NBVOA - Topic of the Week

Ball Handling Criteria
On a team's first ball contact in any attack, the ball cannot come to rest or be held. On the second or third contact, the ball cannot be double contacted, come to rest or be held. It does not matter what the player or the ball does before the contact is made or after contact is completed. All that matters is what happens while the player is in contact with the ball. "Ugly" is not a ball handling violation. Nor is inferior talent, poor technique, bad body position, contact sound, or ball spin. If the player or the ball does something unusual or surprising, that is not necessarily a ball handling error. Once you understand these concepts and incorporate them into your decision-making, you have a sound base to judge ball handling.

Judgment Standard
What is legal and allowed for ball handling is left to the referee's discretion. Some referees call it tight or by the book. This standard does not leave much room for judgment error, especially at the higher competition levels where a ball handling action may seem illegal but is executed legally because of the better playing skills. Other referees call it loose and let the players play. This standard is more apt to get complaints from those coaches and players who favor tighter calls. Most referees call it somewhere between these two limits. No one is wrong. Each referee established a correct ball handling standard that's personally comfortable to use.

Consistency
In any given match, the teams and players will adapt to whether it's called tight or loose, so long it's consistent. Trouble starts when similar play actions are not called the same way. Observe the teams during warm-ups. Watch for peculiarities of the setters and tendencies of the hitters. Determine a correct standard you'll be at ease in using that is in line with the players' abilities. Set your standard to the skill level of the better team. (Consider adjusting to the competition level so that you make about the same number of ball handling calls every match.) Whatever standard you start the match with, stick to it for the entire match.

Judgment Technique
Ignore how the ball handler is positioned to the ball. Zone in on only the player's body parts making actual contact with the ball. Evaluate what happens during (not before or after) the entire contact. If the ball comes to a stop, it's a held ball violation. If the player stays in contact with the ball for a long time or distance, i.e., not quick, it's a held ball violation. The length of contact allowed should be the same for all types of ball handling action. If the player starts the ball one way then changes direction, it's a held ball violation. If two body parts of the player touch the ball at separate instances during the team's second or third contact, it's a double hit violation. Anticipate a violation, but keep your whistle in check. Practice the three R's - Ready, Read the ball handling action & React to whistle a violation. Call only what you see. Don't guess. If you get screened from the action, get visual help from the second referee. Once the ball is released and the contact is considered legal, do not track the ball after it goes above your eye level. Instead, look ahead to the court area where the ball will end up. Identify the next ball handler and watch the hitters and blockers get into position. This will give you a better overall picture of the coming action and more time to get ready.

Keeping Up With The Action
The better the players; the faster the action. There will be less time between ball contacts to prepare. Do not follow a moving ball. Zoom forward with rapid eye and head movements to where the next contact might occur. During an attack, quickly shift your view from attacker to net to defense. Observe all of the hitter's attack. Then skip to the net for possible contacts of the ball by the blockers. After the ball goes by the blockers, find the defensive player who will be playing the ball. Get ahead of the ball. Try to have your eyes stationary and focused at the moment of contact.

Situations
The ball may be handled in countless ways. Here are rough sketches of more common situations. The live action may differ.

There is a lot of subjectivity involved in ball handling calls because of their general criteria. Understanding and putting into practice the spirit of the rule and its nuances is hard for some volleyball referees to master, easier for others. Regardless, developing competence in ball handling judgment is essential for all referees. This officiating skill cannot remain static, however. It must evolve to keep up with any rule changes or advances in the game. The keys are to call all obvious ball handling errors, and to find a correct, flexible standard for borderline ball handling actions that you are comfortable with and can apply with consistency throughout a match.

SAFE... OR NOD?

The baseball, arms out stretched "safe" signal, is the topic of this article. I officiated for years with the safe signal until several prominent national officials got a hold of me. “It’s redundant!” one told me.
“It’s draws attention to the official when we are trying to appear as invisible as possible,” another would tell me. In those situations I “had to” break my old habit or face a failing score (I was being rated).
Many officials still use this signal. I don’t use it anymore and I’ve noticed that coaches or partners haven’t missed it either. Eye contact and or a quick nod that everything is just fine, to my partner or coaches have filled to void seamlessly.
What should you do? It’s your call. Our job is to relay important information quickly and to walk away and feel as if we were as invisible as we could be.

BLOCKER BELOW THE NET WHEN BLOCKING
WHAT IS OUR SIGNAL???

I have an idea for that particular play... Be liberal with your judgment (let both teams make that “legal” block when they may be slightly below the net and trying their best to get up as high as they can.
But when they are well below the net and in the blocking posture make the same signal you would if the back row blocker had just come up and set the ball over the net from just below the height of the net (like your patting a small child on the top of the head 2 times on the side of the net as the back row player in question). This will give the coach a clue that you have the blocker below the net and you are going to count that touch as the first team contact and not as a block. They may need a quick explanation the first time it happens but explain it well and hope your R2 is on the same page as you.
The best varsity matches will have this happen when a back row setter is standing and digs (in blocking posture) the first ball after an overpass, two more contacts.
The freshmen and junior varsity may have the same situation but the front row player is just vertically challenged but both cases the same signal will give them the clue that it wasn’t a block.

As with any advise, use it or don’t... it’s our choice.

2-1-4 Note: Clarifies the flexibility for the centerline court marking to be a shadow line which designates the required 2 inch centerline. Rationale: The rule requires a centerline which extends from sideline to sideline. The new addition to the rule, which is listed under “Note” provides for flexibility when schools are re-lining the gymnasium floor. This notation allows a shadow line which is a line that designates the required 2 inch width by use of borders or outline lines at least a ¼ inch wide, which shall lie within the 2 inch width.

5-4-1d: Specifies the umpire shall verify the line-up has been entered correctly on the scoresheet by the official scorer. Rationale: The umpire shall verify that the lineup has been entered correctly on the scoresheet. Previously, errors have been made transposing the lineup from the coach's lineup sheet to the official scoresheet. Verification of the transfer of the lineup to the scoresheet by the umpire prior to the match will eliminate these mistakes.

9-5-1c; 9-5-5: Definition of a block is changed to having a player close to the net who is reaching higher than the net and deflects the ball coming from an opponent. “Block attempt,” “completed block,” and “collective block” are defined. Back-row players may not complete a block or collective block. Rationale: The previous definition of a block created play situations in which officials were judging intent. In some situations the action of a back-row player who was no where near the top of the net was considered to be attempting a block and this action play was illegal. Current coaching strategy does not have back-row players not capable of blocking attempting the block and taking them out of play. Further, such action would not affect play with no contact with the ball. The definition has been revised to have a block occur when the player is close to the net, who is reaching higher than the net and deflects the ball coming from an opponent. In addition, “completed and collective” blocks and “block attempt” are now defined. Judging intent is removed in the new definition.

Some of the recent changes that have occurred in the sport of volleyball in both the rules and player techniques are necessitating change in the second referee's mechanics. The previous techniques encouraged second referees to focus on the blockers' side of the net as if they had blinders on. The new (and improved!) technique is for the second referee to assist the first referee with other responsibilities, while staying observant for net or centerline fouls by any player.
The second referee's pattern of movement is referred to as transitioning, and there are a few points of emphasis that will help you be in the right place, looking at the right action to provide the best support to the first referee. In the descriptions below, assume that Team S is the serving team, and Team R is the receiving team – and YOU are the second referee (R2).

At the start of a play, your first responsibility is to observe the receiving team for potential position faults. The correct position is about 4 to 8 feet back from the sideline (assuming the facility allows), and on Team R's side of the net pole. You should be no more than about 2 feet to the side of the centerline extended, or closer if the receiving team's position has little potential for overlapping. Your shoulders and body should be square to the court, even though your primary focus is on the receiving team. This body position allows you to remain observant to the needs of both teams during the dead ball period. Slightly turn your head to view the receiving teams lineup. Listen for the whistle.
AS SOON AS THE SERVER CONTACTS THE BALL (assuming there is no position fault on the receiving team), you should quickly step sideways to Team S's side of the net pole, approximately 2 feet from the centerline extended. As you move, you should be able to visually pick up the served ball and watch the first contact by the receiving team either through the net or around the outside of the net pole, depending on the location of the receiver and your distance back from the sideline. As the serve approaches the net, turn slightly to open your body toward the attacking team. I find that sliding the foot that is nearest the centerline and slightly turning the hips and shoulders toward the net is a good physical ‘cue' to remind me of this technique. Be prepared to assist the first referee with ball handling faults on the first contact – your goal is to move about 4 feet in the time that the served ball travels 40 to 50 feet, and be in position by the time the served ball is received.
Maintain a wide field of vision while the ball is being passed and set, observant to the play that is developing on both sides of the net. Look through the net or around the outside of the net pole to observe the take-off point for back row attackers, and whistle a back row fault if you are certain one has occurred. If a back row fault is not an issue, focus down the net, observing BOTH the attacker and blocker for possible net faults – you'll have to look through the net to see if the attacker touches the body of the net on their follow through. Move your focus up as the players jump to attack and block to see touches on the blocker's hands. Remain focused on the net and centerline as the players land (usually, while the attacked ball is landing or being dug).
As the player's transition for their next play, you should too. Step sideways quickly to get into position on the new blocking team's side, and begin the routine again. The transition movement must be quick, in order to not be caught behind the pole (and its padding) in case a fault occurs.
If the play ends due to a whistle by the first referee, look at him/her as you step even further to the side of the net pole (either side). If the play ended with a ball going out of bounds that you saw touched by the defending team, signal a touch immediately; otherwise, wait to mimic the fault signal given by the first referee, as well as the result signal (point/side out). If the play ends because of a fault you observe and whistle, such as a net foul, signal the fault immediately, and follow the first referee's signal for point/side out. It doesn't matter which side of the net you're on for your signals unless you are signaling a net foul or a centerline violation. Then, you must step to the side that is at fault and signal the violation.

Being a second referee is hard work! Besides the physical demands of the constant quick pattern of movement described above, you must work constantly to be immediately responsive to the coaches and players on the court, constantly scanning between points for sub or time out requests. The second referee must also be alert to situations where information may be needed by the first referee to make the correct decision. Add bench control to that list of duties, and a truly excellent second referee will constantly have their hands full trying to take care of all of their responsibilities. Good luck implementing these new techniques, and work hard to be in the right position to always make the right call.