What would you have done as R2

[Andy]

I had a similar situation in a HS match last week.

Team R passes, sets, attacks, the ball hits near the top of the net and rebounds back to R's court. I (R1) saw a Team S player up for the block and believe that I saw her touch the ball prior to it rebounding off of the net.

My R2 and I have worked together for several years and have a very good rapport and enjoy working with each other. She blows her whistle and gives me the 4 hits signal. I immediately go with her call and award the rally to Team S. We discussed this later and she told me from her angle there was absolutely no touch of the ball by Team S.

I believe that if I had called her over to discuss the call, then at that point, we are going to have to deal with an unpleasant situation no matter what we decide. I would rather award the rally and keep the set going in this situation.

For the record, I am not averse to dealing with unpleasant situations as an official, I just think that in this particular instance, we can avoid it.

My take on this is, as R2, discreetly give the 4 signal if you are 100% sure of the call, if your R1 does not see or recognize you, blow the whistle and stop play.

[Antonio.King]

Another issue you run into when blowing your whistle as the R2 for '4 contacts' is just that; the determination of illegal number of contacts does not fall under the responsibility of the R2, but the R1.

The ONLY times an R2 is allowed to blow their whistle to end a play:

- Net violation
- Illegal Alignment
- Center line Violation
- Illegal Attacks
- Illegal Blocks
- Balls that hit the floor (though you have to let your partner get the first crack at it. If they don't, then you can call it)

That being said, the R2 is not authorized by the rules to make that call. Coaches, who know the rules in and out, will surely belt "that's not your call to make" (I've seen this happen before). This is in fact protestable if you were to blow your whistle on said call as the R2.

If it were a heated game, and I were the coach that you called that against, I would challenge you with a protest, knowing the R2 doesn't have authority to call that. You can suggest it to the R1, but you can't end the play under that authority.

If I were the R1, I'd have to call you over and explain that blowing your whistle on that type of play isn't the proper procedure, then have to issue a replay. Then, as the R2, you'd have to go explain to the coaches that you had an inadvertent whistle.

More reasons to hold your whistle; save your own butt.

[justaref61]

Look at the rules book, page 22, ART. 3 a: The second referee shall assist the first referee by ruling upon situations which are clearly out of the first referee's view.

This gives the R2 quite a lot of leeway in making calls which is why a good pregame meeting is needed in order to agree between R1 and R2 as to what is expected.

[Antonio.King]

That sounds more applicable to screening situations.

[MCBear]

Senor King...learn your NFHS Rules book. There is NO protest in NFHS Volleyball. Rule 11-3 gives the procedure for reviewing a decision.

[Antonio.King]

Originally Posted by MCBear

Senor King...learn your NFHS Rules book. There is NO protest in NFHS Volleyball. Rule 11-3 gives the procedure for reviewing a decision.

Considering no one stated this occurred in high school, I assumed it didn't. If there's no protest in HS then I obviously wouldn't be speaking about the HS level. I don't officiate high school so I wouldn't chime in and reference something I have no knowledge of even existing.

Though, I'll gladly heed your advice on learning NFHS book should I decide to pursue officiating at the high school level more frequently.

[REFANDUMP]

FYI ... This was a high school match played under NFHS rules.