2nd Class -- R2 duties
 

Ok, so I had my second class last night. They put us on the floor with a couple low-level teams and had us practice blowing the whistle and giving signals. Then we reffed from each position for a few minutes each.

Starting out, I'm probably going to be doing a lot of lower level stuff. And last night, it seemed like there was NOTHING for the R2 to do, except signal in subs and time-outs. You stand there and move from side to side, but the skill level was low enough that there weren't a lot of rallies and nothing really for the R2 to look at.

So. . . what is the R2 looking at/for during play?

Wow Scrappy, what a loaded question!

Actually the R2 has many responsibilities - take a look at the rule book for a complete list. In addition to what you mentioned, the R2 is also responsible for coordinating with the table to make sure the scorer & libero tracker are on board & know what they're doing, verifying that the lineups are correctly entered on the score sheet, checking the score sheet during time outs for accuracy and that the correct players are on the court and in their designated rotation positions before each game starts.

During play the R2 is responsible for determining legal/illegal alignment of the receiving team at the moment the ball is struck for serve, and for net and centerline violations by either team. When a rally ends you also mirror the signals of the R1.

As you gain more experience you'll learn the discrete signals used to assist the R1 - letting them know things like where the setters are, front row/back row status of blockers & attackers and illegal contact in situations where the R1's view is blocked and you have a clear view.

While the R1 is more visible, IMHO the R2's job is more difficult. A good R2 can make the match run more smoothly and the R1's job easier. Work hard at being a good R2 and you'll advance quickly.

In addition to what Tim mentioned, bench control and "serving and protecting" your R1 are *major* responsibilities. A bad R2, who allows a coach to yell across the court unchecked, can go a long way toward making a match wind up totally out of control.

Scrapper, if you have any D-I colleges near you, watch those officials work. You'll learn a ton.

But the R2 is not allowed to assess a card for conduct, isn't that right? That's what we were told last night. So all the R2 can do is try to talk the coach off the ledge, right? If the guy (or gal) is -- as you suggest -- yelling across the court, the R1 just has to have the spine to card the coach, correct? Or are there formal warnings that the R2 can assess?

The R2 can request a card - while facing the R1, simply holding the card of the appropriate color against your chest on the side of the team you want the card issued to (it's one of those discrete signals you should learn early on). Any R1 worth a salt will honor the request and then display the appropriate card, which the R2 mirrors. The R2 then turns to the table and tells the score keeper to record the card, who it's charged to & the nature of the offense. The R1 may motion the R2 to the stand for a brief conference to make sure you're both on the same page.

Thanks, Tim. That confirms what we were told last night.

Ok, but this is all administrative stuff that is checked before the start of play, right? I certainly don't mean to insult anybody, but that doesn't really seem to involve any real officiating skill. Check the list, make sure everybody matches up. That's not really what I was getting at. . .

The legal alignment thing is going to take a LONG time for me to get used to. I really have no idea how to keep track of that at this point.

So during the play of the ball, my only responsibilities are the center line and the net? I'm looking to make sure nobody crosses completely under the net or is partially over the line and interfering with an opponent; and I'm looking for contact with the net. Is that right?

I'm going to have to signal this during play? I can barely keep track of back/front row before the serve. :(

If Scrapper is using NCAA rules in his state, then the R2 (Edit, thanks Jan!) shouldn't have cards in his pockets at all. The R2 cannot pull out a card under NCAA or USAV rules. He may *request* one, but cannot show one.

If Scrapper is using NFHS rules, disregard this. :)

Lineup card is a big help with this initially - check it between plays periodically. It will take a while, maybe a season or two, but eventually you'll learn to recognize the patterns.

Sort of.....a player may contact the floor across the centerline with one or both feet/hands as long as a part of the foot/feet or hand(s) remain(s) on or above the center line. Contacting the floor across the center line with any other part of the body is illegal.

A player contacting any part of the net, including net cables or antennas is a net foul. Exception - it is not a foul if a player's loose hair touches the net or if the force of the ball hit by an opponent pushes the net or cables into the player.

These are covered in Rule 9 for NFHS.....

Relax, I said eventually...this is at least a few seasons down the road :D

In your prematch conference ask your R1 what signals he/she wants from you and let them know if they ask for something you're not comfortable with.

Felix, your acquired dyslexia kicked in again!!! As you said, the R2 will not have the cards, BUT the R1 will ALWAYS (well, almost always unless you're a ding-ding like I tend to be sometimes and forget to get them out of my kit!!!) have red and yellow cards with them.

Scrapper, at the moment, it may seem to you that the R2 (umpire) doesn't have very much to do, but as you gain experience, you will find that you are working harder to do an adequate job as the R2 (umpire) than you do when you are the R1 (referee). During play, as the umpire, your concentration begins by observing the receiving team for out-of-alignments and then continues by focusing on action between the attack lines. DO NOT FOLLOW THE BALL - that is the referee's job! Concentrate on the blocker's side of the net, looking through the net to see the attacker's and blocker's approach to, take-off and landing at and exit from the net area. Your focus is on the centerline, up the net, back down the net and the players leaving the net area. Then, you shift to the other blocker's side and do it all over again. There is an art and a system to being an outstanding umpire (R2) and it takes time to learn what you are doing, what works and what doesn't.

Toolman, very nice job as always!

Scrapper....think of your R2 duties during play as similar to being in off-ball coverage in a basketball game. You are watching the action in a certain area while the ball is somewhere else...MCBear gave an excellent example.

When I first started VB years ago, one of my mentors told me that if the R2 does his/her job correctly, s/he will miss most of the match!

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Illegal alignment is like players in the lane on a FT. They have to be in the right order and spots, however, good advanced teams will have some really unique but legal alignments. Some time overlapping will be as obvious as a gorilla on the court. At times you won't see it when everyone else does. It takes practice and sometimes you'll miss it, but make 100% sure you're right before you blow it. It's better to let it go than to call it wrong and have them line up and prove you wrong.
Watch the net. That's your primary. It's like being the C in 3-man. Forget the ball and watch your area. I saw a guy call foot faults on the server from the floor. Needless to say he got very few calls back!!!!!
Make sure that the table is getting stuff right. Nothing like having a game point discrepancy to bring you down a notch or two.

Scrappy, Relax a little bit. This is an easy game with some funky nuances. This stuff will come. But it takes time to get it right. You'll make some bad calls at first... we all did. The key is to not make them over and over. RR

3 calls to clear up
 

:confused: Fed rules, 1st situation. R teams 2nd hit towards net, (pass or set) ball above net ht. and R team player late to get into position near net, may not have even gotten there in time, S team tips ball downward (spike) onto R side floor.

2nd sit: same prefix but was 3rd hit, ball above net ht. no one near net for R team, S team member goes over net prior to breaking plane to tip ball down to R side floor.

3rd sit:R team member at net, kills 2nd or 3rd ball to R team side, but follow through contacts the net.

Any thoughts or comments appreciated.

You didn't specify if the ball had broken the place of the net. If it did, it doesn't matter, legal play.

If it's a block, and the team had an opportunity to complete their attack, no fault.

It is never legal to attack a ball that is entirely on the opponent's side.

It is legal to penetrate to block an attack. All 3rd hits in NFHS are considered attacks. No fault, legal play.

Unless the ball hits the floor before the contact with the net, you would have a net fault here. All rule sets make contact with the net illegal when playing the ball (excluding loose hair).

In sit 2, if it is still on opponents side of the net and it is their 3rd hit, it is permissable to attack the ball before it breaks the plane of the net?:rolleyes:

3rd hit & attack over opponent's court...
 

Ump64, no, even though the team had completed their attack, the ball can NEVER be attacked over the opponent's court. It can only be blocked over the opponent's court once the attack is considered to be complete.

In situation 2, the ball is over A's court and they have hit the ball 3 times, therefore their attack is considered to be complete. In this instance, B can reach over the net and block the ball before it gets to the net (in other words, while it is still over A's court) since A's attack is considered to be complete following their third hit. I hope that clears things up a little for you.