T-man:
While I do not officiate anything other than volleyball (except one year when I umpired softball), I have helped to train many new volleyball officials and would like to offer some suggestions.
1. Studying the rule book and learning the basic rules are essential. Most coaches will be lenient on new officials with judgement calls but are much more intolerant of them if they don't know the basic rules.
2. Using correct signals will also help with credibility. One year I officiated with a new official and he told me on the way to the match that since he officiated so many sports and he couldn't keep all the signals straight, he would be using football signals tonight! This guy still officiates volleyball (after 10 years) and still doesn't have a clue about the game - and doesn't care.
3. Trainers can tell you how to make ball-handling judgement calls but the only way you will learn is to watch people playing. Watch some games or scrimmages. Get as close to the action as possible and sit or stand beside someone who can point out the subtle differences between legal and illegal contact. Our chapter normally officiates several scrimmages in the preseason where we pair up new and experienced officials as they take turns officiating.
4. A few officials in our chapter have talked to some local coaches that allow them to attend practice to see how the game is taught and played. These officials also officiate some inter-squad games during the practice which gives them some valuable experience in a less stressful environment.
How much time you are willing or able to put into learning the game is the determining factor of how soon you will be comfortable when officiating volleyball (or any other sport for that matter).
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