OT: Working Volleyball

[pfan1981]

Just my .02,

I ref both volleyball and basketball for a couple years. I have attended camps for both. Obviously basketball is more physically demanding and a lot more to keep track of since the players interact physically with one another. Also, the coaches and players get more heated with basketball.

That being said, any officiating is mentally demanding. I dive into the rule and casebook in both sports I officiate to better prepare myself. Additionally, I work on mechanics and professionalism at all times. Volleyball is more straight forward as far as situations and rules. The lineups and alignments can be a beast to keep track of as well as the touches at the net on a hard spike. There are subjective calls in volleyball just like in basketball. One ref could call a lift in volleyball differently each game just like in basketball where a ref might call more hand-checking and less aggressive play.

Volleyball is easier than basketball, but requires work and practice in order to perfect it just like any sport.

I'm rambling now......ugh.........I will tell you what I say to people when they give you a hard time for being a teacher.....

"It's not a private club. Anyone can join. Feel free to sign up. And then we can talk."

pfan

[SCalScoreKeeper]

I am a basketball scorekeeper with 8 years experience & a 1'st year volleyball official after a lengthy (6 yr) tenure as a volleyball scorer.Volleyball is quite the mental exercise-having to keep track of rotations,watch the ball handling,monitoring the net & center-line,and making sure your line judges and table crew are doing their jobs.Basketball is the better physical workout-but the previous poster is right.If you're doing your job correctly at the end of the night you'll be tired.I did three volleyball matches in two days last week & was wiped out.This week I'll work 4 in 4 days (2,off,1,1) and would've been 5 in 4 if my MS match didn't cancel.

[Moosie74]

Based on this I checked into the local VB officials association. Seems like a good way to keep busy for a couple of months after softball and before basketball.

I checked with the president of the officials board, he said there is a very small number of officials and they like to have people who work other sports.

Most days are junior high and JV games or JV/Varsity and the same officials work both matches and he said that most of the competent officials move on to college play after their 2nd or 3rd year, we mostly only have D3 and JUCO schools.

[SCalScoreKeeper]

Moosie74-you'll have a lot of fun.our unit has a former division 1 softball official who is R2 on a lot of high level public school matches out here in her second year.your skills in handling coaches from basketball and softball will come in handy-all you need to do is learn volleyball.I as a first year got a handful of middle school matches on my own and some small school varsity along with a lot of line judging.What state do you work?

[Moosie74]

Originally Posted by SCalScoreKeeper

Moosie74-you'll have a lot of fun.our unit has a former division 1 softball official who is R2 on a lot of high level public school matches out here in her second year.your skills in handling coaches from basketball and softball will come in handy-all you need to do is learn volleyball.I as a first year got a handful of middle school matches on my own and some small school varsity along with a lot of line judging.What state do you work?

I live in Maine, there are a lot of schools with programs here that are either a couple of years old or just starting up in the next couple of years so the quality of play shouldn't be all that intense to start.

I always believe that new officials learning game management and dealing with people is the hardest part so with that out of the way, focusing on the game itself will be easier.

I am looking forward to giving it a shot.

[SCalScoreKeeper]

welcome to the club Moosie-join us over on the vb board.

[Grossberger]

Are you guys kidding me? Officiating any sport ... to a high level of proficiency ... requires a lot of skill, focus, effort, and tremendous dedication.

It is a very good gig to officiate any sport poorly and without passion ... I have seen far too many basketball officials walk during dead balls, call out of their primary (from the division line), and comment to coaches "relax, its not the NBA. Without question, a similar scenario can be painted about volleyball, or soccer, or football officials.

It is no easier to be a competent volleyball official than a basketball official ... I do both at a collegiate level. Where basketball is more physical (obviously), volleyball is far more psychologically stressful.

I will say this ... there is no hiding behind 10 players, 2 partners, and advantage-disadvantage. In volleyball, if you ere, everyone knows it and everyone can see you.

But hey ... if you are the type that does not take pride in your officiating, and are looking for something easy, might I suggest you take up football officiating ... it pays far more and, according to google, there is only 12 minutes of live play in a game. Now thats a good gig.

[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 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.

[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

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by pfan1981

Just my .02,

I ref both volleyball and basketball for a couple years. I have attended camps for both. Obviously basketball is more physically demanding and a lot more to keep track of since the players interact physically with one another. Also, the coaches and players get more heated with basketball.

That being said, any officiating is mentally demanding. I dive into the rule and casebook in both sports I officiate to better prepare myself. Additionally, I work on mechanics and professionalism at all times. Volleyball is more straight forward as far as situations and rules. The lineups and alignments can be a beast to keep track of as well as the touches at the net on a hard spike. There are subjective calls in volleyball just like in basketball. One ref could call a lift in volleyball differently each game just like in basketball where a ref might call more hand-checking and less aggressive play.

Volleyball is easier than basketball, but requires work and practice in order to perfect it just like any sport.

I'm rambling now......ugh.........I will tell you what I say to people when they give you a hard time for being a teacher.....

"It's not a private club. Anyone can join. Feel free to sign up. And then we can talk."

pfan

Agreed. Just finished my 3rd year of VB. Working at certain things, but alignments is still the weak point. As I get to understand the game more, that will come.

And, I changed careers and am now a teacher.