Jo Auch-Assistant Executive Director

Another volleyball season is upon us and we hope that you are all excited about the upcoming season. Now is a great time to start preparing yourself for the exciting matches over the next 3 ½ months. The teams and coaches all work hard in preparation for the upcoming season; it is only fair that we as officials are prepared by reviewing rules and applying them to the contests that we work.

Don’t wait until your first contest to get your online meeting requirements completed. It is best if you start preparing for the season early by reviewing the meetings so you are up to date on any expectations PRIOR to your first contest.

The online meetings and testing will be available to all coaches and officials until midnight of August 31st. Officials, be sure you have viewed both the Online Rules Meeting AND the Online Mechanics Meeting. Coaches, you need to view the Online Rules Meeting, however, both coaches and officials must complete with a minimum of 80% accuracy the Online Test. After the testing period is over, you will be able to log back into the SDHSAA website in the log in zone and view your test results. At that time, you will be able to view the answers to the question you may have had incorrect. The rules and mechanics meetings will also be available on the Volleyball page of the SDHSAA website for your review throughout the year.

If you are a “registered” volleyball official that would like to take the “closed book” test to become a “certified official” it is scheduled for WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29th. The test will be given at the high schools in the following locations: Aberdeen, Faith, Mitchell, Pierre (SDHSAA office) Rapid City Central, Sioux Falls Christian, Watertown, and Yankton. Please contact Marsha Karst in our office to let her know which location you would like to attend to take the test.

Distributed in each officials packet this year was a card titled “Pre-Contest Medical Time-Out” This card has the five questions on it, and was also discussed in the rules meeting so all should be aware of this process.

Officials are asked to carry this card and be sure to ask these questions prior to the game contest so you are aware of the answers to these questions in case of an emergency.

Head coach or on-site administrators will need to be prepared to answer these five questions before the contest begins:

1. Who is the game administator for each team?

2. Is there a qualified medical professional on site? 3. Is there an emergency action plan for this venue? 4. Is there an AED available? 5. Where is the emergency exit/entrance for the facility?

The “Pre-Contest Medical Timeout” must be conducted prior to every contest. If acceptable answers are not provided, officials must contact the SDHSAA to inform the SDHSAA staff of the situation. The “Pre-Contest Medical Timeout” can be conducted with the host-site athletic director prior to the coaches meeting, but must be done day-of, on-site.

All time-outs end with the audio signal unless multiple courts are in use.

If multiple courts are in use, the second referee may end a time-out or interval between sets with a LONG WHISTLE in place of the timer sounding an audio signal (horn). Rule 5-5-3b(13), 5-4-3cb(20)and 5-8-3a NOTE (NEW) all deal with when the whistle and horn will sound to end the time-out. Basically, the R2 will always sound the warning whistle after 45 seconds have expired in the time-out or when teams are on the court and ready to play prior to the 45 second warning, then the official will use a LONG whistle to end the time-out.

If multiple courts are NOT in use, the mechanics for the R2 is to sound a warning whistle after 45 seconds or any other time when both teams are ready to play before the audio signal (horn) is sounded at 60 seconds. If both teams are CLEARLY READY TO PLAY, (meaning they are in their positions, not in a huddle out on the court) the R2 instructs the timer to stop the clock and whistles two short blasts, to confirm that everyone is ready to resume play. The R2 then instructs the timer to sound the horn, moves to a position on the receiver’s side of the net with whistle in mouth and give the court back to the R1. If teams are still in the huddle and time remains on the clock, DO NOT instruct the timer to stop the clock until teams have taken their ready positions on the court.

There is a change in the penalty structure for delay of substitutions.

Unnecessary delay (administrative yellow card for the first offense or administrative red card for subsequent offense in that set) is charged to the offending team when a:

a. Substitution is delayed; b. Substitution is denied by the second referee after the request has been recognized because the

substitution is illegal; or is wearing illegal equipment or an illegal uniform; c. Team repeatedly uses improper substitution.

NO CHANGE IN ANY OF THAT. The change is in #2.

2. After a team is charged with unnecessary delay, no further substitutions may be requested by that team until the next completed rally.

Coaches no longer may withdraw the substitution once the substitute is recognized by the R2. The verbiage that allowed the coach to withdraw the substitution after being charged with UD has been removed. The

feeling was that once you have already been charged with UD, you should not have the ability to further delay the contest.

Example: If #7, (who is 4’2”) is in for #4 (who is 6’2”), and #7 comes to the sub zone and is recognized by the R2, but #7 came to the sub zone one rotation early and will now play front row. The coach wants to withdraw the sub. This would no longer be allowed to withdraw the sub. The substitute must go in and play that position at least for one rotation.

As you all know, sportsmanship remains an issue at almost every athletic event. Coaches and administration should have high standards and expectations for all in attendance. Teams, and the fan base, generally take on the characteristics of their coaches. When a coach is one who believes in virtues, fundamentals, and rules, the players generally play the contest as designed by the NFHS rulebook. Conversely, a coach who is always questioning, or is dissatisfied with official’s calls, will often have teams and fans that follow their lead.

Administrators, it is your job to provide a safe environment for all. Officials, if you have a coach that becomes a problem for the match, you have “tools” to use to correct that situation! If officials have a fan that becomes problematic, your job is NOT to deal with the fan that is the job of the administrator on duty. Officials, you would simply stop the match and call for the administrator to the score table and then tell them the problem and let them go and deal with the fan. That is why it is important to know who the administrator on duty is PRIOR to the contest beginning.

Nothing has changed to start the match. After teams are whistled to shake hands at the net, they go back to their team benches for final instructions while the officials take their place on the stands and by the score table.

The volleyball section of the athletic handbook identifies the pre-match ceremonies to be used for regular season, region, Round of 16 and state. They are as follows:

1. Pre-match Ceremonies (Pre-match ceremonies include introductions and the national anthem). a. Following timed warm ups, introductions shall be conducted with the players standing on their respective end lines. The officials take their position on the court. First referee (R1), second referee (R2) and the line judges are standing by the referee platform with R1 and one line judge to the right of the platform (facing the score table) and the R2 and other line judge standing to the left of platform. The R1 and R2 are closest to the platform. b. Schools have the option of introducing their entire squad starting with the reserves followed by the starters or announcing starters only. Introduce the libero player. As the name is called, the player takes a step forward then back to the line. Visitors are introduced first followed by the home team. c. Coaches are introduced. d. Match officials are introduced. e. Game administrator is announced. f. National Anthem is sung or played.

g. R1 then blows the whistle and motions teams to proceed down their right sideline to shake hands with the opponent at the net. h. Teams go to their respective team benches, while officials take their respective places.

2. To start the first set of the match a. After officials have taken their positions on the court, the R1 blows the whistle and directs the starting players to their respective end lines, with the libero waiting on sideline. (if libero is used) b. When all officials are ready, the R1 blows a second whistle and signals the players onto the playing court. No team huddles will be allowed. Players are directed to go to their starting position. Note: Teams are asked to use same “no huddle” procedure to start each set. c. The R2 moves to the sideline beside the court and checks the receiving team’s lineup first, signals the libero (if used) to enter the court and indicate, with an open hand, the floor captain to the R1. The floor captain shall respond by raising her arm toward the R1. The R2 follows the same procedure for the serving team. d. The R2 then takes the ball from the score table and rolls it to the serving team. e. Match begins.

Hair devices always seem to have something new coming to volleyball. Here is the newest one I have been asked about. Remember the rule remains that hair devices made of soft material and no more than 3 inches wide, may be worn in the hair or on the head. Bobby pins, flat clips and flat barrettes, UNADORNED and no longer than 2 inches, are also allowed. The picture on the right is an example of a new fad which would be considered LEGAL!