New volleyball official
 

After 20 years of officiating basketball, I've been asked to join the volleyball board, any advice?

Just Do It!!
 

Do it! Are you a complete novice like I was 6 years ago?

1) Get a mentor.
2) Find a place to work outside of the high school venue in order to see more plays just like any other sport - a local VB club or USAV.
3) Watch matches in person, on TV (Watch ESPN & BTN), & on the web (YouTube).

Enjoy it.

I was brand new three years ago -- it's a completely different challenge from being new in basketball or baseball (or I'd imagine, football or soccer, for example).

The challenge, as always, is the fun part -- and the frustrating part.

Best piece of advice I can give you is...never ever assume reffing volleyball is easy.

Just like starting out officiating in most sports, it is not too hard to be okay but it takes a lot of time and effort to get good. Just because volleyball officials don't move around as much as many other sports, don't assume it is easy to officiate.

On the BB board, it's always listen to Bob. 😋

On the VB board, it's always listen to Felix. :cool:

Here endeth the lesson! :)

Thanks. Is there much discussion here?

Not nearly as much as on the basketball forum. But, I have found it helpful.

Also, I've found it not as adversarial as either the BB or SB forums are. It's a kinder gentler place.

There are is one thing that many experienced basketball officials picking up volleyball have difficulty doing...

Slow down!!! In basketball the whistle and raised arm/fist are simultaneous, the signal for violation is often demonstrative.

In VB, it's slow and deliberate. Not demonstrative. Whistle, pause, award point signal, pause, violation signal.

Most basketball-to-volleyball officials start by doing the whistle and point signal simultaneously, followed immediately by the violation signal.

Slow down. Relax. In volleyball, you have a brief moment to quickly review what you just saw. Take advantage of it.

Come in humble and ask questions. You'll be fine.

True -- but the whistle in VB needs to be quicker than the whistle in BK. THat's why in BK the violation / foul signal can be simultaneous with the whistle -- the BK official has already paused. There should be a delay in BK before the specific fault is signalled -- just as in VB.

In basketball, the sequence is different. That is one thing that new volleyball officials from a basketball background need to remember. Basketball officials are supposed to signal that a foul or violation happened first (because that signal also serves to stop the game clock), and then explain the violation/foul by providing a signal, and finally giving the consequence of the violation/foul (free throws, a designated spot throw-in with the direction, or free throws followed by possession, with the designated spot). Because volleyball is not played under time constraints (the scoreboard clock only counts down the time in intermissions, the pre-game warmup period, and timeouts), volleyball officials do not have the responsibility to stop the clock before indicating the fault and consequences (awarding a point, or a replay, in some situations). This is why the sequence in volleyball is reversed compared to basketball (whistle, with no accompanying signal, to tell the players that play is stopped, awarding the point (this determines who serves, now that volleyball uses rally scoring), and then explaining the reason for the award by signalling the fault).

The reason for demonstrative signals in basketball is because the action takes place quickly, and can be missed if one is not paying careful attention. The signals are a way for the official to explain and "sell" the call at the same time. In volleyball, the action is fast-paced, but most faults are obvious (ball hit the floor, ball went out of bounds, server stepped on the line, serve hit the net, etc.), so officials do not need to be as demonstrative in volleyball as they do in basketball.

Welcome! That's an interesting perspective from someone on their first VB forum post (after hundreds of basketball/baseball posts).

Perhaps basketball officials are insecure in their calls if they have to jump around or hop while making a basic block call? :D Hopping, jumping, and flailing arms aren't mechanics I have seen in the NFHS officials' manual. ;)

Perhaps volleyball officials are more willing to stick with the officials' manual and don't see the benefit of drawing attention to themselves?

If all officials in all sports would stick to the manual, "selling the call" wouldn't be necessary.

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).

I submit to you that signals outside of the NFHS/NCAA/other rule sets (for emphasis or to sell the call) is the very definition of showing off.

The only logical reason for using mechanics outside the manual is an effort to get unsporting coaches or spectators to not complain as much. I think that is a failure on the part of the larger officiating community.

If everyone would use only the mechanics in the manual, the manual mechanics would be seen/believed by coaches and spectators as the firm, unwavering decision of the official. There would be no need to make a more emphatic signal to "sell" a call. The call would be the call.

When many (most) deem it necessary to hop, jump, or flail when making a close call, it undermines every official that is trying to keep with the mechanics in the manual.