Two steps forward; one step back (Rookie Rant)

[Back In The Saddle]

I'd forgotten how painful, and occassionally frustrating it is to be a rookie. Thankfully taking up volleyball this season has refreshed my memory.

Steps forward:
Recognizing when the ball is directly above the net when it's attacked from the other side
Noticing whether hitters are leaving the ground behind the attack line
Signaling that fact

Steps backward:
Not seeing the contact on the third hit well because I looked at the feet
Not really noticing whether the ball was above the net when attacked

After my game up my partner told me he was surprised by some of the doubles I called, and horrified by some that I didn't call. Considering that two weeks ago I wasn't seeing any doubles, let alone calling them...this level of gross inconsistency is a huge stride forward!

Steps forward:
Caught a libero serving in a second place in the rotation. All by my little lonesome. Even the scorekeeper hadn't noticed.
Called my first UD, for a sub repeatedly not waiting in the substitution zone. Talked to her coach after the second time it happened. Called it the next time. Coach tells the girl, "This was caused by you!" Love it when I have good coaches.

Steps backward:
Missed a bad net fault, while looking right at it. I have no idea how she hit the net. All I know is I'm trying to watch hands, and bodies, and even a foot or two, and the antenna, all at the same time and right in front of me. Then suddenly the net is shaking like somebody drove a truck into it. After the match my partner says he knew who did it (he made the call), but not how.

Spent even more energy focusing on the net after that, probably focused too much there and was not able to help my partner with a difficult touch call that I may have otherwise seen.

Grrrr. I'll be glad when I have the basics down pat.

[mbyron]

I just finished my rookie season. I know exactly what you're talking about: a bit humbling.

Some of my fellow rookies around here ignore what they call "the finer points," (like IA's, back-row fouls, etc.) and focus on ball handling and net fouls. Same people who talk about "free money."

I agree that it will be nice to get to a point where I know what to look at and see what's there to be seen.

[Back In The Saddle]

Originally Posted by mbyron

I just finished my rookie season. I know exactly what you're talking about: a bit humbling.

Some of my fellow rookies around here ignore what they call "the finer points," (like IA's, back-row fouls, etc.) and focus on ball handling and net fouls. Same people who talk about "free money."

I agree that it will be nice to get to a point where I know what to look at and see what's there to be seen.

I figure if it's worth my time to do, it's worth my time to do right. Or at least try to do right

Maybe I'm odd, but it seems to me that ball handling would be one of "the finer points" and stuff like IA and back row attacks to be pretty basic stuff. But that's based on the notion that anybody who is paying attention will obviously see them. Whereas ball handling is often pretty subtle.

Probably just one more thing I don't get yet

[Andy]

From some of the things you have posted here, it sounds to me like you have a pretty good handle on the "basics"

Originally Posted by Back In The Saddle

After my game up my partner told me he was surprised by some of the doubles I called, and horrified by some that I didn't call. Considering that two weeks ago I wasn't seeing any doubles, let alone calling them...this level of gross inconsistency is a huge stride forward!

As for your partner commenting on the double hits you did/did not call, I wouldn't put a whole lot of stock in that. First of all, assuming that s/he was the R2, s/he should not even have been looking at the ball contacts directly, his/her responsibilities are elsewhere on the court. Also, angles play a huge factor in ball-handling calls - what looks "horrifying" from the floor may look fine from the stand. You need to work to develop a consistant standard for you when you are the R1. As far as I'm concerned, the fact that you are recognizing and calling double hits is great for your rookie year.

Originally Posted by Back In The Saddle

Not seeing the contact on the third hit well because I looked at the feet

As the R1, your primary responsibility is to watch and judge the ball contacts. If you miss the positioning of the feet because you were focused on a contact, so be it.

Originally Posted by Back In The Saddle

Not really noticing whether the ball was above the net when attacked

Don't beat yourself up on this one. Unless the ball is near the net, it's a tough call as to whether or not it was completely above the height of the net when attacked. If in doubt, it's legal, play on. R1, calling from above the net has a bad angle to judge, so do the coaches sitting on the bench below the level of the net.

Originally Posted by Back In The Saddle

Missed a bad net fault, while looking right at it...

Again....it happens. If I remember correctly, you are an experienced basketball official. How many times have you looked at a play on the BB court and your brain said..."That's a travel (or whatever)...", but your whistle did not blow? I'd be willing to bet that has even happened well after your rookie year! Just get it next time.

Originally Posted by Back In The Saddle

..All I know is I'm trying to watch hands, and bodies, and even a foot or two, and the antenna, all at the same time and right in front of me...

If the net play is on the same side of the court as you are on as the R2, try to take a step back to open up your field of vision and get a wider view. Your focus should be on the net itself as the players are in the air, on the feet and centerline as they land, then back to the net as they turn away from it. The antenna is the responsibility of your line judge, the ball is the responsibility of your R1.

Originally Posted by Back In The Saddle

..Spent even more energy focusing on the net after that, probably focused too much there and was not able to help my partner with a difficult touch call that I may have otherwise seen....

As R2, your primary responsibility is not the ball. If you see a touch clearly, and can help your partner with the call, by all means, do it, but that should not be your first priority. The Line Judges should assist with this call also.

Overall, I would say that most of the things that you have mentioned here are beyond the "basics" that I see most rookie VB referees trying to learn. I think it's great that you are able to recognize these and work to get better.

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by Back In The Saddle

Maybe I'm odd, but it seems to me that ball handling would be one of "the finer points" and stuff like IA and back row attacks to be pretty basic stuff.

Well, you're odd. I just finished my first season as well. The ball handling stuff has been very easy for me, with the sole exception of double hits on a "sidewise" set. I don't see that very well. The rest of the ballhandling stuff (for me) is ridiculously easy.

As far as IA -- I don't even know what that stands for. And I can't keep track of back row stuff even when I try. Some of the alignments that teams use before the serve, I can't even begin to figure out how they're legal. Most of the time I can; but sometimes I'm convinced it's wrong, I blow the whistle for the overlap and the coach points out that no, it's legal because see this person. . . .

Originally Posted by mbyron

Some of my fellow rookies around here ignore what they call "the finer points," (like IA's, back-row fouls, etc.) and focus on ball handling and net fouls. Same people who talk about "free money."

I ignore all the back row stuff. I try to catch overlaps, but I'm not very good. When I'm R1, I focus on hits. When I'm R2, I focus on the net and the table stuff. That's more than enough for me to handle.

Honestly, it hasn't been very fun at all for me to do this. The hard stuff has been so hard, that I barely bother with it. And the easy stuff isn't interesting enough to hold my attention. All the alignment and back row stuff doesn't even seem like officiating to me. It's just memorizing the lineup. I may try boys' volleyball in the spring, just to see if it's any more interesting. I haven't decided yet. I don't want to be one of those "free money" refs.

[TimTaylor]

Hang in there guys, it does get better. The only way to eat an elephant is a fork full at a time - try to swallow the whole leg at once & you're going to choke.. Pick one or two things at a time and focus on those.

Tournaments are a great place to practice. During the season try work as many tournaments as you can, then pick one or two things to focus on for that day.

If you don't have a volleyball background, get a book or look up some web resources on coaching volleyball & study those.

One of the best ways to learn alignment & front row/backrow is as a spectator, when you don't have the pressure of other duties to distract you. If you get a chance this winter, go watch some club tournaments & practice tracking the setters & players as they rotate through the positions.