Tough One

[chapmaja]

I have a couple points of view on this.

First, I'm not sure I would want to be working with an R1 who did not give the yellow card I requested, unless there was something so obviously outside the rules done by the R2 causing the requested card. If I request a card as the R2, I will fully expect that the card be given. If I am the R1 and my R2 requests a card be given, I will be giving that card. If it is a questionable reason, we can discuss that later and maybe decide that next time the card should not be pulled so quickly. On that point, if I'm working a basketball game and my partner calls a technical foul, I'm not going to go over and tell him not to give the Tech. Volleyball cards are simply out version of technical fouls. When one is requested, it should be given.

Now, if I am the R1 and my R2 requests the card be given, I will call my R2 over to the stand and we will make sure we both understand the reason the card was given. If I give a coach a card as an R1, I will call my R2 over so my R2 understands why the card was given as well. That is strong official-official communication. There is a difference between talking an official out of giving a card and making sure we both understand why it was given.

Now, as to the second part. I think any official worth anything has had matches/games/ ect that they feel overmatched. The key is to use these as learning experiences. I had one last night where as the R2 in a city rivalry match I felt overmatched not by the caliber of play, but the lack of caliber of scorers table and line judge help. Every few points it seemed like I was having to double check with the table on scorer or tracker issues or had coaches questioning the score (mostly because it was in fact wrong). Then at the middle of the 5th set we have this gem of a response from a line judge.

Situation: Team A hits a middle attack that appears to sail long. Team A is up saying there was a touch. At first neither line judge (both freshman players from Team A's school) signals a touch. Finally after about 5 seconds the LJ on Team A's side signals touch. The R1 calls me over and asked me to find out exactly what she was. I go over and get this response "I'm not really sure what I saw, I have a bad migraine right now and I'm really not sure.

Huh, NOW you let someone know you have a migraine headache, in the middle of the 5th set when you've been the LJ for 4 previous sets (and shaky at that). Needless to say the touch was not accepted (had it been accepted I likely would have been having the card discussion mentioned above).

The other LJ would have been replaced by the R1 had she not removed herself prior to the 5th set (not that the team mate was any better).

Between the table and the LJ's and the fact we went a long 5 sets, neither myself or my R1 was thrilled after the match.