Volleyball

Newbies Need More Support Than You Think

Officials constantly hear the message that we need to recruit the next generation — younger people to follow in our footsteps. So many more young athletes are engaging...

Aim High By Working Lower Levels

Once we obtain an officiating certification, it seems that many of us want to jump in and start working the highest levels of play...

Collective Blocks Cut & Dried?

Collective blocks, at face value, seem pretty cut and dried — multiple players in close proximity at the net, reaching higher than the top...

Don’t Lose Focus

Some inexperienced second referees lose focus at times and turn their attention away from the net too soon to watch that great defensive play in the back row. As...

Close Plays at the Net Present Challenges

During the course of a volleyball match, referees make many decisions. These decisions fall into two categories: 1) violations of a rule, or 2)...

Spirit and Intent Influence Interpretation

When considering the rules, spirit and intent influence interpretation. It would be easier if every rule was black and white. No wiggle room. We...

Veteran Approach

As we prepare for each season, we study rules and interpretations, casebooks and officiating manuals, and attend preseason clinics and meetings. And once the season starts, we usually have...

Timing and Tact Crucial to Constructive Feedback

One of the best parts about belonging to the cadre of volleyball officials is the chance to be around others who love the game...

Discreet Signals and Teamwork To Get Out of Hairy Situations

The duties of the first and second referees are delineated in the rulebook. In the best of cases, this division of duties ensures that, between them, the referees...

Situational Awareness Suits Volleyball Officials

Have you ever looked back on a tough situation in a match, one that maybe you wish you had handled better, and said to...

Don’t Compound Missed Calls

We have all made mistakes, there are plenty of reasons why, but officials can't compound missed calls with phantom calls. It can happen with ballhandling....

Adjust to Playing Styles

On a Thursday evening, you officiate a girls’ varsity match, marked with long skillful rallies. The next night, you work a boys’ contest, frequently punctuated by short powerful bursts....

Movement and Coverage Tips for the Second Referee

Volleyball referees don’t move a lot during play, compared to referees in other sports. But there are a lot of challenges involved in calling...

Prolonged Contact Is the Key Element in Throwing Faults

Catch, lift, throw, hold, grab, monster dunk! OK, we have all heard the terms thrown out there for one of the now common plays in volleyball. Players use...

Techniques to Judge a Potential Save Over the Net

We have all had matches that move along just fine — ballhandling on point, bench management under control, good tempo to the match … and then it happens. It...

5 Rule Differences Every Referee Must Know

Many volleyball referees work multiple sports. While it is difficult to keep all the rules straight from sport to sport, it is unlikely a...

Did You Hear What I Didn’t Say?

As most volleyball officials would agree, non-verbal communication encompasses approximately 80-90 percent of our communication with coaches, players, partners and fans. There are so...

11 Points On Judging Ballhandling

Judgment. It’s a word that referees use on a regular basis, and it is the key factor when making ballhandling calls. While it is easy enough to say,...

Triple Check for Accuracy

Taking a little extra time to properly make the triple check of rosters, the scoresheet and lineups prior to the start of a match and each subsequent...