New volleyball official

[ilyazhito]

As you note, hopping, jumping, and flailing arms are not approved mechanics in NFHS basketball. These are also not approved at any other level. Good basketball officials do not show off with their signals, but they might make more emphatic signals in close situations (a foul happens with a shot, and the ball goes in, so the official must make the decision to count the shot or not, and make everyone believe their decision, a last second shot goes in, and the official must decide to count it or not, or there might be a foul that affects a critical possession) to convey their decision and make other people believe it. In addition, these officials use approved signals appropriately (NFHS signals in a high school game, NCAA-M signals in a men's college game, NCAA-W signals in a women's college game).

Baseball umpires follow a similar approach where they do not show off, but make more emphatic signals on close plays (a called strike 3 is made with a loud verbal signal and an emphatic chainsaw, bow-and-arrow, or punchout move; a close out or "banger" is made with a special forward punch signal; a ball near the fair line is pointed fair or foul several times instead of just once, etc.) to make the participants and viewers believe them.

This is why basketball (and baseball) use emphatic signals, but showing off and using unapproved signals are frowned upon in these sports by the officiating community. Volleyball may not have as strong a need for emphatic signals, because the faults are usually obvious (ball lands in or out, player hits the net, ball hits the antenna).