[Scrapper1]

I was helping out with some new officials earlier this week. We had a play where the team's first contact was a pass that was very tight to the net. The setter chose to "bump set" the ball and she hit the bottom of the net on her follow-through. Newbie had nothing.

On a normal play, where the ball is being played near the top of the net, we tell the R2 to look for net contact starting at the top of the net; then the middle; then the bottom of the net; then check the center line. So they have that top-middle-bottom sequence drilled into them.

What's the best way to explain to them how to adjust to that bad pass and anticipate contact at the bottom of the net first? All I could tell think of to tell this R2 is that the anticipation comes with experience and it'll become easier with more reps. That just sounded lame coming out of my mouth.

What could I have told her that would be more practical as she starts out?

(By the way, how scary is it that I'm giving advice to new volleyball officials???)