Officials Training

Reminders for End of Season

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 Here are some very important notes as we finish out the regular season. 

Uniform

 Please wear the correct uniform. We always wear clean black slacks during regular season matches. Please tuck-in all uniform shirts. Our officiating shoes should always be clean black shoes. We always wear black socks with our shoes. 

 We have received reports of officials wearing sweatpants. Sweatpants are never permitted. Our pants should never have stripes on them either. 

Whistles

  Please use a strong whistle. A strong whistle will make a strong official. We recommend using a Fox 40 – Classic. These whistles can be purchased for $6 on Amazon.  

  We must always end a rally with a whistle. Please use a strong, bold whistle to stop play. We have received reports of weak whistles or no whistles at all to end a rally. As a result, some players have continued to play while other players stopped resulting in potential player injuries.  

Ball Handling

  Please enforce all ball handling rules as they are written. Please call illegal contacts – lifts / doubles. You may want to establish ball handling early in the match so both teams understand the match’s ball handling expectations. Both teams may adjust to that line, and it may make your job easier as the R1. Too many officials aren’t calling any ball handling violations – thus affecting the outcome of matches and allowing some matches to turn into a circus. We have had outcomes where weaker ball-handling teams weren’t penalized at all and won a match over a much higher-skilled ball handling team. We must enforce all ball handling violations.

Net Violations

  The R2 must keep their eyes on the net while assisting the R1 with match play. Too many R2’s are watching the ball as it travels as away from the net. We have had incidents where the attacking player crashed into the net after contacting the ball with no whistle because the R2 followed the ball. Process the play and follow your net responsibilities. In addition, too many officials have penalized the blocking team when the attacking team touched the net before the blocking team. Work with R1 to determine who attacked the net first.

Center Line Violations

 Please be careful over-officiating borderline, center line infractions. Center line infractions are illegal. We want all officials to call centerline violations. However, please take caution on over-officiating a borderline, center line violation during a long rally or late in the set or match when points are paramount. You may put your crew or yourself into a difficult position by splitting hairs over a center line violation, especially if it away from play. Please use common sense and let match play take care of itself. 

Rotations & Overlaps

  The R2 should be watching the receiving team during service. Too many R2’s are watching the server, thus missing setters leaving too early on the serve to get to their next position. 

Illegal Back Row Attacks

  Both officials – the R1 & R2 must understand Illegal Back Row Attacks. Both officials must also understand where our setters are positioned. If a team is running a 6-2 offense, then the setter will always be coming from the back row. If a team is running a 5-1 offense, then the setter will be coming from the back row for half of the match. 

 Talk to your officiating partner during warmups or during the match (timeouts / end of sets / etc.) about each team’s offense. We should always locate where each team’s setter is coming from and whistle these illegal violations when they occur. The vast majority of illegal back row attacks / illegal back row block violations will occur on overpasses when the back-row setter is trying to save a ball. Please also keep in mind that “interference” in reaching over the net to play a ball may be in-play on an overpass as well. The blocker may be interfering with the opposing team’s setter and their attempt to play the ball. These plays can be extremely difficult to officiate. Use your best judgement. 

Exit Strategy & Post-Match Debrief

  We should always exit the gym together as a crew. We should always have a brief post-match debrief and discuss some areas of improvement and areas of success as a crew. We have received too many reports where our officials have dashed-and-darted off after a match without even waving goodbye to their partner & crew. This behavior is unprofessional and unacceptable. 

  We must have accountability and responsibility to improve as officials from one match to the next match. Please use to these notes to help improve yourself as an official. Best of luck and finish strong this season. 

Match Reports

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All of our officials are required to submit match reports after each varsity high school match. We do not need match reports from middle school or JV matches, but information from those matches may be submitted. The R-1 for the varsity match should submit the match report. We do not need 2 different match reports. Please be fair and honest with your reports and do not protect your partners or yourself in your match report. Match reports carry a ton of weight for future assignments, especially for officials who take the time to submit the report. Officials who make the extra effort to submit the match report and provide the chapter feedback may benefit for future assignments as we appreciate all officials going the extra yard. 

Match Report is on the Golden Triangle website as “Submit Match Report” under the “Officials Area” only after logging in.

The link is also in the Arbiter. Look for the Blue Page Icon in your Arbiter Schedule after the match is complete. 

Serving Rule

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The serving rule discussed at Sunday’s meeting needs to be clarified.  Please read the following explanation:

1)  Each (legal) server may have only one re-serve during the team’s term of service

2)  A reserve is called when the (legal) server releases the ball for service, then catches it or it drops to the floor.

[  If the legal server releases the ball for serve, swings at it and it contacts the server’s body, this is a SERVICE ATTEMPT and results in an illegal serve]

3)  There are seven (7) incidents where a serve becomes ILLEGAL  and the ball remains dead.

4)  A served ball is a service FAULT and becomes dead when it;

    a)  Does not legally cross the net;

    b)  Crosses the net not entirely between the net antennas, or lands out of bounds,  

    c)  or Touches the ceiling or any other obstruction

It is important to know the difference between an ILLEGAL SERVICE and a SERVICE FAULT.

Summarily,  It is loss of rally for the Service Team when they serve illegally, however if they have a SERVICE FAULT and are in the proper order, they will only be awarded a point if the RECEIVING TEAM IS SOLEY OUT OF POSITION.

If you have any questions, please contact Greg Lockley or Joe Hardiman.

Regular Season Guidelines

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Arbiter Sports Maintenance / Accepting Matches – R-1 / R-2 – Decisions

  Please check your Arbiter account daily. After accepting an assignment, please make sure you can see that assignment in your Arbiter Schedule. Please double-check your accepted matches in the Arbiter and put those dates in your calendar / planner. The R-1 in the Arbiter does not mean that official goes up to R-1 the varsity match. The officials should discuss their comfort level and decide which official is best suited to R-1 the varsity match. Even if a newer official shows up late for the JV match (because they are coming from a middle school match), they should NOT be forced to R-1 the varsity match. An official should never R-1 the varsity match until they are confident and ready for that responsibility. Please use common sense so the varsity match can be best-officiated. 

Match Confirmation & Details

  Please confirm your matches 24-48 hours before the scheduled date of the match or confirm the match with the host school on the date of the match. The best method to confirm a match is thru email by including the athletic director, athletic secretary, and your entire crew. Crew communication is more effective than individual communication because everybody will then be on the same page when the athletic department responds back to the officials.  

  Here is a sample email on how to confirm a match with a school.

(Athletic Director / Secretary Name),

   Good morning, we are scheduled to officiate (School Name – Sport) today or tomorrow (Date of Competition) at (Time) vs. (Opponent). We plan to arrive around (30-45 minutes before the Schedule Match Time in the Arbiter). to begin our pre-match duties. Please confirm all of the match details are correct. If there are any changes, please email our crew or text / call us directly. We look forward to working this assignment. See you tomorrow or later today. Thank you!

Sincerely,

(Official Name)

(Phone Number)

Match Reports

All of our officials are required to submit match reports after each varsity high school match. We do not need match reports from middle school or JV matches, but information from those matches may be submitted. The R-1 for the varsity match should submit the match report. We do not need 2 different match reports. Please be fair and honest with your reports and do not protect your partners or yourself in your match report. Match reports carry a ton of weight for future assignments, especially for officials who take the time to submit the report. Officials who make the extra effort to submit the match report and provide the chapter feedback may benefit for future assignments as we appreciate all officials going the extra yard. 

Post-Match Debrief

All crews should conduct a professional post-match debrief. The discussion should not exceed 10-15 minutes. The debrief should emphasis on areas of concern while discussing plays of interest. All debriefs should be a positive experience. 

Match Procedures Checklist

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Here is a checklist and manual for all officials working WPIAL High School Volleyball matches this season. Please print this guide and review it before your matches to best-prepare your crew every night. We ask all officials to follow with this pre-match routine for consistency on all future matches. Best of luck to all officials and have fun this season. 

Match Confirmation – Referee contacts host school (Athletic Director / Secretary) via email. Ask host management for a locker room in your communication (if needed). CC officials assigned to match in the email. Please discuss uniform preference in email or group text message to the crew (do not include the AD / Secretary in your uniform discussion) 

Match Arrival – R1 & R2 arrive 45-30 minutes prior to every match – Line judges 30 minutes. Conduct pre-match expectations with crew near the table. Wear correct uniform and equipment. All 4 officials must match. 

Host Management / Site Manager – Find the site manager. Discuss communication on how the host administration will resolve potential issues. 

Check Nets & Balls – R1 & R2 inspect nets and balls prior to warmup. 

Coach’s Certification (In Substitution Area) Prior to 20 Min. Timed Warmup – R1 tweets whistle to greet head coaches / captains. R1 addresses all housekeeping matters that involve the warmup, ground rules, table, uniforms, jewelry, injuries, etc. The R1 then reads the PIAA Sportsmanship Message.

PIAA requires all registered sports’ officials to enforce the sportsmanship rules for coaches and contestants. Actions meant to demean opposing contestants, teams, spectators, and officials are not in the highest ideals of interscholastic education and will not be tolerated. Let today’s contest reflect mutual respect. Coaches please certify to the contest official(s) that your contestants are legally equipped and uniformed according to NFHS rules and PIAA adoptions. Good luck in today’s contest.

Coin Toss – Home Team decides side of court. Teams will not change sides. Away Team calls coin toss.  Home Team calls coin toss for the deciding set (3rd Set for JV / 5th Set for Varsity). Team winning the coin toss in the deciding set may choose Serve or Receive. They do not pick sides.

Warm-Up Protocol – Host Team decides their Warm-Up Format 

R2 blows warning whistle blast 15 seconds prior to court change. 

6-7-7 Format 

20:00 – 6 Minutes Shared

14:00 — Team A. 

7:00 – Team B

2-4-4-5-5 Format 

20:00 – 2 Minutes Shared

18:00 — Team A. 

14:00 – Team B

10:00 — Team A 

5:00 – Team B

5-5-5-5 Format 

20:00 – Team A

15:00 — Team B. 

10:00 – Team A

5:00 — Team B

Line Judges – R1 talks to line judges. Make sure the line judges are comfortable with signals and protocols.  Line judges (certified officials only) take their corners between 9:00 – 3:00 mark to warmup their eyes. Line judges should understand the timeout & end-of-set mechanics. At the end-of-set, the line judges walk across the court straddling the 10-foot lines. The line judges then walk across the court and stand or sit for the intermission in a designated area behind the scorer’s table. 

Anthem – All officials position themselves by the stand. R1 on same side as Line Judge #1. R2 on same side as Line Judge #2. Student line judges do not need to follow this recommendation. 

Match Notes 

1. R2 Responsibilities (Before the Set) – Establish positive communication between the official scorer and game clock operator. Make sure they are confirming the score and timeouts throughout the match. The official scorer should notify the R2 if there is an illegal server at the end of a rally. The R2 can whistle the play dead for an illegal server with help of a lineup card. Work with the table on lineup sheets in between sets. Never stand into the court when giving a courtesy lineup-check. Stay off the court. Identify the captain. Captain signals / waves to R1. Allow libero to enter the match when done checking lineup. Make sure the clock operator stops the clock, so it does not sound during the serve or during the rally. 

2. Timeouts – R2 whistles all timeouts and then signals the side and how many timeouts used to the R1. The R2 then signals to the game clock operator to start the clock immediately after both teams exit the court. Whistle warning blast at :15. Horn to end timeout. The R2 signals to R1 timeouts taken after all 12 players are back onto the court. R1 mimics / mirrors. The R2 hands the court back to the R1. The R1 notifies the receiving team for service and then beckons to serve. 

3. End of Set – R1 awards point, followed by the action that ended the rally. R1 gives the end of match signal. R2 mimics/ mirrors.  R2 should then turn to game clock operator and signal to run the 3-minute intermission on the gamer clock. The R2 may assist in handing the lineup sheets to the coaches to build good rapport with both coaches. Use good judgment. In a heated match, considering stepping toward the court and turning to monitor the table as the coaches collect their lineup sheets. Prior to a deciding set, the R2 will call in both captains to conduct a coin toss. The clock does not run until the coin toss has concluded and both teams know who is serving / receiving. After the R1 signals who is serving, the R2 then signals to the game clock operator to run the 3-minute clock.

4. Injuries – Most injury timeouts last 30 seconds. R2 should wear a watch to monitor the time. There is no 30 second injury timeout for serious injuries. Be considerate and understanding the difference between a minor injury and a serious injury.

5. Coach’s Conduct – R1 & R2 should identify a mechanic or signal for carding a player / coach. Use cards when necessary – Listen to understand, not penalize. Use professional language and volleyball terms. Talk head coaches down instead heating them up. The R2 should defend their R1 when appropriate to deescalate all situations. Do not ignore coaches. Communicate effectively. 

6. Bench Protocol – All players must sit in their seats in the front row. Players may stand or “warmup” in the row behind the bench.  No assistant coaches may stand. Make sure the players respect the integrity of the chair line when pursuing the ball. Address the extended bench policy in the pre-match with the head coaches. 

7. Spectator Behavior / Artificial Noise Makers – Please contact the site manager and have the PA Announcer address any issues. Site management and PA announcer should alert all spectators that unruly spectator behavior or use of artificial noise makers are grounds for removal from the facility. 

7. Exit Strategy – Use the “toot-and-scoot” routine to get out of the gym after a competitive match. Get to your destination for the Post-Match Debrief. 

8. Post-Match Debrief – Please try to conduct a 5-10 minute Post-Match Debrief in the locker room, a conference room, or the parking lot to discuss areas of successful officiating and areas that need improvement (signals, mechanics, techniques, misapplication of the rules, faulty judgement, poor body language, etc.). This discussion should include plays-of-interest also known as “hot plays.” The debrief should not last longer than 15 minutes. Walk out of the athletic facility together as a crew and safely to your vehicles. 

9. Match Report – R1 for Varsity Match submits Match Report. Match Report is on the Golden Triangle website. The link is also in the Arbiter. Click R after the match in the Arbiter. 

BEST OF LUCK & HAVE FUN

Ball handling

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Please read the following from Joe Hardiman:

Ball Handling Concerns/Issues:     It has been brought to my attention by Coaches and Officials on more than two occasions during Observations and Matches, that there is some inconsistencies in how ball handling ( and especially 2nd ball contacts) is being interpreted.  Here is some guidance which was issued by the NFHS in 2019-20 under Points Of Emphasis.  [Note;  This is similar to the guidance used in collegiate and club rules]Ball Handling     As officials and coaches know, ball handling decisions are the toughest decisions a volleyball officials has to make during a match,  Ultimately, they are JUDGEMENT CALLS.  However, a focus of every official should be to have CONSISTENCY in ball-handling judgment. The following criteria can be used to develop consistency when judging ball handling as a R1:    1)  Only the contact point should be considered when judging legality;    2)  Outside influences such as player technique, SPIN, coaches’ expectations or crowd reaction should NOT be considered when judging the legality of the contact, and    3)  There is NO body/ball position or playing technique that AUTOMATICALLY results in illegal contact.
Additionally, when evaluating ball handling, it is important to understand the focus of an increase in continuation of play when judging     SECOND BALL CONTACTS that are directed to a teammate.  (Please note the above emboldened words)  Below are some tips to use when assessing second ball contacts:    A)  A player in good position must play the ball without discernible double contacts;    B)  Less severe judgment is applied to a contact by a player who makes a challenging or spectacular play while maintaining  a legal play, and   C)  Mishandled balls resulting in a blatant fault should still be called, regardless of the challenging or spectacular nature of the play.
Soooooooooo. does this make our jobs as R1s more difficult OR easier?    You make the call!

Screening during a Volleyball Match – The “Hidden” Rule!

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NFHS Rule Book;  Rule 6, Section 5, Articles 1 & 2 addresses:  SCREENING   The Rule Book “uses” 7 lines to define what screening is and identifies that the Penalty for such is:  “A loss of rally/point is awarded the opponent”. 

This Rule is probably the least applied rule in the entire Rules Book.  Officials tend to ignore or better, not look for potential screens and only apply that rule in a match when it is brought to their attention by a team captain or coach.  However, if the official objectively believes/interprets that a Serving team is affirmatively trying to “SCREEN” the Receiving team during their term of service, the official should take action to cease or penalize such illegal action.  Most officials will not proactively recognize a screening action, but they will take action when it is brought to their attention.

Let’s define what this illegal action of SCREENING is:  Screening is an illegal action which prevents receivers from seeing the CONTACT of the serve OR the FLIGHT of the served ball.  The ball will generally have a LOW, FLAT TRAJECTORY.[pay notice to the objective words;  contact;  flight,  and low flat trajectory]

Screens are set by the Serving teams player on the court who are either:a)  standing directly in front of the server near their end line or,b)  front row players grouped two or more standing close together near the net.

The R1 should assure that the Receiving team has the right to see the Server’s contact of the ball and the path of the served ball, so there are few instances where (without it being brought to the attention of the R1) a screen might be called.  Officials should not assume there is an INTENT to screen. By this I mean, if an official suspects a screen might be happening by seeing a series of serves identified above, then the R1 can proactively take preventive action by asking the serving team captain to correct it before the R1 is caused to penalize an illegal screen!  Let’s discuss a couple of examples:

Situation A.   The Server is standing 1 foot behind his/her end line preparing to contact the ball for service.  Standing directly in front of the Server is a back-row teammate who is standing in very close proximity to the end line,on the court,  and directly in front of the Server!  The Serving team serves an ace. 

    As the Server is preparing to serve a second rally, he/she stands in the same serving position and the back-row teammate takes the same position on the court.   It would be good, preventive officiating for the R1, before beckoning for service, to call over the Serving team captain and politely inform him/her that this action appears to be an illegal screen and if the back-row player on the court does not either, a) bend at the waist, or b)  move a couple of feet to the left or right of the Server, a screen most probably will be called.   Often times, players may not even be aware they are potentially screening and the captain/coach will have player move on the court to permit the Receiving team see the Server contacting the ball for service.

Situation B.   Serving team front row players are grouped together at the net, standing within a couple feet of each other and the two back row players are standing a few feet behind them filling potential visual gaps.  The Server serves a hard low trajectory jump serve directly over that group for an ace.    It would be good, preventive officiating for the R1, before beckoning for service again, to call the Serving team captain and politely inform him/her that this action appears to be an illegal screen and if the players do not move 2-3 feet apart, clearing visual lanes for the Receiving team to see the flight of the low trajectory ball, then a screen most probably will be called.

If Situation A and/or B continue to happen during the match after the R1 has taken the preventive verbal action with the Serving team captain, then the R1 should affirmatively interpret a SCREEN and penalize accordingly.

Please remember that no player on the Receiving team is ENTITLED to a specific position on the floor.  If the Receiving team player can not see the Server, he/she should move.  After moving, if a Serving team player moves to block that Receiving team player’s view of the serve, the R1 should probably call a screen if the trajectory meets the above definition.As Officials and Coaches, our best medicine is to PREVENT IT BEFORE IT HAPPENS!

Watch this video example: Note that in addition to the front row players grouping tightly together, the two back row players (watch final serve) also move just before service contact to further obscure the view of the served ball.