[DncnRef]

Softblock, Hmmmm. Well I tend to look at what they are doing. Are they protecting their face from a crushing attack of an overpass or are they actually blocking an area of the floor. If I think they are blocking then I'll call them for a BRB but I usually give them the benefit of the doubt. Plus, many of their team mates may count this as a block and will pass, set and then hit the ball to the other court. This is when I whistle. I usually get some odd looks but I explain that we have a violation. It is either BRB or four hits and the ball is dead and belongs to the other team. Since I was uncertain as to whether it was a block or first contact, I go with the four hits and call it(the softblock) "first contact". If they play the ball over before the "fourth" contact then I blow it off as first contact. Plus NFHS has added "near the top of the net" to the block definition, so if the player is really tall and her hands are near the top of the net then the "softblock" might be just that...error on the side of leniency is what I was taught!
Bob