questioned, by killing the excitement with an iffy call that no doubt will be unpopular.

Uninterrupted spectacularity outweighs whistling its debatable illegality in terms of game flow and entertainment value. The opposing team may perceive a spectacularity to be
illegal and complain about a no-call. By the same token, if a teammate of theirs performed a similar outstanding feat, they would not want it called. Well, they can’t have it all. Call it the same way for both teams to avoid trouble.

Stay alert. Don’t get caught up in admiring the spectacularity. Concentrate on the plays that follow, especially the very next one. The sometimes less than desirable ball path from spectacularity could lead to a ballhandling error. Anticipate a “bang-bang” play.

A “let ‘em play” officiating philosophy isn’t being advocated, far from it. An official still must employ a correct and consistent standard for judging routine ballhandling. On the other hand, understand the principles and parameters of spectacularity. The large gray area for judgment calls gives a referee lot of leeway toward rewarding a thrilling, athletic effort by a player. Exercise this advantage without compromising the enforcement of
rules.

Promote the sport for the benefit and pleasure of the players and fans.

The post Don’t Become a Fan appeared first on Referee.com.

Well, those days are long gone. It may have taken us years to realize how important scoring is to a match — arguably, some of us still may not realize it — but the state of our sport today requires referees to know the scoresheet just as well as the scorers who use it.

It’s no longer a matter of retrieving the lineup sheet from a coach and handing it to the scorer to record it. And although a lineup card may be used by the second referee in NFHS competitions, that lineup card is no replacement for the scoresheet — even though some of us may have tried to keep track of more match details than needed, including the score.

Keeping score has taken on a new level of importance

Modern volleyball has seen several important changes that have directly affected scoring. Among other things, we’ve increased the number of substitutions compared to the old days, and with the addition of rally scoring and the libero player, keeping score has taken on a new level of importance — so much so, that we now have a designated assistant scorer/libero tracker as part of the table crew. But how does all that impact a referee?

Adding another member to the scoring crew hasn’t lightened the responsibilities on the (second) referee’s shoulders. On the contrary, it has required referees to increase their scoring knowledge. Not only do we need to know and understand the scoresheet, we must now also know how to use the libero tracking sheet and understand its relationship to the scoresheet. There are two primary reasons for needing that increased scoring knowledge:

• To properly train and prepare scorers/assistant scorers.

• To be able to quickly sort through the scoresheet to resolve an issue or discrepancy.

Scorer preparation.

We are doing ourselves a disservice when we don’t spend adequate pre-match time with our scoring crew. Those pre-match instructions with the scorers, regardless of their level of experience, will help prevent problems during the match. It only takes one anxiety-filled delay, trying to work through the scoresheet, to learn that many scoring errors are preventable and to realize that we don’t want to go through that again.

Resolving issues.

Resolving a scoring issue during a match, under pressure, with everyone watching and waiting, can frazzle the best of referees. The best way to efficiently handle that task is to have a working knowledge of the scoresheet ahead of time. In other words, all referees should also be functional scorers. That doesn’t mean we need to be as efficient as a veteran scorer, but we still need to have good knowledge of the scoresheet and scoring procedures. There is a “flow” to keeping score — a series of patterns for recording served points, points earned by the receiving team and substitutions, among other things. Knowing that “flow” helps you retrace the steps leading up to a scoring discrepancy.

Increase scoring knowledge.

Learning to keep score takes practice. It’s one thing to read about scoring procedures or to look through a scoring example in a book, but it’s another thing to keep score during a live match. The good news is that it’s easy for us to increase our scoring knowledge and there are lots of opportunities to do it without the pressure of being the official scorer for the match.

When you’re working at a USAV tournament, go to a court during one of your breaks, take a blank scoresheet and sit somewhere courtside and keep score. Have a veteran scorer or referee review your sheet and offer comments.

If you’re a referee for a high school varsity match, show up early and keep score during the junior varsity match. Again, you can do that courtside without sitting at the scorer’s table. After the match, compare your scoresheet to the official scoresheet if possible. That’ll give you an idea of how you’re doing.

Preseason collegiate tournaments offer an opportunity to keep unofficial score, too. There are often three or four referees assigned to a tournament, so when you’re not working a match, keep score. Again, compare your sheet to the official scoresheet after the match. You might also print a few scoresheets, attend a collegiate match as a spectator and keep score while you’re in the stands.

Libero tracking can be done unofficially.

Libero tracking can also be done in an unofficial manner as well, the same as scoring. You’ll learn how difficult it is to watch both sides of the court for libero replacements while also recording substitutions or assisting the scorer.

That practical experience, gained by keeping the score at a match from time to time, will help you work with scorers more effectively because you’ll have a working knowledge of the scoresheet. You’ll be able to speak their language, you’ll be better equipped to answer their questions and you’ll have a foundation for working through a scoresheet in the event of an error or discrepancy. And perhaps most importantly, you’ll get a feel for what it’s like to be a scorer who is trying to keep up with the referees’ pace and tempo. We don’t realize how little time we’re actually giving a scorer to record substitutions, for example, especially when there are multiple substitutions during the same dead ball.

So, if you aren’t already a functional scorer, now is the time to learn. The sport has progressed to the point that for us to be our best, we need to raise all facets of our game. Don’t leave scoring off the list. Referees need to be scorers, too.

The post Match Scoring is One of Your Most Important Tasks appeared first on Referee.com.

Aviation safety researchers have been studying SA in pilots for several decades. Clearly, even a momentary loss of awareness can have disastrous results in that venue. That research has led to many scholarly definitions of what it is, but I like the definition offered by the U.S. Coast Guard. “Situational awareness is the ability to identify, process and comprehend the critical elements of information about what is happening to the team with regards to the mission. More simply, it’s knowing what is going on around you.”

Know what is going on around you

That emphasis is not mine, it is included in the Coast Guard’s definition. What attracts me to that definition is precisely that last line. Simple enough that even we pilots can understand it.

Dr. Mica Endsley’s research into SA built upon earlier models to develop a three-stage model of SA formation. The three stages, or steps, are perception, comprehension and projection.

Perception involves “perceiving the status, attributes and dynamics of relevant elements in the environment.” For a pilot, those elements are the basics of the aircraft and its systems, the external environment and any other elements affecting the flight. For a referee, those include, but are not limited to, the basics of who the match participants are and where they are on the court, the score, the signals your officiating team may be making, the timeout and substitution status of both teams, the coaches’ behavior, and the list could go on and on. Sometimes, especially early in our officiating career, we concentrate so intently on remembering the basics of the rules that we can miss those elements that can help us move from Level 1 SA to Level 2.

Endsley goes on to define Level 2 SA as, “Comprehension of the situation based on a synthesis of disjointed Level 1 elements.” To both officials and pilots, we approach Level 2 when we begin to “make sense” of those elements we perceive in our Level 1 SA state. The elements begin to form patterns in our brains that explain the environment around us. Pilots take that one step further by creating a mental model of the current state of their aircraft and the environment around them. Officials who work with an officiating team can do much the same. I would submit that your best officiating experiences happen when your mental model of the match mirrors that of your partners’. I liken that to being “inside each other’s heads.”

Forecasting future actions accurately a critical skill for success

The “ability to project the future actions of the elements in the environment, at least in the near term” is what Endsley describes as Level 3 SA. Pilots will use that higher level of SA to make decisions that keep the aircraft (and thus themselves) in the safest state possible. An example would be knowing of a thunderstorm in their flightpath well ahead of time, knowing the aircraft performance capabilities preclude climbing over the storm, and taking early action to go around the storm. Officials have to be careful once attaining Level 3 SA, as making a decision based on your projection of future events would more commonly be called making an assumption. Officials need to anticipate, but never assume.

So, what are some of the barriers we face in our quest for situational awareness?

Lack of preparation.

If we have officiated the teams earlier in the year, or are able to study video of the teams, we can head off surprises. Additionally, knowing the rulebook cold and having solid mechanics lets you take in the “big picture” instead of worrying about the basics.

Fatigue.

I believe that can be one of the barriers that has the most effect on situational awareness. Fatigue affects the higher function of decision-making in our brain, making us much more susceptible to the next barrier.

Tunnel vision.

The cause of tunnel vision may be the aforementioned fatigue. Once the higher areas of brain function start to slow, we focus on that which can really hurt us. As a second referee, we zone in on the net, as that is a basic responsibility. But doing so causes us to lose any perception of the approach of the players, or of any back-row possibilities. It may also come from a lack of experience. That allows the stress of a new or unusual situation to overwhelm us.

Preconceptions.

If we allow our Level 3 SA (projection) to overtake the actual events, our brain will try to match the information we see to that perception of events, instead of the other way around.

As important as attaining an optimum level of SA is, it may even be more important to be able to recognize when you or your officiating team has lost SA. A primary red flag is a feeling of confusion. That may manifest itself in that “deer in the headlights” look from your partner, a line judge missing an obvious call or you as second referee losing track of a team’s rotation. If you recognize that in yourself, get back to basics. Work on taking in the whole match environment. If you recognize it in a teammate, an encouraging look, gesture or even a quick conference during a timeout can bring him or her back to that shared mental model of the match that we need to strive for.

To my fellow pilots, I wish “Blue skies and tailwinds.” And I wish you the same.

The post Situational Awareness Suits Volleyball Officials appeared first on Referee.com.

Of the officiating crew, the second referee usually has the most tasks to perform during timeouts. After going through the timeout procedures and signaling to the first referee how many timeouts each team has taken in the set, the second referee ensures nothing on the court needs to be addressed and makes his or her way to the scorer’s table to communicate with the scorer and assistant scorer. In this short meeting, the second referee verifies the score, how many timeouts and substitutions have been used by both teams, and if the liberos are on or off the court. This is also a good time to glance at the scoresheet and libero tracking sheet to make sure all of the match action has been recorded correctly. After these tasks are complete, as the timeout ends, the second referee will ensure all players are on the court and sound a warning whistle and horn when appropriate.

The first referee and line judges may have less work than the second referee during timeouts. The line judges walk to their timeout positions when the timeout is whistled and can take a mental and physical break. Usually the first referee will watch as the players move toward the benches. He or she may make a mental note of which team had liberos in the match when the timeout begins. The first referee might have a quick discussion with the line judges about a technique or call that needs addressing to improve the match moving forward.

During a timeout, all officials — line judges, referees and members of the scorer’s table — should find moments for a mental and physical break. Officials may use breathing or mind-clearing exercises, imagery or simply glance at a dancing fan for a mental break. Officials can physically shift their weight to take pressure off their feet, and utilize small stretching movements with the hands and discreet shoulder rolls to loosen the shoulders. It is important to take a quick mental and physical break to come back refreshed and ready to work just like the players.

Before the match, officials should scan the playing site to confirm non-game balls are put away and examine the playing area for obstacles (bags, purses, fans, chairs on the court, etc.) that may interfere with play or cause a safety hazard, and make sure they are removed. During the match, however, these obstacles might find their way back to the court. During timeouts, it is a good time to ensure these obstacles are still off the playing surface. If needed, the second referee might offer the first referee water or walk over to the first referee for a quick conference about a potential call or situation that may need to be addressed in the match. The conversations between crew members should be quick and used only for important information that will help with officiating the remainder of the match.

During the entire timeout, it is important to act professionally. When talking with scorer’s table personnel, officials can show their personalities a little, but be sure everyone is communicating professionally. When all the tasks are completed and the officials are waiting for the timeout to end, it is important to relax but also maintain professionalism. Although the match might be stressful, referees should not relax too much by slouching or leaning on the scorer’s table or the referee stand. Line judges should not play with their flags. Officials should try not to fidget or nervously tap their fingers. All officials should relax with a straight and upward posture showing they are in control of the match and ready to finish the set or match strongly.

As a player and coach, timeouts are important during a match so teams can rest, replenish fluids and discuss strategies moving forward. Although officials do not have the same opportunities as the players do, officials can ensure important elements of the game are correct. Relax mentally and physically, and, if needed, strategize the best way to finish the set or match. Remember, maintain awareness of the court and its surroundings at all times.

Robert Doan Ph.D., has been a high school, college and USAV official for more than a decade. He is a resident of Berkeley County, S.C

The post Still Work to Be Done When There’s a Break in Play appeared first on Referee.com.

When an attacker hits the ball into the top of the net and there are opposing blockers present, does the ball actually touch the block (thus giving the offensive team an additional three hits if it rebounds)? Or is that subsequent touch by the attacker’s team an illegal fourth contact?

When a player tries to retrieve a ball from the body of the net, is that contact really an illegal catch/throw? Or is it really multiple contacts and therefore not illegal on the first contact?

Where do you set the ball handling bar for a middle school match, a JV match, a high school varsity match or a college match?

All of those questions fall into that grey area of officiating, especially for less experienced officials. So how does one learn how to make the best decision possible in situations like those?

Some of the top collegiate volleyball conferences in the country include an observer. That person’s job is to watch the match and facilitate a post-match discussion about what went right and perhaps what went not-so-right. The observer also files a report with the conference assigner with his or her opinion on categories like consistency of ball handling judgment, communication skills and behavior control. So the top referees in the country are getting feedback every match, thus continuing to advance their skills.

Get feedback from an official whose opinion you trust

Newer officials need to do the very same thing. The rules of the game have changed over the years. So has the way officials are supposed to apply those rules. Get feedback from an official whose opinion you trust. For that matter, opinions from any official or observer can’t hurt. Feedback from your fellow officials is what allows you to stay abreast with what the generally accepted norms are in the officiating world.

Observe good officials at work. Watch what they call, especially in terms of judgment decisions like ball handling, and try to move your officiating performance in that direction. Ask for feedback from all of your officiating partners. Coaches, players and fans never lack opinions about how the match should be called, and officials should try to not let them influence their decisions in real time. However, if you are consistently getting pushback when you make a certain call, consider that perhaps they are right and you should adjust. Be mature enough to seek help with that call from fellow officials.

There is a learning curve that every young official must go through to master each of those “grey area” skills. Experienced officials can help you navigate that learning curve efficiently and most are more than willing to do so. Every referee needs to realize that when they stop trying to get better and decide to just coast through the rest of their career, they waste some of their talents as an official.

When mountain climbers have reached the top of Mount Everest, they have scaled the highest point in the world and there is no greater goal for them to seek. Until you have officiated a match at volleyball’s version of Mount Everest, there is always something you can do to take your skill set higher, and a match that is higher up the mountain.

Continually seek help and eagerly listen to input from your fellow officials. Every kind of input is good input. You can either file it in the “Wow. I think I’ll try that,” bin or the “That’s a lot of hooey” bin. One should be emptied slowly as you learn new skills, and the other can be flushed right after you process the suggestion. Either way, you still learn something from the exchange.

The post Shorten Your Learning Curve appeared first on Referee.com.

What is going through the minds of officials as they prepare for the next play?
Let’s take a look at the job responsibilities of a first referee between the time a point is awarded and the beckoning for the next serve.

Watch for any unsportsmanlike actions

The majority of points in a volleyball match are not controversial. Examples include a ball that falls to the floor as a down ball or the ball sailing out of bounds. These plays could have controversy, but the majority of the time, these are easy calls and all individuals in the gym agree with the decision of the first referee.

However, there are several plays in which unsportsmanlike behavior might follow. Examples include a big block or hit by the middle where a player might stare down an opponent, a play where a coach or player believes an official missed a touch, or a close line or ballhandling call that went against their team. After awarding the point, the first referee needs to observe players and coaches for unsportsmanlike actions toward the other team or the officials. The first referee may need to provide a verbal warning or use cards to handle the situation.

Scan the benches for substitutes or timeouts

After awarding the point and observing the general behavior of the teams, the first referee should conduct a visual scan of each team’s bench. The first part of the scan is observing the benches for any substitution or timeout requests. Of course, the second referee is usually the one who initiates this, but it is important the first referee scans as well in case the second referee is pre-occupied (such as answering a coach’s question or talking to the scorer’s table) and misses the request. It is also a good time to observe the actions of the second referee and make sure you both are ready to begin the next play before beckoning for serve.

The scan for beckoning for serve

Starting with the receiving team, the first referee should scan the court. This scan should include looking at the line judges and players of the receiving team on both the court and the bench. The first referee needs to ensure all players are ready to play and are in the correct position.

After reviewing the receiving team, the first referee will quickly observe the scorer’s table and the second referee to make sure they are ready for play.

The last part is scanning the serving team. The first referee needs to confirm the server has the ball and take one last look at the second referee before beckoning for the serve.
These scans are important to identify any potential risks for injury, such as untied shoes, and to look for general alignment of players. The last look at the second referee will hopefully catch any last-minute substitutions or timeout requests.

Although scanning the whole court and both team benches may seem like it will take a long time, the process only takes a couple of seconds. As a first referee, strive to keep the pace of the players. Coaches can get frustrated when the server is ready to serve and the first referee is slow to beckon for service. The majority of the time, referees can conduct their scan and beckon for service without a delay.

During the scan, officials should make a mental note of the setter’s location and identify the back-row players. For officials who quickly learn the rotation, this process can happen smoothly.

However, early in a set or for officials who struggle to remember rotations, the scanning process can slow down. This is acceptable because it is important to identify player-court location before beckoning for serve so officials are not surprised with a position fault or back-row decision during a live ball.

When there is extra time

When there is a substitute or if the ball rolls a long way, the first referee has extra time between points. This is a good time to slow down the scan and observe any behaviors or situations that may need to be addressed immediately or more likely during a timeout or end of set.

Examples of these might include substitutes creeping too close to the playing court (when permitted to stand), items being on the playing area that may interfere or phones being out at the scorer’s table if not using certified scorers.

Mentally reset

Have you ever beckoned for serve still thinking about the last play? Doing this may provide the opportunity to miss something because your focus is elsewhere. It is important — as the first referee — to take an extra second or two to clear your head, if needed, before beckoning for the next serve. If there is extra time, like those moments mentioned earlier, it is helpful to practice mental health strategies like visualization techniques, relaxation breathing and positive self-talk.

Summary

When watching a high-level match, you may think the first referee is simply resting between points. You may not realize all the items the first referee is observing between points and the importance of scanning the court. Use these tips and strategies when you next take the stand to help elevate your game.

The post No Time Off appeared first on Referee.com.

“It takes a very sharp eye, and you have to be ready for anything,” offered Jeff Sears who has worked multiple WI girls’ and boys’ state volleyball tournaments and also officiates USAV and NCAA volleyball.

“Power teams can make for extremely fast action that results in outstanding plays on the ball that you just don’t normally see,” said Sears. “Athletes use all of their bodies to make saves. That means swallowing your whistle at times when you thought for sure the ball was going to be down or out of bounds.”

Sears added, “You have to be very focused, especially when play is fast and powerful, because you have to be ready for anything at all times. As an R2, you have to focus more with the net play and know that there are times the ball will be hitting the floor before players finish their movements and possibly commit net violations.”

Managing people.

Since the R2 is located closer to team benches and in closer contact with coaches, the R2’s communication and game management skills also come into play.

Let’s face it, power teams often play with more intensity. As a result, besides speed and power, you generally can anticipate more reactions from participants after close or controversial calls. To maintain control of the contest, manage situations. Often that requires a different diplomatic approach. How you explain things and relate to people can be the difference between a situation spiraling out of control or the teams moving on to the next rally.

Officials can alleviate problems by working together and using prompt and proper responses to situations. Be alert for trash talk, as well as participants trying to influence your calls. Nip those actions in the bud. A well-timed verbal warning or yellow card can be a very effective remedy.

Helpful advice.

Not long ago, I received some advice from Pati Rolf, an international, college and high school referee, who also chairs the USAV Rules Committee and is a former collegiate coach.

After watching me work as a line judge, she asked, “What kind of athlete are you?”

Taken aback, I wondered what that had to do with officiating.

Sensing confusion, she explained, “You know, we’re all athletes.” She also seemed to have me correctly tabbed as once being an over-achieving type of player who dived a lot and relied on out-hustling, hitting harder and being more committed than the competition.

Her advice to me was:

• Relax.
• Open your mind.
• Let it finish.

I adopted her words as a mantra when taking the court to officiate. I find it especially helpful when confronted with fast, high-level competition.

To me it means:

Relax.

Be calm. Don’t rush. It helps me to slow down, even if the action or a situation is fast-paced.

Open your mind.

Think. See with your eyes wide open. Make conscious decisions, instead of simply reacting. Use and take advantage of all available resources. Visually center with your referee partner to benefit from their discreet signals or assistance.

Communicate constantly.

To better communicate from the referee stand, I make mindful efforts to direct my signals to my partner while making eye contact (versus making signals to the teams or spectators). Use your line judges. Before making a call, take the time and effort to check with them, which is especially important on touches near the net during fast-moving, powerful, vertical play.

Let it finish.

Allow the play to end. Stay with the play all the way through completion. Don’t anticipate the ball will be down, in or out (particularly important with athletic kick saves, lunges and flathanded digs or “pancakes”). Only after the play is completed should you blow it dead. Then, gather information from all crewmembers. Finally, deliberately give the appropriate signal.

If you struggle.

I know a number of officials who do not accept assignments for certain matches. Mainly, they don’t want to put up with attitudes that “take the fun out of the game,” especially when there are more than enough matches available.

Such unwillingness is not good for the sport or the participants. If you find yourself dreading certain assignments, share your concerns with assigners or conference commissioners.

A common cry from coaches is “consistency.” That is what you will most often hear from them during a set or when they are asked what they expect from officials. Put knowledge to practice. Be aware. Be ready. Use proper mechanics and procedures. When it comes to ballhandling, do like a good baseball umpire. Establish an “accurate strike zone” and expectations. Stick with them and be consistent.

Aside from the ball and height of the net — whether girls or boys, power or finesse — volleyball is the same game, with the same rules, and the same court dimensions. But it can involve different types of athletes with varying levels of skill, which require you to adjust.

The post Adjust to Playing Styles appeared first on Referee.com.

Has this ever happened to you? Three serves into the first set the scorer informs the second referee, “wrong server.” There have been no substitutions and you know the players rotated properly. How can there be a wrong server?

Valuable time is taken only to discover that the scorer recorded the lineup incorrectly on the scoresheet, the second referee did not properly check lineups, the players were not in proper order, the wrong player is on the court, a player changed numbers, or the coach wrote the wrong number on the lineup, etc. The rhythm of play is broken, people take notice and the referees have egg on their face.

Checking rosters

A match under USAV and NFHS rules requires coaches to submit rosters at least 10 minutes prior to the end of timed warmups. The referees should be proactive in obtaining each team’s roster prior to the submission deadline. The rosters can be used to verify the correct number of players are listed (NFHS only) and coaches are listed (USAV only). It is recommended the rosters are given to the second referee during the prematch conference. Under USAV rules (4.1 team composition), that is a great time to verify correct number of players are listed, whether each team is playing with a libero(s), coaches are listed, and if the coach and/or playing captain signed the roster, depending upon the level being played.

Once submitted, USAV rosters cannot be changed, except to correct a uniform number, which results in a penalty point being assessed. Under NFHS rules (Rule 7 rosters and lineups), there is an unlimited number of players that can be on a roster (unless state or local regulations limit the number). NFHS rules permit a libero to have two different uniform numbers: one for the regular uniform and one for the libero uniform. The numbers are listed side-by-side on the roster. Once submitted, NFHS rosters can change without penalty prior to the 10-minute mark. After the 10-minute mark, any changes result in a loss of rally/point being awarded to the opponent. By receiving rosters before the 10-minute mark, the referees can check them to prevent delays and/or penalties. Under NCAA rules, rosters are not utilized.

Checking lineups

Prior to the first set and each subsequent set, lineups must be submitted to the second referee or scorer at times specified by each rules code.

USAV: Prior to the first set of the match, lineup sheets must be submitted no later than the twominute mark on the clock timing the prematch warmups. For all other sets in the match, signed lineup sheets must be submitted at least 30 seconds before the expiration of the interval between sets.

NCAA: For the first set of the match, lineup sheets must be submitted no later than the threeminute mark on the clock timing the prematch warmups. For all other sets in the match, lineup sheets must be submitted at least 30 seconds before the expiration of the interval between sets. For the first set, changes may be made to the lineup sheet after it is submitted without penalty or substitution until the oneminute mark on the clock timing the prematch warmups.

NFHS: For the first set of the match, lineups must be turned in no later than two minutes prior to the end of the timed prematch warmups listing the players in proper serving order. For subsequent sets, coaches have until one minute remains on the clock timing the interval between sets, including an intermission.

The second referee can do some preventive officiating by checking each lineup sheet for readability, ensuring no number is listed twice, a libero has been designated, etc. If something doesn’t look right, verify the lineup with the coach. They will appreciate that you are helping them to avoid a penalty or using one of their substitutions prior to the start of the match or set. Whether you are working with a new scorer or a veteran that you trust, always visually verify that the lineup has been written on the scoresheet in the proper order. That important few seconds prior to each set helps to prevent human error and any disruption to the set.

NCAA and USAV players are listed on the lineup sheet by their on-court starting position. USAV further associates each position with a Roman numeral: I – right back, II – right front, III – center front, etc. Thus, the first server of the receiving team is the player listed in the rightfront position on the lineup sheet. In NFHS, players are listed on the lineup sheet in serving order, thus the receiving team’s first server is listed first in the No. 2 rightfront position at the start of each set. Under all codes, players rotate clockwise when their team gains the right to serve after winning the point. Early in the high school season it is a good practice to verify with the receiving team’s coach that they intend the first player listed to be their first server. Since some coaches coach under USAV (club) rules, they may forget that high school rules are different.

Check players’ positions on the court

The second referee checks the positions of the players on the court prior to each set. If the players are already in their serve or receive formations for the first serve, do not make them move to verify the lineup. Recognize their positions because they may be trying to hide their setter or run a special play. If something isn’t right, ask the coach or captain for assistance with placing the team in their correct order. You don’t want to visually or verbally give away player positions, so allow the coach or captain to help you with this so that players are starting in the correct positions.

While checking lineups, if a player is on the court who is not listed on the lineup sheet, he or she shall either be replaced by the player listed, or the coach can use a substitute to put that player on the court. Once you have checked that team’s lineup you will authorize the libero to enter the court, if the libero will play in the first rally.

Points should be earned during play, not for administrative items that could have been easily prevented.

The post Triple Check for Accuracy  appeared first on Referee.com.

It can happen with ballhandling. Maybe your mind wandered momentarily, and you lost focus, or you were distracted for a split second and took your eye off the ball. The bench erupts, you hear the spectators booing and you wonder what you just missed. And of course, the ball looks like it is in a tornado, but you have no idea whether it was played with one hand, two hands, a forearm pass or a foot dig.

How about a net fault? You’re in transition during a rally. You get to your position on the blockers’ side of the net and you see the net bouncing all over the place. Here comes the opposing coach yelling that the other team was in the net. You have no idea if someone was in the net or whether the ball might have hit the net and caused the net to bounce.

Touches, especially off the blocker’s fingertips, can be missed, too. Of course, the attacking team is begging for the touch. Sometimes it is just that, begging to get the call in its favor. Other times you can feel it in your gut that the ball may have been touched, and you scan your crew looking for information, but no one has anything other than “out.”

It can happen with a pancake play, too. You are not sure whether the ball hit the floor or whether the player got his or her hand underneath it. Neither the line judges nor your partner are giving you a signal, so you let play continue. And in the meantime, the opposing coach is yelling that the ball was down.

In any of those cases, you are probably kicking yourself because you feel you missed a call. Or at a minimum, you didn’t see what happened, so you aren’t sure whether there really was a fault or not. And you’re kicking yourself for that too because you feel you should have seen the play. But don’t kick yourself Especially with touches and line calls, we need to recognize that the speed of the ball is sometimes faster than the human eye can process. But we still should challenge ourselves to see the play and get the call right.

Take into consideration, too, that angles play a big role in your decision-making process. Your angle from the stand or floor is just that — your angle. That does not mean it was the best angle, but it is the angle you must work with. There’s no guarantee that you’ll have an unobstructed view of every play.

Conversely, have you ever made a call that in retrospect, you aren’t 100 percent sure was a fault? When you’re so intensely focused on the match that you’re “looking” for faults, sometimes you get a little anxious with your whistle. In a competitive, high-pressure match, your intensity can sometimes rise with the emotions of the match, and that can also put your nerves — and your whistle — on edge.

When you just got some grief for a no-call on a touch, a net contact or ballhandling, it can make you hypersensitive when the next similar play happens. You end up blowing your whistle so that you aren’t guilty of missing another one. You try to sell the call, but maybe your whistle was a little too quick and the call was a little too tight. Deep inside you’re wishing you hadn’t pulled the trigger.

Sometimes in your effort to recover after a challenging situation, you try to jump back into the match with zeal and extra focus. You don’t want to miss a thing. And in that endeavor, you start making calls that you normally wouldn’t make.

So, which one is worse? Missing a fault that might have occurred or calling a fault that didn’t happen? Hopefully the answer is clear. Since a big part of an official’s job is to call faults, whistling something that didn’t happen is the least desirable of the two. Coaches are more likely to be forgiving when a call is missed than they are when you call a fault that didn’t occur.

At all levels in volleyball, officials are trained to be certain that a fault has occurred before blowing the whistle — 100 percent certain. That means, when there’s doubt, play should continue. That is the best way to establish consistency. In the process, yes, a call may be missed on occasion, but we’re human. And if the missed calls are not a common occurrence, everyone learns to live with it.

If we were to ask coaches whether they would rather have us miss a call, or whether they would be OK with us calling a fault or two that didn’t happen, it seems obvious that they would rather have us miss a call. Missing a call is the lesser of two evils. At least in the case of a missed call during play, the rally would continue, and their team would still have an opportunity to win the point. But if we kill the play with a whistle when we are not 100 percent certain a fault occurred, we’re taking away the team’s chance to win the rally outright.

With that philosophy in mind, it surely does not mean that it is OK to miss calls on a regular basis. Nor does it mean that it is OK to not whistle anything. Instead, it recognizes the fact there are acceptable misses, faults that we just did not see, despite our best effort. And we need to keep those acceptable misses to a minimum while acknowledging that they are part of the game.

We are trained professionals. There are decisions to be made during every rally, and we use our training and experience to make those decisions. Our goals should be to get a vast majority of the calls right and to learn from the ones that we miss.

You are going to miss calls despite your best preparation, effort and focus. And if you are going to miss a call, it is probably better to miss something that may have happened, like a touch, then to call a fault that did not happen at all. When you make up a call when there was none to be made, your credibility is at risk. 

The post Don’t Compound Missed Calls appeared first on Referee.com.

As the second referee, your primary focus during play at the net should be on the net and the players near the net. The first referee’s attention follows the ball and watches that first ball contact, the line judges focus on making needed line calls, and you’ve got the net play.

A good suggestion for new officials as they learn their role as the second referee is to force themselves to count to three during play at the net. Usually, net faults aren’t missed during the phase when players are approaching and preparing to make a play near the net; it is after the ball has left the area, but the players have not.

If you force yourself to stay focused on play at the net by slowing down and using a 1-2-3 count, you may find yourself seeing those net and centerline faults that coaches and opponents are looking for. If there is a fault, you will have a much better chance of making that call appropriately.

The “1-2-3” process helps form good habits for second referees. As you say the number “1” in the sequence, watch the top tape during the attack and blocking action of the involved players. As you say “2” to yourself, watch the body of the net as the players are returning to the floor. And saying “3” reminds you to watch the bottom of the net and centerline as the players are clearing out and transitioning to their next play. Most, if not all, of the time you will not see the first team contact when the ball travels away from the net, but you will learn to be aware of it and quickly pick up the play as you transition to the blocker’s side after that first team contact.

As you increase your ability to focus appropriately, you will see net contacts better. Now, you must decide if the net contact meets the criteria of a net fault. Had the player completed a play on the ball and started to transition to the next play? Was the player’s contact with the net outside the antenna, with no interference with play? Or was the ball driven into the net with such force that it caused the net or antenna to contact the player? In those three scenarios, no net fault has occurred. When coaches point out that a player contacted the net in any of those situations, you might want to compliment them on their keen sense of sight and reaffirm to them they are correct about the net contact, but then explain why that contact does not constitute a fault.

One hint for newer referees is to have a quality response ready before the situation presents itself. It takes practice and a lot of preparation. Know the words of the rulebook. When the coach has a comment, you can acknowledge the comment but don’t necessarily have to respond to it. A guideline to follow is: Comments don’t need answers, but questions do. And if it is not clear whether the coach or captain is making a comment or asking a question, you can ascertain that with a sincere, “What is your question?” If it’s a question, answer it. Keep it short and sweet: “I saw her hit the net, coach, but in my judgment the contact was outside the antenna and did not interfere with play.”

When you have free time away from the court, create scenarios in your head and imagine how you would respond to questions pertaining to a variety of situations. In officiating as well as other facets of life, remember that quality responses come from well-prepared minds.

The post Don’t Lose Focus appeared first on Referee.com.

At first, you frantically start looking at the scoreboard trying to remember what the score was at the end of the last rally. Then your focus quickly shifts to the scorer’s table to see if there is any indication of an issue. And then you glance at your partner for some kind of confirmation as to whether there’s a problem.

There are two simple things that can help avoid that potential disaster: 1) Looking at the scoreboard after each rally must become part of your normal routine or habit, and 2) Being alert to the situations that most often result in the score being recorded incorrectly.

Watch each point go on the scoreboard. While that may seem simple, until a scoring mistake occurs, you may not realize you aren’t watching the points being posted on the scoreboard or flip score. That can often happen during tournament situations at the end of the day when your focus starts to wander. By developing the habit of seeing each point post on the scoreboard, you’ll be amazed at how you can prevent scoring problems.

It takes little finesse to incorporate that into your end-of-rally routine. You still need to center with the second referee while going through the signal sequence, and you also need to become aware of how quickly the scoreboard operator awards the points. It’s important to remind the scoreboard operator during your prematch instructions that a point should not be posted on the scoreboard until you actually award the point. Sometimes the board operator will think he or she knows what just happened to end the rally, so they’ll post the point without looking at the referees.

Now that the rally has ended, go through your signal sequence with your partner, and immediately glance at the scoreboard. You’ll often be able to see the points change. Another option is to glance at the scoreboard prior to every beckon for service. As long as you remember what the score was for the last rally, you’ll know whether a subsequent point was awarded to the right team. If you notice an error, address it before you start the next rally. If you aren’t certain the score is correct, ask your partner to quickly check it.

Awareness of problem situations.

Cell phone use can be a distraction and cause problems during a match. As part of your prematch instructions with the scoring crew, remind them that they shouldn’t use cell phones or send text messages during the match.

Sometimes a player falls into the table and scatters papers in the process. It’s important that you allow the scoring crew enough time to get resituated after one of those plays, and the second referee needs to make sure that recording the point wasn’t missed as the scoring crew scrambled out of the player’s way.

A replayed rally is another opportunity for a scoreboard error. The second referee should turn to the scoring crew after a replay is awarded to remind them that no point is being awarded. Likewise, a mind change by the referees should be the same kind of red flag. Often, the scoring crew will see the referee award the point after the initial decision, but they may not realize the referee subsequently changed the call upon learning that the line judge signaled a touch.

Miscommunication among the officiating team can also lead to errors. Referees occasionally award points to the wrong team, only to quickly make a correction. A lesser-experienced scorer may miss that correction. A few extra seconds for clear communication now can save a long delay later in the set.

The post Check the Scoreboard after each Rally appeared first on Referee.com.

Here are some tips and techniques to consider to help take your game to the next level.

Pregame With Officials

As a line judge, be sure to take an active role in the prematch discussion with the officials. While it’s important to listen, it’s just as important to ask questions. Does the first referee have preferences about a secondary signal? Are there specific instructions about this particular match or venue?

The more prepared you are, the more confident you will be.

Pregame With Partner

Being on the same page as your partner can make the match go smoother and look more professional. With your partner, decide when and how long you’re going to warm up. Determine where your flag will be held as you walk to your timeout position and during timeouts or challenges. Determine whether you will be leaving the timeout position early, or if it will always be on the 15-second mark. Sometimes TV determines this. The more in sync you are, the more professional it will look.

Warming Up Your Eyes

This is your time to get used to the court, lines, lighting and surrounding areas, as well as player tendencies, arm swings and serves. It’s OK to stand in an upright position during warmups but don’t be afraid to get low. This gives you the chance to view the hitters and potential blockers in your ready position. Sometimes the lights or stands beyond the court look different when in a lower position. Be sure you practice seeing all perspectives.

Inside-Out Technique

The inside-out technique is an advanced technique and can initially seem counter-intuitive. However, it can improve your ability to judge close plays more accurately. On sideline and endline shots, position your head so you are looking at the line from the inside of the court out. You will have to lean a bit to accomplish this. By doing this, you will more easily see the small gap between the back of the ball and the line on balls that are just out. When you look from the outside of the court to inside the court, balls that are just out seem to be touching the line, which can lead to an incorrect call.

Watch the Hands

Touches on the block can be difficult to see, especially when you’re also trying to watch your lines. As the blockers go up, watch for the fingertips, and stay with them as long as possible. This will allow you to see even the minor touches. Remember, it’s important to leave the hands with enough time to get your eyes to your line. There are three other officials that can help with touches, but only you are watching your lines.

Beating the Ball to the Line

This technique means before the ball lands, your eyes, and possibly your head as well, are turned and looking at the sideline or endline. This allows you to better judge the ball. If you are following the ball, you may be too late to see where it lands, or your judgment of where it lands will be off.

Get Stopped

Whether it’s your feet, your flag or maybe just your eyes, you are constantly moving as a line judge. Yes, you should move to see pancakes and tips. Yes, you might have to move to see the blockers or your lines, but your head and body should be stopped and still as you see the ball land. This gives you the best vantage point and allows you to judge the ball accurately.

Moving With Purpose

It’s important to maintain your presence on the corner, but there may be times when moving is your best option. Be alert to a player or players coming toward you to chase a ball. Avoid going in the same direction as the ball. Try to move in such a way that you can stay square to the court and be able to judge if the retrieved ball will go over or outside the antenna. It’s best to back up if possible without turning your back to the court so you can still help with the play.

That Dreaded Corner

It’s never easy when the ball is hit directly into your corner, or worse, right at your feet. You may be tempted to jump out of the way to avoid getting hit, or think you have a better angle if you back up. If you can pick the right line from which to extend, get back far enough and get stopped to see the ball land.
The better option may be to hold your ground. You know where your feet are on the corner. You know you are stopped and can judge the ball more accurately while still. Getting a good angle on these shots is difficult, and you must make a quick decision about what to do.

Remember to Relax

While the ball is in play, your mind and body should be fully engaged and focused. It can be intense. Take a moment after each play, especially those long rallies, and relax. Take a deep breath, loosen your shoulders, adjust your feet and mentally prepare for the next serve. Taking a second to refocus will help you fully engage in the next point.
Line judging can be very challenging and rewarding at the same time. There is always something to think about or focus on as you watch each rally. Hopefully you can use one or more of these tips to help take your game to the next level.

The post Take Your Line Judge Game to the Next Level appeared first on Referee.com.

Residence: Doylestown, Pa.
Experience: Currently the NCAA coordinator of officials for women’s volleyball. Began officiating NCAA volleyball in 1985 and was selected to work six NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championships. Inducted into the Professional Association of Volleyball Officials Hall of Fame in 2013. Served as the USA Volleyball rules interpreter from 2000-13 and refereed on the international level from 2001-14.

REFEREE: Overall, how did you feel about this year’s championship?
THORPE: I wouldn’t have missed it for the world and I hope we never have to do (the bubble) again. I am sure I am not the only national coordinator with that feeling in all the sports as they go through their championships. Overall, I think it went outstanding. If you can get 48 of the best NCAA teams in the country and a group of 60 of the best officials in one area, one facility, for about a six- or seven-day event, we’d sign up for that every year, but not under these conditions.

REFEREE: How was the assigning process different this year?
THORPE: Usually, you go to a first/second round site and everyone works the first round, and then half the people work the second round because there’s only one match instead of two. In this case, there were 16 matches round one, there were 16 matches round two. So, everybody was going to work the first and second round. It was fantastic from an assigning point of view in that we had lots of choices in that if something didn’t go so well on one court with one team, that official didn’t have to see that team the next day at all. But I also likened it to the Cheesecake Factory menu; you got way too many choices perhaps.

REFEREE: The R2 had to go to the opposite side of the court for reviews. Were there any challenges with that?
THORPE: Virtually to a person, this was not the first time they had to do that this season. It took a little time. Everybody had headsets here. What that did enable you to do was to talk to your partner a little bit on the way over and then also talk to them on the way back telling them the result of the play.

REFEREE: The night before the championship match, you have the semifinal officials gather to discuss plays from their matches. What does that experience allow you to do?
THORPE: With the advent of video and in our training sessions preseason, there is a request for more and more video because there are so many different situations. It’s like any sport, you can talk about what the rule is and you can talk about a situation, but then a unique situation presents itself in the application of a certain rule and the video evidence is a great teaching tool. We found that better and more video in the teaching aspect is vital. The crews will tell you they are more nervous going into that than into their matches. It’s great for the general cadre to see even officials at this level are human. That’s also a time when we usually announce the final crew for the next night. It is the worst-kept secret in volleyball by that point, but that’s when we recognize the crew and make kind of a little, big deal about who is going to be refereeing the final match.

REFEREE: What stands out from this year that sums up 2020-21?
THORPE: In the Finals review, normally we have the crew all together. At first, I said everybody get on your own computers, your own room. Although there was not a crew chief, Devonie McLarty, who ended up being the first referee on the final, she would be the one who would get a sense of the crew and she’d be honest with me. She said, “This crew was special and we really bonded well, and we’d like to be in the same room as we do the semifinal analysis.” They had the same setup like they would at a normal convention. That was something that showed what teamwork was. That stuck out in my mind. During play, I’d say for me, and I didn’t expect any different, the happiness that it seemed like the players were experiencing just being able to play.

The post 5 Minutes With NCAA Coordinator Steve Thorpe appeared first on Referee.com.

Coaches are at the helm of advocating for their team, but they may be a little harder than the customer who’s trying to get a free meal after encountering “bad service.” There are many ways to tackle communication without words being lost in volleying, pun intended, back and forth.

Body language, tone of voice, eye contact — there are a monumental number of things to consider when trying to calm down an irritated coach. Every situation is unique and requires a thought-out response — which must be put together in a matter of seconds, if not a few tenths of a second.

Some say communication is a masterful art as opposed to science. Communication with coaches and players blends the two into a wild science experiment. That’s because what one referee says to a coach might not work for another referee. In essence, key words and phrases are not something that can be duplicated by all officials, nor something that works in every situation.

This is something that requires practice. The next time you’re speaking to someone, consider analyzing parts of that conversation. Where were your hands? Were you making direct eye contact with the person? Having hands at your sides could make you appear disinterested but overly exuberant hands draw an opposite, but still negative, effect.
The following are a few tips to help you craft your own strategy when communicating with players and coaches.

Listen before you speak.

We’re all guilty of not doing this. We try and head off a potential issue by rattling off an explanation to the head coach first about who may or may not have touched the ball before it went flying out of bounds. But in reality, he or she wanted an explanation on an earlier part of the play. The same applies when a playing captain approaches the stand. No one needs to remind you what happens when you assume.

Key in on what’s happening.

If you’re working for multiple conferences or leagues, it might be admittedly difficult to keep track of how teams are doing, but it’s worth giving recently played games a quick look. Is a team that was expected to be at the top of the standings coming off a five-game skid? Knowing this type of information can help you figure out what a coach or player is thinking, or even how they’re feeling.

Do comments require a response?

As you’re listening, you’re likely working on drumming up a response. If a coach is venting at the end of a rally, there’s probably not a reason to intervene unless it’s disrupting the match. That’s where the phrase, “Answer questions, not statements,” can play to our advantage as referees. But there comes a certain point in time when statements become enough. “That’s a double. That’s a lift. That’s a foot fault.”

Preventive.

It’s a word that has appeared hundreds of times in this magazine and has become even more important in today’s game. The first referee calling over the playing captain or the second referee moving toward a coach to prevent a cross-court spat with the first referee can go a long way.

Outstretched arms and confusion.

No one’s asking the second referee to hold up play every time a coach looks confused, but second referees can make themselves available to answer a question. Without assuming what the coach might be puzzled about, second referees can ask the coach if he or she has a question before proceeding.

Enough is enough.

Two-way communication between the first referee and playing captains and the second referee and head coaches (or assistant coaches when allowed by rule) should be encouraged. That two-way communication cannot become one-way if a coach or captain goes beyond what is allowed by rule. If a coach crosses the line, it’s important for the second referee to put up a boundary using a stop sign with two hands to show the conduct must stop. Sending a clear message to coaches or players that their actions are not acceptable is essential to managing a match. This does not preclude referees from skipping steps in the warning/sanction process if warranted.

Sanctions are not a sign of failure.

Nearly 63 percent of volleyball officials who responded to NASO’s 2017 National Officiating Survey indicated they believe sportsmanship in the sport has worsened. For the benefit of the sport, it’s essential that referees take care of misconduct. Do not be part of a crew that decides to let unsportsmanlike conduct slide, because the next crew will be forced to deal with it. NASO’s survey also revealed nearly 93 percent of volleyball officials who responded did not regret a decision to eject a coach, but 60 percent of officials regretted a decision not to eject a coach.

If you’re concerned about losing matches, consider opening a dialogue with your assigner or association about how to tackle this issue. No one will ever say to go looking for things to sanction or eject players and coaches on, but to blatantly ignore problems would be just as wrong.

Altogether, the goal is to avoid these problems, and being a strong communicator can prevent escalating situations from getting worse.

Find your communication strategy and figure out what works best for you.

Again, this is not a cookie-cutter approach where one size fits all, but talking to other officials and having pregame and postgame discussions about what does and doesn’t work during a match will benefit everyone.

The post Avoid Match Problems With Solid Communication appeared first on Referee.com.

Before the Rally

As a referee, keep focused on your routine. As an R1, the routine might be to scan the benches, scan the players on the court, scan the work crew and then one final scan to check if the setters are in the front row or back row. Then begin the point. When you start to go away from your routine, the mind starts to wander and then you are playing “catch up” the entire play. And that’s when you start to miss things.

As a line judge, make sure you’re holding your flag in a ready position without gripping too tightly. Center yourself behind your corner, take a few deep breaths and relax your shoulders. Reset your mind, clearing it from whatever happened in the previous point, good or bad, and locate your server.

During the Rally

As a referee, staying focused during long rallies can be tough. The longer the play goes, the more quick decisions you may have to make. You may also find talking to yourself helps keep the focus during the point, and that’s OK. You might be talking in your head or saying things out loud when using headsets. It will keep you focused just by saying touch, confirming a good back-row attack or counting out the contacts on a crazy play. Even reminding yourself if the setter is in the front row or back row during the play will keep you focused and keep you from making the wrong decision during an exciting rally or close set. The last thing you want to do is worry if you made the right call (or no call). Even if something didn’t go right earlier in the set, you cannot think about it during the rally — keep your mind focused on the present.

As a line judge, you should be in your ready stance before the serve is contacted — flag parallel to the floor, knees maybe slightly bent, depending on whether the serve is on your side or the other, and eyes either on the line or the server. Staying in that ready stance is important as the point continues because you may need to move quickly to see a pancake or tip, to get a better view of the antenna or to get out of the way of a player. You may also need to get your body in a better position to see the hitter and blocker’s hands, depending on where the hit is coming from.

It is easier to move and see when your body is ready, and much harder to quickly get in position when you’re standing straight up. During long rallies, it might also be beneficial to talk through things in your head as you see them. Cue words like out, back, up, hands, touch or tip might help you keep a mini dialogue of what’s going on and help you stay focused through those long points.

After the Rally

As a referee, take a breath, relax your shoulders and begin your routine. Even though the point is over, you still need to maintain your focus. Don’t forget to scan the benches and check for subs or coaches that may need your attention. Shift your weight, relax your knees and reset to get ready for the next point.

As a line judge, it’s important to take a moment after each point to relax your mind and body. You just spent the previous moments with your body and mind working their hardest. While you don’t want to make any huge movements, especially with your flag, it’s OK to move around a little while you relax and reset. Take a small step back from your corner, re-adjust your feet, relax your neck, shoulders and arms, and breathe. It’s important not to look too stiff between points and a simple relaxation routine will help with that.

Between Sets

As a referee, stay hydrated. If you are the R1, it’s OK to have one of your partners get you some water during a timeout or between sets. Don’t try to work your way through it. Take the time between sets and during timeouts to re-energize.

As a line judge, this is truly your time to recharge. Sit, put your flag down, get a drink and refocus. Even though your time is short, a couple minutes can really do the trick. Take a moment to reflect on the previous set. Is there anything you need to discuss with your partner? Is there a technique you need to tweak or a situation that you want to review? There’s not much time, so this is only for quick topics. Further details can be discussed in the postgame debrief.

Staying focused during each rally should be a high priority for each official. No matter who is playing, where you’re officiating or the level of play, you need to be able to maintain your concentration. Whether you create an established routine between each point, or you just remind yourself to breathe, use these tips to help you achieve success.

The post Tips to Stay Focused During Long Matches appeared first on Referee.com.

It should be easy, but there are many factors that play into our accuracy of whistling net faults. As a second referee (R2), the biggest factor that will improve your ability to whistle these violations is to focus on player action and not follow the ball. While as a first referee (R1), it is imperative you do not leave the net too early after an attack hit or block. This article will focus on “when a net is a net” in our three different rule codes — NFHS, NCAA and USAV — and how we can improve in whistling these violations.

NFHS

In high school volleyball, where NFHS rules are used, it’s quite simple to get this call correct. If a player touches the net, antenna or net cables, it is always a fault (9-6-7). In high school contests, it does not matter whether or not a player is in the action of playing the ball.

When you see contact with the net, antenna or net cables, it is the responsibility of the referees to make this call. The only exceptions are when loose hair touches the net, antenna or net cables, or when the force of a ball hit by the opponent pushes the net or net cable into a player. Here is a common play to examine:
An attack hit near the top of the net pushes the net (top of the tape) into the blocker’s hands (and there was possibly a touch, too).

Possible outcomes: (1) Touch by the blocker and no net fault, play continues; (2) no touch and no net fault, four hits; (3) no touch and no net fault, ball contacts the floor; (4) touch by the blocker and net fault; or (5) net fault only.

In your decision-making process, there should not be an automatic call, nor should it be based on suspicion. In this case, the R2 should focus at the net where the ball is being played, focus on player action and ask, “Did the blocker(s) jump straight up or were they pressing over/toward the net? Did the player touch the net or did the ball cause the net to touch the player?” Additionally (but unrelated to this article), “Was there a touch by the blocker, what happened to the ball next, was there a centerline violation and how can I help my partner?”

It is such a routine play, but there are many possibilities based on what occurs. Just remember, when you choose to whistle a violation you must be 100 percent certain the violation occurred. When in doubt, it is always best to keep the ball flying.
So how can we improve in this area? The communication and pre-match discussion between the referees are of the utmost importance. Although the net is the primary responsibility of second referees, they may occasionally be out of position, not focused in the correct area, or may be doing all the right things but get screened from the play.
In these instances, it would be appropriate for the first referee to make the call, especially for net faults by the attacking team and plays occurring near the first referee (such as a backslide). If this is a topic of discussion, it could help avoid unnecessary multiple whistles, it will prevent referees from feeling like their partner is stepping on their toes and participants will feel like the officiating team is getting the call right.

USAV

The rules for net play are more lenient in USAV and they allow for play to continue more often. Players can only be whistled for a net violation if they make contact with the net, between the antennas, while they are in the action of playing the ball (11.3). This includes their takeoff, hit, attempt to hit or while landing.

What I particularly like about the rule is a player can contact the net outside the antenna, the ropes, the standard or the referee stand and not be whistled for a fault. However, it is possible that a player’s contact with objects outside the antenna could cause interference. If this is true (and obvious), a whistle would be appropriate.

Again, I would recommend a thorough pre-match discussion to discuss who will whistle net violations, situations where your partner may have a better view and when he or she will whistle them, and how you will communicate when play at the net is legal (or judged to be legal) and play should continue. Let’s look at one example and how the referees could handle it.

Play 1: A high-flying attacker has a monster kill but contacts the net while landing. The ball contacts the floor prior to the player contacting the net. Ruling 1: The rally is over and contact with the net would not be a fault.

R2s can use an informal “index finger point” to the floor to let the R1 know they saw the net fault, but the ball was down first or the player had landed (completed the attack), thus no violation.

Or, let’s consider an alternate ending to the same situation and how the referees would handle it.

Play 2: A high-flying attacker has a monster kill but contacts the net while landing. The R2 whistles and begins to signal a net fault on the attacker. The R1 disagrees with the call and judges the ball hit the floor first. Ruling 2: The R1 should draw attention to him or herself with a double whistle, gently tap the chest and signal the ball was down.

This is a case where signaling the violation first and then awarding the point is acceptable. The R2 should be prepared to explain to the coach the R1 judged the ball to have contacted the floor before the net fault and the point will be awarded to the opponent. Be confident in your delivery.

NCAA

The collegiate rule for net violations is similar to the USAV rule and does not stop play for contact with the net or antenna if a player is not in the action of playing the ball (15.2.1).
As is the case with almost all rules, though, there are some minor differences. The NCAA has included interference as rationale to whistle a fault, which means a player not in the action of playing the ball could be whistled for a net fault.

An example of interference would be a blocker who begins to move out to the antenna to participate in a block. As the blocker starts moving, he or she gets wrapped up in the net and it affects the integrity of the net. This draws all players’ attention and interferes with play — whistle it.

The NCAA also defines the action of playing the ball as being completed when the player transitions to his or her next action. The most common example of this is when a player attacks the ball, lands on the floor, then contacts the net while turning to get into a defensive position. This contact with the net is legal because the player’s action was completed and the net was contacted as he or she transitioned back off the net.
Let’s examine a different situation that may make us think a little harder as to whether or not we whistle a net fault: An attacker completes an attack hit, but his or her momentum continues and he or she makes slight contact with the bottom of the net. The R2 is unsure whether or not to whistle a violation.

Things that may cross your mind: Was the player still in original action or had the player transitioned to a new action? How much contact was there? Were you the only one who saw it? Was it inside or outside of the antenna? Did the ball hit the opponent’s court? Will your partner whistle or not? Can I get out of this by whistling and signaling a centerline fault? Are the coaches yelling? Do we have CRS?

The point of that situation is net faults are not always so clear. When coaches, players or fans yell at us, they are seeing, thinking about and wanting a different outcome. Our judgment factors into our decision-making and becomes more important when we officiate USAV and NCAA volleyball.

What are the takeaways? Know the rules and know how to communicate. We must know which rule set is being used for each match, we must have good communication with our partner and we should use rulebook verbiage to explain to players or coaches why we did or did not make a call.

How can you improve in this area? Proper positioning and focus will help you see net faults better. Both referees have the responsibility of being positioned in the right spot and focused in the right area to increase their chances of getting the call right. Be aware and use the “art of officiating.”

It helps when referees know where the players are, what they are doing and where they are going. Also, knowing where the ball is helps us make decisions. We cannot be overfocused on one thing or we lose sight of the bigger picture.

Knowing the rules and when to apply them (or not) is a skill that top-level referees acquire with much practice.

The post Nothing But Net appeared first on Referee.com.

The things that I remember most about that match are insignificant when I think about them today. However, I’m sure I will never forget how awful I felt after the match and especially after the postmatch conference. I particularly will never forget the last summons of the first referee, when I was told to tell the home coach, “If she doesn’t take control of the fans, I am going to clear the gym and only the players and coaches will be left.” And later the coach saying that the first referee “will never officiate a match at this college again!”

It was a thoroughly unpleasant experience, one for which I felt some of the responsibility — without really knowing why.

Granted, that match happened many years ago, but it helps set the stage for this article, raising the question about our training of officials today. There are many articles and training videos that emphasize the first referee regarding control of the match. We stress the first referee’s responsibility for ball handling consistency, professionalism and much more. However, what about the referee across the court? Are we adequately preparing our second referees to handle that position? Are they effectively trained to deal with not just the routine duties, but the unexpected?

Past second referee training has focused on watching the net and center line like a hawk while transitioning from side to side. We’ve stressed checking lineups, getting substitutes in and out of the game quickly, administering timeouts, watching the libero come and go, tracking the setters and watching for alignment issues. Seems like a lot of responsibility. However, have we taught the second referee how to take care of those duties and expand their focus to encompass more?

For example, what about the bang-bang play at the net on the second referee’s side? Who made contact last? How about the ball that possibly is over/outside of the antenna on the second referee’s side? Have we really shown referees how to get in a good position to see those situations and help the first referees know what just happened? What do we mean by “looking through the net”? What should the second referee do when the line judge is frantically waving a flag because the ball passes outside the antenna but goes unnoticed by the first referee, who then allows play to continue?

In situations where line judges are inexperienced and not seeing touches off the block, have we taught the second referee to work even harder to help with those decisions? And when there is a pancake by a player and the first referee’s sight line is clearly blocked, have we taught second referees that helping is critical? The second referee must be aware when the libero sets the ball with finger action on or in front of the attack line. But how does the second referee indicate to the first referee what just happened? Sure, we teach officials to discuss those things prematch, but is that enough? Our training also includes knowing how to keep score, but does it include how to quickly identify what is wrong with the score sheet, so it doesn’t take 10-15 minutes to sort out the problem?

Oh, yes — coaches, disruptive players and unruly fans. Second referees are expected to be aware of and involved with them as well. But how? We give referees reading materials and we even talk about what to say in those situations. But do we arrange preseason scrimmages and/or hands-on situations to train the second referee prior to the regular season? Are we able to train referees how to think on their feet, how to choose the correct words to use to defend and protect the first referee’s controversial calls, and how to defuse the situation and restore order? Do we teach how to warn, but not threaten? If there is a misapplied rule, can the second referee handle damage control?

Many of our training techniques are based on “on-the-job training,” hoping referees can figure it out as it happens in a live match.

Many players today are playing volleyball nearly year-round, and the skill level of those players has increased significantly. Shouldn’t we also move the level of training for second referees to the next level? Many times, we say “with experience” an individual will get better at handling second referee situations — and typically we all do. But perhaps we should bolster training to stay up with and ahead of the skill level of the players. We need to develop second referee training that is more than the X’s and O’s of officiating volleyball, and then figure out how to measure the effectiveness of our training. Maybe we are adequately training our second referees. However, it’s time we take an inventory of how we approach second referee training, roll up our sleeves, and get down to really educating and preparing them. We should not settle for adequate.

After all, if it is a partnership between the first and second referees, shouldn’t the focus on training be equal?

The post Second Referees Need Training Too appeared first on Referee.com.