Rules & Interpretations

• After the opponent executes an attack-hit
• After the opponents have used their three hits
• After the opponents hit the ball so it’s clearly crossing the net, with no teammate able to make a legal play
• When the ball is falling near the net and no one on the attacking team can make a play

A back row attack is an illegal play if a back row player contacts the ball completely above the net while on or in front of the 3-meter (10 foot) attack line, regardless of whether they jump or stand.

A back row player CAN attack legally by taking off from behind the 3-meter line and jumping, even if they land in front of it.

A completed rally must take place between two libero replacements except in the case of injury/illness or when there is a forced rotation caused by penalty. (EXCEPTION: when the next action the libero will take is to serve, no rally is required).

• Injury timeout (when no substitutes are available):
  • If an injured player cannot be substituted (legally or exceptionally), an injury timeout of up to three minutes is given without requiring the team to take any remaining legal timeouts.
  • If the player is unable to play after three minutes, the team may take any remaining legal timeouts.
  • If the injured player cannot continue to play, the team is declared incomplete and defaults the set.
• Injury/Illness during the set:
  • If the injured player cannot continue playing within 30 seconds, the player must be replaced by a legal substitute or a legal libero replacement, or the team must take a legal timeout if the player is to continue playing.   

Yes; these are legal on first contact only. This includes if it is after a block touch.

The process for ending a timeout early is handled by the second referee (R2). 

Ready Signal: The R2 then moves to their position, signals the number of timeouts that have been taken by each team, and gives the “ready” signal to the first referee to resume play. 

Both Teams Must Be Ready: The key requirement is that the R2 must see both teams on the court and ready to play before the standard timeout time has elapsed (NCAA timeouts are typically 75 seconds, with a 15-second warning whistle).

Referee Action: If both teams are ready, the R2 will blow a loud double whistle to immediately end the timeout followed by the horn to end the timeout.

Clock Operator: The R2 ensures the clock operator stops the timeout timer or turns off the automatic horn.

1.Interference and center line faults (focus seems to just be on net calls and we are negating to watch for centerline faults)

2.Receiving team positional faults

3.Notifying the coach when they have used both T.O. and have reached 15 subs (and 16th and so on)

R1/R2-go over ground rules with coaches (playable areas etc.) If working with newer officials discuss this in your pregame discussion before captains meeting. It is always good practice to fill the coaches in on this after the captain meeting and remind them of the new protocol regarding handshakes and 3rd set.

There are some key words that would constitute carding a coach (bolded)

Warning- minor unsporting offenses (verbal)

Penalty- rude, offensive conduct, other serious offense

6.1.4 Disruptive Coaching

Engaging in disruptive coaching is not permitted and could results in an individual sanction. Examples of disruptive coaching include, but are not limited to:

6.1.4.1 Coaching from a position outside the designated coaching area (See Rule 5.2.4);

6.1.4.2 Loud or abusive language; 6.1.4.3 Inappropriate comments to officials; 6.1.4.4 Comments to the opposing team; 6.1.4.5 Throwing objects; 6.1.4.6 Displaying disgust in an overt manner; 6.1.4.7 Entering the court while the match is in progress, except during a timeout; 6.1.4.8 Entering or remaining in the substitution zone while the ball is in play; or 6.1.4.9 Entering the substitution zone to address the referees about a judgment

Occurrences in a set (not cumulative from set to set)

Minor Misconduct: Verbal Warning, YC

1.       Minor unsporting behavior

2.       Repeatedly addressing officials about decisions

3.       Displaying frustration-that affects all

4.       Attempts to influence calls

5.       Attempts to intimidate opponents

6.       Disruptive coaching

Rude conduct: RC

1.       Profanity

2.       Deliberate interference w/opponents

3.       Demonstrative display of unsporting conduct

4.       Illegal use of electronics

ALL sanctions issued by the R1-reference pgs. 137-138 signal 26 & 27

13.2.4.2 Potentially, screens exist when a group of two or more teammates stand in close proximity and the ball is served over them. The factors to be weighed when judging whether a screen has been committed are: 13.2.4.2.1 Relative positions of the players on the serving team; 13.2.4.2.2 Path of the serve; 13.2.4.2.3 Speed of the serve; and 13.2.4.2.4 Trajectory of the serve. If the serving team players are positioned close to each other and a serve that is fast and has a low trajectory passes over these players, the probability is greater that a screen has been committed.  

ALL officials should know how to note a sanction on the score sheet.

A wrong server is noted in the WS column of the SANCTIONS section. A service delay is not recorded in either the SANCTIONS or COMMENTS sections. 

Comments and Sanctions. The COMMENTS section is used anytime a noteworthy situation occurs that is pertinent to the progress of play. The SANCTIONS box is considered to be part of the COMMENTS section of the scoresheet and offers a quick method of noting most of the situations that need to be recorded.   

  In the SANCTIONS box, the team on the left side of the scoresheet is referred to as team A, and the team on the right side of the scoresheet is referred to as team B. The blank area below the COMMENTS section is used when a situation such as a disqualification or exceptional substitution cannot be recorded in the SANCTIONS section. When using the COMMENTS section, the information recorded includes the score at the time of the incident, the action taken by the referee, which team is involved, and uniform number(s) of any player(s) who might be involved. The order in which the information is recorded is not important. In both the COMMENTS and SANCTIONS sections, scores are always listed with the score of the involved team recorded first. Noteworthy situations include, but are not limited to, the following referee actions: Improper Requests. In the SANCTIONS section, slash the IR, record A or B to indicate the team, and record the score. 

Yellow card  indicating delay or individual warning. In the YC column of the SANCTIONS section, record a D for a delay warning or the player number for an individual warning, record A or B to indicate the team, and record the score. 

Red card indicating penalty point, loss of rally. In the RC column of the SANCTIONS section, record a D for a delay penalty or the player number for an individual misconduct penalty, record A or B to indicate the team, and record the score.

Red/yellow cards apart indicating a player is disqualified for the remainder of a match. The disqualified player must leave the area, the team at fault is assessed a loss of rally and the opponent is awarded a penalty point. 

Points or other actions removed because of the referee’s action. These actions include wrong server, wrong position entry, entry of player exceeding team substitution limit, entry of disqualified player or other illegal substitutions. 

Loss of rally awarded as the result of a wrong server. In the WS column of the SANCTIONS section, record the player numbers, record A or B to indicate the team, and record the score. 

Exceptional substitution or redesignated libero allowed because of injury. In the COMMENTS section,  record the score, numbers of the exceptional substitute or redesignated libero and the injured player, and note that it is an exceptional substitution or redesignated libero

Only The Head Coach speaks to the referees for clarifications on  calls (like ball-in/out, net touches), facility or spectator concerns, and to protest.  

Any Coach (Head or designated Asst. Coach) can handle administrative requests (timeouts, substitutions, lineup checks).

The designated floor captain is permitted to address the first and second referees to request an explanation of a rule or to request a substitution/timeout if the coach is unavailable.

*Screen an illegal action by player(s) of the serving team that prevents their opponents from seeing the server and/or flight of the ball. This is considered a service fault, and the penalty is a loss of rally and a point for the opponent. 

What’s Illegal: A backrow player (non-libero) cannot complete a block (touch the ball above the net to stop an opponent’s attack).

The “Soft Block” Issue: An attempt by a backrow player to block (hands high, close to the net) is often whistled as a fault (Illegal Block) if they are clearly in the blocking zone and it interferes with the opponent’s attack, even without contact, especially if the opponent hits into their space.

If No Contact & Play Continues: If the backrow player jumps, reaches, but misses the ball entirely, and the ball is played by a teammate as the first contact (a “soft block” or “first touch”), it’s legal, and the team still gets three hits.

The Call: If the referee decides the backrow player’s action was an illegal attempt to block (interfering or reaching high in the front zone), it’s an illegal block (or backrow block fault), and the play stops with a point for the other team.