PAVO Line judge candidate

[osprey6]

I'm so glad to find this board. I've been lurking for the past few days reading archives and have enjoyed reading the experiences and questions of other officials.

Now that my work situation is stable, and I no longer will actively participate in the Army Reserve, I'm looking to broaden my horizons. I have been involved in volleyball in one way or another (player/coach/official) since 7th grade, and I am now looking to become a PAVO line judge.

I will sign up for membership once that opens in a couple months, and know I must attend a clinic. It looks like the closest one to me last year was in Cleveland; that's not a horrible drive for me; I'm actually willing to go much further than that if need be.

I would especially appreciate hearing from any others with this certification on what their first few years were like. I'm especially concerned about getting assignments that will be used for observations and recommendations.

To build up experience, I was considering volunteering as a line judge for boys matches at the local high schools and trying to offer my services at a USAV event if I can find one nearby. Is this something you would advise in my situation, or are there any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance for any feedback.