Rules changes for next year

[blueump]

Official's Mechanics Signal #17-Point: The mechanics and point signal are changed to indicate point and team to have next serve to extending the arm in the direction of the team that will serve, palm perpendicular to the floor. (Whistle, signal violation, point)

Rationale: With rally scoring there is no longer a need to signal point. Each end of rally results in a point for the team being awarded the next serve. The revised signal will indicate the team to serve next which is also the team to receive the point.

This is interesting...if I read it correctly there is no need to signal a point. You simple make the call (example: down ball) and then extend the arm to the side that will serve.

This may get sticky since the new rule for the timing of the coach sitting down is at the extention of the arm. You must extend the arm to the serving side, put the arm back down, then extend the arm again to prepare for the serve. Anybody else doing this yet?

I also saw a Division 1 game on TV this year where the official would show the point first, then the signal of how the point was given followed. That seemed quite different as well.