Tournament Cancelled

OVR Club Directors:

To follow up my previous email, here are other important rule changes/clarifications that you and your coaching staffs/players/parents should be aware of:

• USAV 4.5.1: A cast (plaster, fiberglass, etc) is not permitted on regardless of how it is padded. Players may not participate while

  wearing such a cast.

• USAV 5.2.3.4: When the ball is in play, the coach must be 1.75 meters (5'10") from the court.

• USAV 5.3.1: One assistant coach (at any given time) may be standing in the free zone to instruct players on the court. The same rule (5.2.3.4) applies to the assistant coach who is standing   she/he must be 1.75 meters from the court while the ball is in play.

(Note: I recognize that some faciliaties may have only the required 2 meters clearance from the court to the bench area. In such cases, the coach(es) must remain at the team bench while the ball is in play (but not necessarily seated), but they may approach the court to instruct players when the ball is out of play.)

There are a handful of editorial clarifications, including items related to improper requests/delay sanctions. I will clarify those items with all referees. If you have questions about them, don't

hesitate to ask.

Lastly, here is an important note regarding ball handling from USA Volleyball, and this comes directly from the information that is being presented to referees across the country:

"For ball handling, the referee’s judgment must be in accordance with the spirit of the rules to encourage longer rallies and spectacular

actions; hence, only the most obvious violations will be whistled. Therefore, when a player is not in a very good position to play the ball, the first referee will be less severe in his/her judgment of ball handling faults. The referees should enhance the excitement of volleyball by allowing the spectacular elements of the game, and highlighting the skill and athleticism of the players. Referees must judge the contact of the ball, not the technique or body position of the player."

This is a philosophical change! There have been no changes to rule verbiage with regard to ball handling. We are simply encouraging referees to identify the spectacular elements of our sport, and to reward those elements by being less severe in our judgment.

Again, if you have questions about these or any other rules, please contact me at your convenience. You are welcome to attend one of the OVR Officiating Clinics, free of charge. Dates/sites are listed on the OVR website.

Again, best wishes for success on the courts this season!

Brian

Nicholas Nystrom (nystrom@ovr.org; posted 2008-10-28 09:10:56)