OT: Working Volleyball

[Andy]

As one of the regular contributors on the Volleyball board likes to say:

"It's only easy if you don't want to do it right!"

Volleyball is definitely not physically demanding, but it is just as mentally demanding as any other sport I have worked. I have been a HS VB official for 20+ years and it is "easy" for me, just as it became easier the longer I was a basketball official, softball umpire, etc.

I will say that VB is the one sport it took me the longest to become comfortable and confident in my ability as an official.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Andy

Volleyball is definitely not physically demanding, but it is just as mentally demanding as any other sport I have worked.

So? Let's see? Volleyball is not as physically demanding, but is just as mentally demanding, not more, just the same, as other sports, possibly including basketball? Basketball is both physically, and mentally, demanding? Doesn't that make basketball harder to officiate? Simple arithmetic addition. Are there sports that are not mentally demanding, but are very physically demanding?

Originally Posted by Andy

I will say that VB is the one sport it took me the longest to become comfortable and confident in my ability as an official.

Could it be because you did not play interscholastic, or intercollegiate, volleyball?

Note: I'm sure that every sport, including volleyball, is difficult to officiate, but some sports must be harder to officiate than others, they can't all be exactly the same? The hardest part of basketball for me is to see plays, both violations, and fouls, with "jiggling" eyeballs while on the move. We're not always on the move, but we are several times a game. I'm sure that there are sports harder than basketball to officiate. Baseball? Ice hockey? I've talked to about a half a dozen guys (certainly not a statistically valid group) who work both and say that volleyball is much easier than basketball, not necessarily easy, just easier.

I played club volleyball in college, and officiated intramurals. Calling the live aspects of the game itself are pretty straightforward. Keeping track of substitutions, libero movement, rotations, and overlaps are the tough part and require a lot of thinking during dead ball situations. I tried taking the NFHS test a few months ago, thinking I could work this fall, but gave up after 15 questions. It was the hardest NFHS test I had taken, by far.

[Andy]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

So? Let's see? Volleyball is not as physically demanding, but is just as mentally demanding, not more, just the same, as other sports, possibly including basketball? Basketball is both physically, and mentally, demanding? Doesn't that make basketball harder to officiate? Simple arithmetic addition. Are there sports that are not mentally demanding, but are very physically demanding?




Could it be because you did not play interscholastic, or intercollegiate, volleyball?

Note: I'm sure that every sport, including volleyball, is difficult to officiate, but some sports must be harder to officiate than others, they can't all be exactly the same? The hardest part of basketball for me is to see plays, both violations, and fouls, with "jiggling" eyeballs while on the move. We're not always on the move, but we are several times a game. I'm sure that there are sports harder than basketball to officiate. Baseball? Ice hockey? I've talked to about a half a dozen guys (certainly not a statistically valid group) who work both and say that volleyball is much easier than basketball, not necessarily easy, just easier.

What's your point, Billy?

All I was trying to point out is that VB appears to be an "easy" sport to work, mainly due to the lack of physical requirements. I freely admit that. I also agree that some sports are more difficult overall to officiate due to the requirements for officials of the specific sports. IMO, basketball is the most difficult to officiate due to the combination of physical and mental requirements.

Mentally, every sport I have attempted to officiate requires a high level of study of the rules and mechanics, understanding of the objectives of the game, and focus and concentration while you are actually officiating a contest. From a mental standpoint only, I can't say that one sport is more demanding than any other in my experience.

One of the reasons it took me a bit longer to get comfortable with VB was because I only did HS VB and only worked for the HS VB season in the fall, whereas with basketball and softball, I worked at those year round.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Andy

What's your point, Billy?

This:

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I'm sure that every sport, including volleyball, is difficult to officiate, but some sports must be harder to officiate than others, they can't all be exactly the same?

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Andy

Mentally, every sport I have attempted to officiate requires a high level of study of the rules and mechanics, understanding of the objectives of the game, and focus and concentration while you are actually officiating a contest.

First part extremely true.

It's the on-field focus and concentration that differs. Football and baseball, you have consistent and significant breaks where you don't have to be concentrating. Breaks between plays, for example. You must be alert - but the focus is less intense except at specific moments.

Volleyball and Basketball, the between play breaks are far shorter, and (esp in VB) the focus is very multi-tasky. Take the focus on responsibilities, who you're looking at, and what you're watching for in basketball ... and then add to it that you have to remember that the 2 guards can only jump shoot from parts of the field, but may set-shot from anywhere, and the center must be the first person up the court in transition... and then remember who the guards and center were on the other team when the ball changes sides, even though they might be of similar height; and the guards change each play

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

So? Let's see? Volleyball is not as physically demanding, but is just as mentally demanding, not more, just the same, as other sports, possibly including basketball? Basketball is both physically, and mentally, demanding? Doesn't that make basketball harder to officiate? Simple arithmetic addition. Are there sports that are not mentally demanding, but are very physically demanding?

Sure ... I think football is FAR more physically demanding than any of the other sports I officiate. Yet it's also FAR less mentally demanding, at least on the field (well ... most of the time - multiple fouls and a turnover can be messy). Volleyball, I think, is more mentally demanding than any of the others. Tracking, mentally, who can do what, when you have to lose focus on one team when the ball's on the other side - it's a chore. Physically, it just requires maintaining focus while standing in one place (as R), or while shuffling back and forth (as U).

I never leave a volleyball match huffing and puffing, even if my feet and back might be sore. But I definitely leave mentally drained.
I very rarely leave a football game mentally drained, but I definitely get winded at times.
Basketball and softball/baseball - in between on both.

In both cases, it's beer time, albeit for different reasons.