Re: National Refs

[Todd <tdh@vbref.org>]

vballnet@aol.com (Vballnet) writes:
> All I have to say was I was very dissapointed with some of the
> National Refs at Nationals in the Boys 18 Open Division.  For
> example: our team was losing 15-14 in game 3.  The winner would
> advance to the Gold/Silver Round and the loser would advance to the
> Bronze/F1/F2 Round.  My team was just coming out of a time out.  One
> of our players was talking to the down ref.

I hope it was the captain.  :-)

> The R1 beckoned for serve.  

You're right--strictly, this shouldn't happen.  The R1 should check
the R2 briefly before beckoning for serve.  However, sometimes, the R2
looks ready even though a receiving team player is talking to the R2
(since a ready R2 is either looking back at you, or looking at the
receiving team).

> We had one passer in the back court with his back to the server.

This shouldn't happen, either, but might.  The R1's final scan before
beckon should ensure:  a) the receiving team had a chance to get ready
for serve, b) the R2 is ready, c) the serving team is okay and the
server has the ball. 

> He heard the whistle, turned arounded and ran across the court to
> pass the ball.  The ball was played out and we lost the point.  Our
> coach went nuts screaming that we weren't even f*cking ready for the
> point. 

But did you have adequate oppotunity to get ready?  The R1 must ensure
that you have adequate opportunity, but if the team was dragging their
hineys coming out of timeout, that's another story.

> We ended up protesting the match and getting denied.  The R2 stuck
> up for the R1.  Any comments?

This is a bad situation that should not happen in the presence of
preventive officiating, but blame may not be suitable for being placed
squarely on the officials.  The R2 sticking up for the R1 is
encouraging.  You don't ever want to see disagreements overtly
expressed in the officiating team.  The R2 may not have been 100%
blameless either.  If something is keeping the R2 from continuing with
the match, the R2 and R1 should have enough visual communication that
the R2 come forward and raise a hand to indicate to the R1 "hold on."


Questions I'd have: did the receiving team have adequate time to
prepare?  If so, they should be trained to focus on the R1, not the
R2.  A whistle occurred, a beckoning motion ensued.  It shouldn't have
been too much of surprise that the service came.

The result of the protest seems reasonable.  The rulebook gives R1
authority over the match.  The R1 beckoned for serve.  Did the R1
violate some of the techniques and procedures that are designed to
keep him/her out of this sort of sticky situation?  Yes.  Did he/she
violate the rules?  No.  Should you still be pi**ed as a player: sure.

> I think that some of the refs were awesome and others sucked.

There is certainly a latitude.  I didn't see anyone who "sucked" at
the girls session, but I did note a variability across the spectrum of
JN and National officials, especially with respect to techniques such
as communication before/during/after points as in this situation.

It's worth mentioning that most USAV officials aren't used to working
with competent, certified R2's outside of the national tournaments.
Also, if the boys session was at all like the girls, the officials
were working some rough schedules.  These aren't excuses, but they
might lend some insight.

I don't blame you for being upset.  I'd get highly upset as a player
if a similar situation happened to me, especially at nationals in an
important match like this.  Like you, Michael, I bust my hiney to be
an excellent official, and as a player, I have a correspondingly short
fuse for consistent officiating sloppiness (although even the best
officials are entitled to a mind fart here and there).

Best Regards,
--
                  Todd H.   tdh@vbref.org
USAV Jr. National Referee, Great Lakes Region, Palatine, IL
Todd's Volleyball Referee Page http://www.io.com/~tdh/vball/
"So you're a Ref and an engineer? Oh that explains it...."