couple situations to check on

[refinks]

Guys, let me preface by saying that while I have officiated volleyball for 5, 6 years now, I still feel like a rookie because I came into it never having played or even watched a volleyball match (well, maybe I watched a couple when I was in high school or college) so for the most part, my knowledge of volleyball has been very limited. A couple situations took place over the last few days that I want to get your guys insight on, as I know there are some very knowledgeable people on these forums.

Situation 1: Middle school tournament last Saturday, I'm R2, in my position checking for overlaps (which I still struggle with mightily btw). In looking across the court, I notice that the front left player is straddling the sideline with half the foot inbounds and half the foot out of bounds. For some reason, I was thinking this was the same situation as the center line, where the entire foot had to be over for it to be a violation. So I had nothing, nobody said anything about it. In looking at the rulebook, it seems that this should have been an illegal alignment as the way I read it, no part of a players body may be touching outside a boundary line during contact of serve. So in my situation, am I correct that I should have had an illegal alignment?

Situation 2: JV game, definite talent discrepancy between the 2 teams. I'm R1. The significantly better team (for lack of a better description) likes to use quick attacks, where the setter will set the ball and almost immediately an attacker is spiking it. So, in this situation, the setter came from the back row. In this particular instance, for whatever reason, she decided to jump set, and clearly set the ball while it was completely above the net. As soon as the hitter hit the ball over the net on the next hit, I had a back row attack. Coach was very upset, insisting this could not be a back row attack because the setter is not the one that put the ball over the net, but rather one of her teammates did on the next hit. I disagreed, and the coach ended up getting a yellow card from me. A few points later, my partner gave her a red for continuing to argue the call. She eventually quieted down and stayed in the match, but had a few choice words for us after the match. No big deal, but now I'm second guessing myself. Did I make the right call on the back row attack? My partner thought I did, but he, like myself, was unsure of the rule.

Admittedly, illegal alignments, overlapping, and back row are things I struggle with most. I feel like I've gotten better at identifying illegal hits based on prolonged contact, mishits, and quadrant changes. But as for the rest, it's still a struggle. Thanks in advance for any help I receive on these matters.

[SCalScoreKeeper]

This is my 3rd year and I still have trouble with illegal alignment and back row.

Situation 1-First of all credit to your association to have two person middle school tournaments.Here middle school is assigned 1 person on your own.Yes you have it correct.

Situation 2-setter from the back row sets the ball completely above the height of the net using overhand finger action resulting in an attack attempt for a teammate.correct call-way to handle the coach although I wouldn't have let her go on for 3 points arguing a previous judgement call.

How is everyone doing getting used to the cards for team delay this year? Has anyone had a host team take the 5 minute intermission between sets 2 and 3 in a varsity match yet?

[refinks]

Originally Posted by SCalScoreKeeper

This is my 3rd year and I still have trouble with illegal alignment and back row.

Situation 1-First of all credit to your association to have two person middle school tournaments.Here middle school is assigned 1 person on your own.Yes you have it correct.

Situation 2-setter from the back row sets the ball completely above the height of the net using overhand finger action resulting in an attack attempt for a teammate.correct call-way to handle the coach although I wouldn't have let her go on for 3 points arguing a previous judgement call.

How is everyone doing getting used to the cards for team delay this year? Has anyone had a host team take the 5 minute intermission between sets 2 and 3 in a varsity match yet?

Thanks for the comments. I actually don't just have 1 association that I work for, there are several different leagues that I work for around the state, and a lot of schools do the assigning for the sub-varsity and middle school sports.

As far as the coach goes, I actually didn't even know she was still arguing the call, as I could not hear her, but my R2 said she was making comments under her breath about how bad I was, and he finally heard it clear enough after about the 3rd or 4th time she mumbled it.

The team delay is a mess, I've looked at the book and asked officials, and some of them still can't figure out the correct mechanic for the new unnecessary delay signal. Some have even commented that as long as they aren't doing varsity and have no intentions of doing varsity, they will just use the old UD signal followed by the administration of the card. Me personally, I'd rather learn how to do it the right way, in case I ever do get the chance and feel comfortable about moving up.

Haven't been to any varsity matches this season, but I know my state association doesn't have much in the way of best of 5 matches. Most varsity game dates are tris or quads, so they just go best of 3. The JV match I worked Tuesday night was a private school that was unaffiliated with my state association, and they went best of 5. Come to think of it, it wasn't a JV, it was a varsity, it just wasn't a state association varsity match. Hmm, now I really feel good about getting the call right!

[SCalScoreKeeper]

So here's how it's supposed to be done.

-team on your right side called for UD:

Right hand held at 90 degree angle (palm facing you). Left Hand (palm facing you on top.point right hand at the court.the R1 will pull the appropriate card from their pocked.

[BurlakaUS]

If the back row setter sets the ball above the net to a hitter on her own side of the net and this hitter then hits the ball over it is nothing. AS long as the setter did not hit the ball over the net while the ball was above the net it is nothing. Most high level teams will use a setter that jump sets to her hitters to help freeze the middle blocker.

[SCalScoreKeeper]

burlakaUS- so when is it a back row setter? setter from the back row tips a ball that is completely above the height of the net? back row setter sets the ball from in front of the 10 foot line above the height of the net?

[chapmaja]

Originally Posted by refinks

Guys, let me preface by saying that while I have officiated volleyball for 5, 6 years now, I still feel like a rookie because I came into it never having played or even watched a volleyball match (well, maybe I watched a couple when I was in high school or college) so for the most part, my knowledge of volleyball has been very limited. A couple situations took place over the last few days that I want to get your guys insight on, as I know there are some very knowledgeable people on these forums.

Situation 1: Middle school tournament last Saturday, I'm R2, in my position checking for overlaps (which I still struggle with mightily btw). In looking across the court, I notice that the front left player is straddling the sideline with half the foot inbounds and half the foot out of bounds. For some reason, I was thinking this was the same situation as the center line, where the entire foot had to be over for it to be a violation. So I had nothing, nobody said anything about it. In looking at the rulebook, it seems that this should have been an illegal alignment as the way I read it, no part of a players body may be touching outside a boundary line during contact of serve. So in my situation, am I correct that I should have had an illegal alignment?

Situation 2: JV game, definite talent discrepancy between the 2 teams. I'm R1. The significantly better team (for lack of a better description) likes to use quick attacks, where the setter will set the ball and almost immediately an attacker is spiking it. So, in this situation, the setter came from the back row. In this particular instance, for whatever reason, she decided to jump set, and clearly set the ball while it was completely above the net. As soon as the hitter hit the ball over the net on the next hit, I had a back row attack. Coach was very upset, insisting this could not be a back row attack because the setter is not the one that put the ball over the net, but rather one of her teammates did on the next hit. I disagreed, and the coach ended up getting a yellow card from me. A few points later, my partner gave her a red for continuing to argue the call. She eventually quieted down and stayed in the match, but had a few choice words for us after the match. No big deal, but now I'm second guessing myself. Did I make the right call on the back row attack? My partner thought I did, but he, like myself, was unsure of the rule.

Admittedly, illegal alignments, overlapping, and back row are things I struggle with most. I feel like I've gotten better at identifying illegal hits based on prolonged contact, mishits, and quadrant changes. But as for the rest, it's still a struggle. Thanks in advance for any help I receive on these matters.

situation 1.

I specifically asked this of an association president, trainer and state finals official last year. The answer I was given was that this is only a violation when a foot is completely outside the boundary line of the court. This does not seem consistent with the way the rule reads, but I will officiate using that guidance unless the NFHS actually puts a situation in the casebook specifically stating this situation, or our state says something (despite multiple requests they have not said anything).

Now as for the practicality of making the call. At MS I would not call this unless the player had been warned about it first. This is one of those I would call at a level when the player is gaining an advantage by it. At MS she was likely unaware of where she was on the court. As the R1 I would simply say "watch your foot" if I saw it, or as the R2 I would mention something quietly to the coach to have her correct it. I am not looking to make a call when there is another alternative.

At a higher level, I still try to warn, but after that I nail the team for it. When you at the JV and Varsity level you should know where on the court you are.

Situation 2: As I read it, a back row setter came up from and jumpset a ball that was then hit by a teammate. This is nothing but a good play by the offense. Now, if the ball has been set up the height of the net and drifted into the plane of the net and was blocked, illegal attack. If the setter was above the height and the ball was quickhit back off her hands by a block of the attack, the it would be an illegal back row block. If the person who set the ball was a liebro, then it would be an illegal attack because of where the set occurred. The situation in the OP is not a violation.


To me there are certain rules in each sport that are cardinal rules for successful officiating. Know the rules on service order, substitutions, replacements, and attacks are the critical rules in my opinion. Yes some of us may struggle with alignment, and may miss back row attacks because we are confused about the location of the player (something I know I've messed up in the past). Not knowing the rule is a bigger issue than misapplying the rule.

I am not trying to be critical of a newer official on this situation, just pointing out what in my opinion are the most important things to know.

I know personally that there is a learning curve in officiating, and most learning comes from doing. The officials I have an issue with are those who make the same mistakes I saw them make 5 years ago despite being told there were incorrect then.