Coaches/Team Reps/Club Directors/Tournament Directors/Officials,

As the 2009-2010 season gets underway we have heard a lot of rumblings from our members that there are some concerns around rule interpretations and just general awareness of the rule changes.

In order to try to resolve the issues that are arising, we would like to address these issues now before we get too far into the season.We ask that you share this document with anyone associated with the game (including parents and players).

We also HIGHLY encourage all Tournament Directors to have a coaches meeting prior to the start of play and include in your information a quick review of these rules/policies.It should help alleviate concerns as the day goes on and as the season goes on.

This is very important to help prevent further confusion so please take the time to read this and review with your teams and parents!

Pre-match Policies/Procedures/Rules:

-Go over ground rules (playable areas/rules on backboards/etc) and be sure to start ALL sets at 0.(We do NOT start at 6 . . .ever).

-Coin Toss: When conducting the coin toss be sure to catch the coin and DO NOT TURN OVER (if you drop, reflip).Winner chooses serve/receive or side.

-Warm up time allotment: Separate 4 minute time slots, no shared serving.The serving team has the first 4 minutes.An additional 2 minutes shared warm-up time period must be scheduled prior to a team’s first match.(Most teams will ask that you let them know when there is 1 minute remaining in their 4 minutes so they may serve, so please oblige this request).

General Officiating Team Responsibilities –

-Both the R1 and R2 must have whistles.

-R2 – be sure you are on the receiving team’s side during the serve and then move back and forth, opposite where the ball is, during the play (do NOT lean on the pole).During the Serve the R2 is watching for overlaps and out of rotation (ie. if the setter leaves before the ball is contacted for the serve) then they shift their focus to the net to watch for net violations and centerline violations.They may assist the R1 with other calls by giving them hand signals, but not blowing their whistle and making the call themselves (ie. back row attack, 4 hits, etc).Additionally, the R2 should mimic every hand signal the R1 gives, the only exception is the beckon for serve.Other duties for R2 are timeouts and subs.

-Be sure to inform teams when they have reached 9 subs and let them know how many they have left after every subsequent sub (ie. 10, 11, 12) and let them know how many time outs they have remaining (not required but helpful to the coaches).

-Line judges – PAY ATTENTION!! You are to watch for foot faults and all line calls and if the ball goes over or outside the antennae (or hits the antennae).If the ball hits the net outside the antennae, that is your call as well, call it out.If a server is within 10 feet of your spot on the line, move directly back BEHIND them, not out to the side, you must be out of their line of sight and watch the sideline, the R1 will watch for foot faults in that situation.

-NO CELL PHONES are to be used (calling or texting) at all.If anyone on the officiating team (R1, R2, line judges, anyone at the score table) is caught with cell phones coaches (not parents) should report to the tournament director immediately and sanctions may follow.

-NO IPODS or any other electrical device whatsoever are allowed to be used by the officiating team (R1, R2, line judges, anyone at the score table).If any one from the officiating team is caught with IPODS or any electrical device coaches (not parents) should report to the tournament director immediately and sanctions may follow.

New Rules:

-Forbidden Objects – Casts, even padded, are forbidden.

-Penetration Under the Net – To touch the opponent’s court with any part of the body above the feet is permitted provided that it does not interfere with the opponent’s play.

For instance – if a player hustles after a ball and slides headfirst under the net and their head and arm go under the net, it’s not a violation as long as it doesn’t interfere with the opponent’s play on the ball.

-Contact with the Net – Contact with the net by a player (any player) is not a fault, unless it interferes with the play.

-Players may touch the post, ropes, or any other object outside the antennae including the net itself, provided that it does not interfere with play.

-For instance – Any player (including the setter) may contact the net while playing the ball (or not playing the ball) as long as it doesn’t interfere with the play.Meaning as long as the net is not pushed into an opponent preventing them from being able to play the ball, then play continues.

-Players’ Faults at the Net – A player interferes with the opponent’s play while penetrating into the opponent’s space under the net.

-A player’s foot/feet penetrates completely into the opponents courts

-A player interferes with the opponent’s play by (amongst others):

-Touching the top band of the net or the top 80 cm of the antennae during his/her action

of playing the ball

-taking support from the net simultaneously with playing the ball

-creating an advantage over the opponent

-making actions which hinder an opponent’s legitimate attempt to play the ball.

-Scenarios -

-If a blocker goes up to block and hits the bottom of the net on the way up or even pushes their chest into the net (as long as it doesn’t prevent the opponent from being able to play the ball) play continues.

-If a hitter goes up and swings at a ball and hits the body of the net on their follow through, play continues. (However if they hit the top tape on the net, that is a violation).

-If a setter/any player digs a ball out of the net and hits the bottom of the net, play continues.

-If a setter (or any player) goes to set (from the ground or a jump set) and brushes or bumps into the body of the net, play continues as long as it doesn’t prevent the opponent from playing the ball.However if the setter (or any player at all) touches the top tape of the net while playing the ball or in the act of playing the ball (ie blocking) then that is a net violation.

-Substitution Procedures – The actual request for substitution is the entrance of the sub into the sub zone, ready to play, during a regular interruption.

-For instance, a coach may not say sub and expect the reffing team to recognize the request until the player is in the sub zone ready to play.Play will NOT be delayed waiting for the player to get into the sub zone.If the coach says sub, no one is in the sub zone and the R1 beckons for serve, the play has started.

In Gateway only events (or you may check with the tournament director from a different Region)

-Libero may serve (except in G/S Seeding tournaments or G/S Regionals) for 1 position.See Libero Serving Procedure on the publications page for guidelines on how to officiate and scorekeep.When the libero serves, that is the ONLY time they do not have to sit out 1 dead ball.Any other time, when the libero comes back off the court, they must sit out 1 dead ball (if a replay is called they need to remain out until that play is completed).

-Teams may still continue warming up (ball handling) while the other team has the court for their 4 minutes of warm up. (At National Events or other Regions this will not be allowed, the USAV rule doesn’t allow for teams to warm up while the other team is on the court).

-We don’t enforce the need to have coaches/captains sign the scoresheets (however, if you are out of Region or at a National event there could be sanctions for not signing, for instance, in HOA, if you don’t sign your scoresheet you forfeit your match).

Thank you and best of luck this season!

The Gateway Region Staff