I was officiating 7/8 matches last night. During the 7th grade match, which I was umpiring, there was a hard hit serve that went directly to the CB on the receiving team. She had her arms out to attempt a bump, but instead the ball smacked her directly in the head then rebounded off her arms and was saved by one of her teammates. The referee let the play go on and we discussed it after the match. We know that it's legal for there to be a double hit if it was on the same attempt, but would this be considered one attempt?
Also, while I was refereeing the 8th grade match (at a school where I had never officiated previously), both sides were more than a little perturbed that I actually called 3 illegal hits during the course of the match. After the first one I heard one of the coaches say "Everything should go"...since I called it on his team. He didn't complain about the next two illegal hits I called on the other team. My partner (who officiates regularly at that school) and I had discussed it prior to the match and he said that he doesn't like to make illegal hit calls, yet I feel that by the time they're in 8th grade the players should start getting a feel for what is legal and what is not legal. I could have called probably 100 illegal hits but I only called those that I felt were blatant redirects and those that had very prolonged contact.
Anybody have any thoughts on what to call and what not to call for these lower level matches? I am working another 7/8 match tomorrow and I've seen one of the teams play before. Their 8th grade coach has two tall girls on her team that she never rotates out...when they're on the back row they stay directly behind the front row player and switch immediately. So even when they're in the back row they are at the net blocking and attacking. I never saw them called for illegal blocks or back row attacks. I would be inclined to call it every time I saw it.
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