Toddler steps
 

Was R1 for the Varsity game for the first time yesterday. Not a big deal in itself to me. The big deal was that I was able to watch the alignments for both teams through both matches (JV/V). I was able to remember the pairings (3 and 7 were opposite, etc.) without using a wheel. (I tried the wheel, but it was too cumbersome.) Fortunately, there weren't a lot of subs, and only one team had a libero, so that made it easier.

Still not even trying to remember who's in the back row. But at least I know that I can catch the alignments before the serve.

Scrapper,

Wow! What state are you in? In Ohio, you need ot have at least two years of experience before you can be up in Varsity match, and I believe most other states around Ohio are the same.

Nice job on doing a good job up, and being able to see stuff. But I would be somewhat leery of being up in my 1st year in a Varsity match, just like I would be if I was a 1st year umpire doing the plate, a 1st yr. wrestling guy doing a varsity match, etc. Be ready, there will be something funky that will happen if you do it again, make sure you get it right!

This year I was involved in one match where a lower rated guy was up for the Varsity match, but there were no officials available (and I lost the coin flip, doggone it! :) ).

Oh, I was leery, believe me. Around here, there's no freshman or sophomore volleyball, so we get JV/V doubleheaders. Yesterday, I worked with another first year guy, so I got "lucky" and worked R1 for the V.

Way to go Scrapper! just take it one step at a time.......

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Wait until you get on the stand and get a cramp in your foot.:eek: It's always a fun time!

Congrats, Scrappy! You're doing better than I am. :)

Since I had tonight off, I went to a nearby HS V match. I spent the entire match focusing on recognizing the setter and her opposite on both teams. Obviously it's easier if you've got nothing else to do, but...

I was able to spot the teams' setters during the timed warmup. I picked up the opposites during the U's lineup check. And on nearly every rally I was able to find the setter, and check whether her opposite was really opposite before the serve.

I figured out the home team was running a 5-1, and I was able to track whether the setter was front row or back.

I noticed the visitors were running a 6-2 with a slight variation. One setter would be subbed out for a hitter when she rotated to the front row. But rather than subbing back when the hitter rotated to the RB, the hitter would serve and the setter would sub back after the LOR. I guess the hitter is a better server. So, with the exception of when the hitter/sub was serving, the setter was always back row.

Near the end of the match, they threw in some interesting stuff to mix it up and I got kinda confuzzled again. But, at least I (eventually) realized that when the home team subbed out their setter, the opposite became the new setter, still in a 5-1.

Now neither team did anything too wild and crazy with alignment. And I couldn't tell you if they ever got out of service order, or if the other four were ever out of alignment. But it felt good to at least be able to get that much. Hopefully I'll be able to do as much for my next match.