OK, Juulie, here's a crash course in the back row attack (NFHS Rules):
Three things are required to meet the criteria for a back row attack
1. The back row player must be on or have left the floor either on or in front of the attack line.
2. The ball must be contacted while it is completly above the height of the net
3. The ball must completly cross the net
or be blocked back across.
The important thing to remember is that
all three of these must happen for there to be a violation. If it's only one or two of these conditions, it's a legal play.
Some tips that have worked for me:
Most of the time that you call a back row attack, it's on a back row setter. Identify the setters and the offense the teams are running early and be aware when a setter is coming up from the back row.
I tend to call the back row attack foul if it's close (especially with regard to the height of the ball). I have noticed that, at least around here, some setters will attack from the back row until they get called for it, then stop. I rarely get an argument for calling this, Usually it results in a coach chastising his player.
In AZ this year, we were also told to play with this interp: If the back row player meets the three criteria for a back row attack, but is attempting to direct the ball to a teammate and the ball crosses the net, the violation is not to be called. This might happen if the back row setter is attempting to set across the court to a hitter, but misses the set and it goes across the net.
I only call NFHS
VB, but I think the other rulesets are similar in regards to back row attack.
This is one of those things that doesn't happen very often, but you need to be ready for it when it does. Once you call it the first time, it becomes much easier.