Advice

[refnrev]

Here's my dilema. Before each HS season I still feel a little uneasy and unsure. Here's the reason. I do soccer and basketball, too. Between boys and girls soccer, I probably do 40+ regular season HS games plus play-offs a year, and basketball and good 20+ HS games a year. Because of the # of boys soccer games I am very limited in the number of HS VB games I take.
This fall, for personal reasons, I cut way back on B soccer and added a few more VB games. I never feel usure in MS games, but V/JV still gives me a few butterflies even though I'm told I do a good job and schools like to schedule me. Any advice or insights to share?

[DaveASA/FED]

I get the same way. Not sure why either, I think it is because there are so many borderline calls in VB, at MS level they expect you to let more go, but ball handleing at Varsity IMO is somethign that is not well defined. How much do you let go, when it is too ugly not to call, ugly is not always illegal...there is just a lot that is umpire descretion and it is hard for me anyway to feel real confident until after a few games. I feel the same way, I would walk onto any softball field and be fine, but at Varsity vb still feel like a newby! Your not alone!!!

[MCBear]

You guys are not alone. I am starting my 26th season of officiating volleyball and before I get into the flow of the season, I am unsure about being the R1 and calling the ball handling appropriately. Especially since the ball handling directive for NCAA has changed this year to allow more spectacularity and athleticism in ball handling.

[TimTaylor]

Only the sixth for me Jan, but I know exactly what you mean.

One thing we do that helps a lot is typically the week before the season starts we do volunteer practicums at schools that want it - I think we have about a dozen this year. Our association requires participation, and it's a win-win - gives the officials a chance to get their heads back into the game while giving the players a chance to get a feel of the game with real officials a little ahead of time. We also take the opportunity to teach scorekeeping, etc. if they so request.

My practicum is tomorrow night, then I've got a varsity jamboree next Thurs. - regular season starts the 2nd.......

[Andy]

I'm in kind of the same boat as Dave.

As a softball umpire in AZ, i'm able to work almost all year around.
Since I only call HS girls VB, that's only a few months a year.

Our HS officials are required to attend and officiate at one pre-season scrimmage a year. Most of the HS around here participate in one, so there are several to choose from. I use these scrimmages to knock the rust off and get in the swing of calling VB again.

[refnrev]

I'm always better after the first match. But in those first few minutes I feel like I'm blind to IA and back-row attack, or am always looking at the wrong line on the card, etc. I'm just totally out of rythmn at first. I always feel sorry for my partners the first night out, though none have ever complained. One did give me a subtle signal for a back row attack which I was able to watch for afterwards.
I'm sure with more V experience it will change. It's just that I've done so many fewer HS VB games than soccer or basketball. I can walk onto the pitch tomorrow and blow the whistle without any hesitation. The first BB game takes some transition from a 120 X 60 yd field with 22 players to a 84 X 50 ft court with ten players, but that one game is all that it takes.
It does, however, help to know that when I watch a VB game I am almost always in sync with what the R is calling and what's happening in the game. I also have some very good partners this fall and that always helps.

[refnrev]

Originally Posted by MCBear

You guys are not alone. I am starting my 26th season of officiating volleyball and before I get into the flow of the season, I am unsure about being the R1 and calling the ball handling appropriately. Especially since the ball handling directive for NCAA has changed this year to allow more spectacularity and athleticism in ball handling.

______________________________

I would never have guessed that. You seem very self-assured ( in a very good way) on the board

[MCBear]

Thanks, rev! I appreciate the feedback. The reason that I still experience those feelings is the same as each of you...I never played the game of volleyball when I was in school. I played/managed basketball in HS, played HS football and was in the marching band for four years of college, I played/kept the book for four years of HS baseball. So, I started out as a basketball official, then picked up baseball and softball and had the choice of doing football in the fall or going in the gym with the girls. I remembered what it was like freezing my butt off on the sideline in NW Ohio at the end of October/early November, so I opted to go in the gym and do volleyball. I have always had to work harder at VB than the other sports because so much of it is judgment and it almost all visual. The only thing is, in volleyball you have to know what you are looking at to be able to make an informed decision. And, that, my friends, takes time and effort. I am probably going to mangle this, but a good friend of mine says something like this: "Reffing volleyball is easy. It's calling it correctly that makes it hard."

So, tomorrow, I get to work a Junior College Scrimmage/Tournament. 12 teams on 4 courts, format is everyone plays one set to 25 and then teams change and we do it again. After everyone has played one set, minimal warm-up time before the next set begins. Should be interesting and it will give me a chance to get back at it. After all, I haven't blown a whistle or made a call since June17th!!!

[mick]

All you guys seem to have the same characteristics.
You like what yer doin' and you want to do it well.
Y'all will have good seasons.

[jkumpire]

The guy who taught me more about officiating than most guys learn in a career told me before my first Varsity FB game (between the Cave men and Dinosaurs) eons ago one simple phrase:

"If you're not nervous, you're not ready."

Welcome the jitters, then go out and do a great job, no matter how many matches you have, or don't have. The nerves will help you do a better job.

[refnrev]

First game of the season was last night. I was R1 JV and R2 V. My partner last night is a tremendous ref and I was upfront in the pregame. I was rusty and wanted her help with everything. It was a great time. Good games and good teams. She caught 3 IHs for me and I caught one double hit for her. I was amazed at how calm I was and also at how blind I felt on IA. Once I was pretty sure they were out but could not for the life of me be 200% sure of where and I was not calling it unless I was sure. Looking forward to next game.