The Official Word

Vol. 6 No. 5 October 2004

A joint publication of PAVO and USAV Officials Division

®

PAVO National Referees as USAVNational Candidates

by Joan Powell, PAVOPresident

Please take note of the followingsteps that are necessary for any PAVONational referee who is hoping to usethe reciprocal agreement to be a USAVNational referee candidate in 2005. Amaximum of three reciprocalcandidates will be chosen from theapplicants.

� December 31, 2004 – deadline forapplication for candidacy. Submita resume and letter of interest toJoan Powell, PAVO president(14075 Gleneagle Drive, ColoradoSprings, CO 80921,jpr1r2@msn.com).

� January 31, 2005 – selectedcandidates will be notified.

� February 15, 2005 – deadline forselected candidates to makepayment of USAV National refereedues ($40, submitted to Barb VanPelt, 4118 Calle Unidos, LasCruces, NM 88005).

� February 15, 2005 – deadline forsubmission of USAV portion of2004-2005 written exam (submiteither on-line exam results orgraded exam answer sheet toKathy Ferrarccio, 66A CongamondRd., Southwick, MA 01077,kferrarac@comcast.net. Theexam must be taken closed bookand a minimum of 90% obtained oneither Form A or on Form B.

� Process: Selected PAVOcandidates will attend the USAVBoys Junior Olympic Volleyball

New Leadership in USAVOfficials Division

By Glen Sapp VicePresident OfficialsDivision

Greetings. It has been my honorto be asked by the President ofUSA Volleyball, Al Monaco, toserve as the Vice President forthe Officials Division for the nextquadrennial. I accepted and amvery excited for our Division’s nextfour years.

I would like to take thisopportunity to thank WallyHendricks for his many

Championships (Louisville, July 6-13, 2005) as National refereecandidates, and like ALLcandidates who attend, will bepassed or failed as a USAVNational referee at that event. Allsuccessful USAV National refereeswill then be required to attend thefollowing year’s (2006) USAVolleyball Adult OpenChampionships (site TBA) as aNational referee. The USAVNational referee patch andcertification will be awarded at thepre-tournament meeting at theAdult Open Championships.

More information regarding thereciprocal agreement can be found onthe PAVO web page or on page 292 ofthe Guidebook. •

National Referee

Agreement

Reciprocal

Glen Sapp

contributions and leadership over theprior four years. Wally has helpedengineer and lead us in manyadvancements and development withinthe Division.

Fortunately, many of the members ofthe Officials Administrative Council haveagreed to work with me to help continueour development and advancement. Barbara Van Pelt will continue as theAssistant Vice President (AVP) ofAccounting & Finance. KathyFerraraccio has agreed to stay on asthe AVP for the National RefereeCommission. Her counterpart, SueMailhot will continue as AVP of USANational Scorekeeper Commission. Steve Owen will go another stint as theAVP for National and FIVB OutdoorReferee Commission. Finally, Tom andJanet Blue will keep us on track on theinternational scene as the AVP’s ofUSA-FIVB International RefereeCommission and USA International

ScorekeeperC o m m i s s i o nrespectively. Iam confidentwith thesee x p e r i e n c e dv e t e r a n sreturning it willbe oft r e m e n d o u shelp during mylearning andt r a n s i t i o nperiod.

There will onlybe one change

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and that is Emi Vishoot will assume therole of Associate Vice President ofAdministration. It has been decided thatwith many upcoming support andchanges anticipated at the USAV office,that there probably will not be a needfor an AVP dealing with computer anddata entry. In the interim, we will stillneed help with some of the data entryand at this time, there have been offersof assistance from both Wally Hendricksand Barbara Van Pelt. I do want tothank Crystal Lewis for her services asthe Associate VP of Administration andCorny Galdones for all of his help withthe computer systems. I have addedon the position of Officials Liaison, orthat is what I am calling it today, whichI envision to work with other officiatingentities under the volleyball umbrella sothat we can more closely work togetherin order to maximize opportunities andresources to provide officiatingguidance and services to thoseparticipating in our great game. MarciaAlterman has agreed to fill this role.

The three primary goals for this Divisionover the next four years in addition toour already generally establishedresponsibilities will be growth, diversityand as alluded to above, an organizationof officials that can globally worktogether with opportunities anddevelopment to service all aspects ofvolleyball where officiating is needed.

The last two goals will be discussed infuture newsletters, but today let’s touchupon GROWTH. Our sport and USAVin particular needs more officials. Those of you that have attended eventsrecently know that there is no shortageof opportunity to work ten or morematches in a day, sometimes whetheryou want to or not. The Officials Divisionhas not been able to keep up with thegrowth of the game. We will want totake a more active role in looking forand mentoring more officials. As isbeing discussed elsewhere, within thisnewsletter, we are taking a stepbackward and streamlining thecertification process. That is not to saywe will be sacrificing quality to obtain

quantity but we will need to find a bitbetter medium so that we can provideservice to those playing the game. Iwould challenge every one of you for thisyear, to locate and mentor in a newofficial. GROWTH until adequatelyobtained, will be at the top of our list ofconcerns and challenges.

This time period for the most part, forthe USAV Officials Division, is theplanning period and the lull before thestorm of activity that will build up to theJr. National events ending in July. It ismy understanding that the USAVEvents Department will be presentingfor approval, an upgrade to our OfficialsCompensation package for next yearsUSAV Events (those sponsored andhandled directly by USAV such asNationals, Jr. Nationals and theInvitational) and we will know moreabout this after the meetings inJanuary. It is also my understandingthat many of the Qualifiers are alsolooking at the compensation packagesto who are working these events. Hopefully these will have positiveoutcomes and help in participation atthese events.

Good-bye for now and hope to see youall on the courts this season. •

• KUDOS to DanWagner, OTP Clinic host atSt. Paul, Minn., who offered25 sets of the 2004 Clinicpackets to any clinic hostin need. And free mailing toboot. Dan had gone copyhappy and made more thanhe needed for his ownclinic. Thanks Dan.

• KUDOS to Donna Carter, EricVlahov and Crystal Lewis forstepping in and helping conduct aclinic at the last minute due tounforeseen travel issues. •

OTP Clinics Jump-start Season for1,550 Referees

By Anne PufahlPAVO OTP-Clinics Director

The OTP Clinic providedrules, techniques, andprofessional developmentinformation to 1,550 officials at27 different locations, despitechallenges presented byhurricane travel issues, jobchanges and new babies.

Thanks to those of you who tookthe time to give us your feedbackon the evaluation forms. Believe itor not, I have personally looked atevery form and have tallied therequests for rules and techniqueemphasis that you as officials wouldlike to have stressed in next year’sclinics. I certainly plan onincorporating your suggestions..

Thanks also to the clinic hosts forputting in the hard work to organizeand run their individual clinics. Thisis a thankless job so make sure yougive your clinic host an extra pat onthe back.

A big thanks to Mary Faragher forher continued efforts to develop andimprove the PowerPoint technology.

An even bigger thanks to theclinicians who gave up their valuablesummer vacation weekends to travelacross the country to conduct theclinics. This year’s clinicians were:Marcia Alterman, Mike Carter, KevinCull, Joan Powell, Anne Pufahl andSteve Thorpe. Commendations alsoto Donna Carter, Eric Vlahov andCrystal Lewis for stepping in andhelping conduct a clinic at the lastminute due to unforeseen travelissues.

Start making your plans now to hostin 2005. •

The Official Word October 2004

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By Joan PowellPAVO President

I have chosen to share with youa couple of recent officiatingexperiences. In the first scenario, youwill hopefully glean from my error. Thesecond should make you laugh andthose of you whom are less “techno”savvy, like me, will certainly empathizewith my frustration.

I was recently working a preseasoncollegiate tournament. As the R2 onthe first day of the tournament, I wasable to track the home team’s settersin their 6-2 offensive system rathereasily, but the following day as the R1,I blew it! First of all, please understandthat both setters were similar in statureand both had blond hair pulled back inthe same fashion. They consistentlyran their offense from a 6-2, but once ina while, they would use one of the

setters in the front row, trying to slip inan unsuspected, successful dump.Knowing this might create confusion forme, I tried using my fingers to indicatethe number of the back row setter (bothhad single digit uniform numbers) on theside of the referee’s stand as aconstant, yet subtle reminder for me.It worked for a while - then, we werewell into game three of a verycompetitive match. After a point for thevisitors and before the next serve, Iperformed my routine scan of thereceivers and then the serving teamfollowed by the beckon for service. Onlythis time, I did not note that the playerthat the receiving (home) team wasabout to use as the setter was the frontrow setter.

Here is the scenario: An overpass fromthe receiving team was followed by theirsetter blocking the ball unsuccessfully;the ball landed on the receiver’s court.I blew my whistle and signaled

confidently “back row block.” (I was allover that call!) You have all been there– that silence followed by a chorus of,“But she’s front row.” I had a splitsecond to decide my next move.Because my whistle had no bearing onthe play, I opted to signal the ball down- point going to the visiting team - not avery popular call among the homecrowd, not to mention the head coach.It was a very tough call to make. Theeasy way out was to replay it. The homecoach wanted to protest, but since itwas a judgement call, my partnerinformed the coach that it was notprotestable. To make matters worse,the match was televised and “friends”could not wait to email or call me tosay they saw this particular debacle ontelevision. So easy for them to sit inthe comfort of their family room and notknow the entire story. (I always callmy best match from my armchair, too!)

President’s Message: Do you prefer pica or elite?

See Pres on page 4

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For the past two years we have beenwatching the best team in the country,the University of Southern California,two-time National Champions,rejuvenate the 6-2 offense. As we watchteams implement this offense, thesetters are ordinarily replaced byhitters, making it easy on the officials.But in my scenario, the setters werealso viable hitters and stayed in the lineup for the entire match. As the matchcontinued I became more than cognizantof the setters’ whereabouts. I noticedthat the primary setter was wearing athin headband, which seemed to helpme. She was the only one that wouldrun a 5-1 and be allowed to set in thefront row. I also was attentive to thesetter that would tug on her shirt toprovide her hitters with play numberswhile hiding the signals from heropponents; obviously, that player wasgoing to set. Play progressed withouta hitch, but that play haunted methroughout the match. It was eventougher when I had to face the homecoach the following day at the lastmatch of the tournament. My worrieswere put at ease when the coach toldme that he had viewed the film andbelieved it was the right call, but that Ihad blown their deception. I appreciatedhis honesty, but had to take mymedicine with the affirmation.

I learned a great deal at that tournamentand wanted to share this in hopes thatI can help my fellow officials!

The second story is one of totalfrustration. Years ago when computerswere beginning to take over our lives, Iwas attending a NAGWS rules meeting.We took a lunch break and I noticedthat many around me were engaging inan unfamiliar conversation. It was allabout computers and the bells andwhistles that many of theconversationalists possessed on theirpersonal or business computers. (Iwrote an article about this occurrenceyears ago because I thought I was in aforeign country.)

Thank goodness I looked up from mysandwich just in time to catch FishGupton’s eye. Fish is a coach and

referee from North Carolina, a dear friendto many and a very funny guy! As Ilooked at Fish, he seemed as lost inthe computer chatter as I was. Webegan to converse about our means ofcommunication - the typewriter. Heasked if I used a pica or elite. Wechuckled and bantered throughoutlunch. The computer wizards went onabout their new findings in a languageall their own. As we reconvened at therules table, Fish and I could not controlourselves. I actually had tears runningdown my cheeks after asking him if hehad the new “correcto tape” feature, forit was a God-send. The rules committeewanted to know what was so funny, butwe just could not share ourshortcomings regarding the newtechnological age.

Okay so here I am inthe 21st century, aftermany computercourses, help from myfriends, family andstudents, along withsome tinkering onmy own, and I stillam struggling inthe computerworld. What Ineed is a fix from myfriend Fish – I know heknows what I am goingthrough.

Two days before the exam deadline, Idecided to get on line and take myPAVO/USAV test. (I know, why did youwait so long?!) After numerous tries onthe PAVO website (I continually got –“This page cannot be displayed”), I wentto the USAV site and tried linking tothe test, but to no avail. Next, I emailedmy Board Chair, Alan Suzuki, andPAVO Executive Director MarciaAlterman. The following night I took myhigh school team to my assignedmatch at Colorado University to watcha college match. When we came backto my high school, my setter’s car hadbeen stolen from the school parking lot.Much later, after the police arrived andthe reports filed, I came home to attemptto take my test again.

This time I got onto the PAVO homepage, but once I moved the cursor to

the menu, the computer beeped at meand up came a box that read, “A RunTime Error has occurred. Do you wantto debug?” Continuously I pressed yesas it counted down. The box thendisappeared and when I tried to go tothe menu, once again the boxreappeared. And so it goes . . . Yes, Ifinally gave up and went to bed.

The following morning, I was able to geton with my school’s computer withoutthe debug box. Naturally I did not havethe time to take the test during theschool day, so I waited until afterpractice. I got on line without a hitch,filled in the necessary informationincluding my password from bothorganizations. I then clicked on

“submit.” Nothing – ofcourse! I kept trying –no test. I called Kathy

Ferraracio for fear thatsince it was nowSeptember 16, a daypast the deadline, thatperhaps the test wastaken off the website.

Thank goodness she wasat home; she told me tocall her back in fifteenminutes, as she was goingto try to log on. When Icalled her back, she toldme that I should be ableto get the test. So we

went through the preliminary proceduresstep by step and as I clicked “submit,”she asked if I had a bar that was readingmy information and getting ready todisplay the test. It was in fact loading,then the bar disappeared and I wasstaring again at my information screen.Once again, I was unable to take mytest. I called Alan, who also is the WACcoordinator. Alan suggested that heread the test to me over the phone onSunday after both of our weekend’sassignments. I’ll bet I am the onlyreferee in the country that had to takethe exam over the phone. Believe me,it was really tough. Picture yourselftaking that test over the phone. All ofthe S-5 and R-3 stuff, not to mentionthe questions regarding illegal playersand points being taken away was reallydifficult to follow! Finally I completed

Pres from page 3

See Pres on page 5

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By Julie VoeckPAVO OTP Camp Director

The PAVO Officials’ TrainingCamps have helped develop the quantityand quality of the cadre of officials overthe past several years. Scholarshipsfunded by PAVO, NAGWS, and variousDivision I conferences, and a specialscholarship funded by former boardmember, Denise Izatt, have assistedmany campers. These scholarshipsusually cover the camp registration fee,and some assist with travel expensesas well.Last year, the following PAVO memberswere scholarship recipients:

Erik Fisaga – USAVMartha Leshine – NAGWSJoyce Skiff – IzattKevin Gould – PAVOClayton Wong – PAVO

PAVO expects to be able to offer similarscholarships again this year.Applications for scholarships need tobe processed well ahead of the camps.Any PAVO member in good standingmay apply for the PAVO or NAGWSscholarships.

Camp scholarship application process:� Submit a letter of interest, with

name, address, home/workphones, e-mail address, and thename of the PAVO board of whichyou are a member.

� Write a short personal essayexplaining your officiating goals,your personal motivation forofficiating and why you feel youwould be a good scholarshiprecipient.

� Include one letter ofrecommendation from your BoardChair, a PAVO National official or aconference supervisor.

� Visit us at www.pavo.org for updateon the scholarships and camps.

� Submit the above information byFeb. 15, 2005, to be considered fora scholarship.

� Submit to:Julie Voeck6905 Wellauer DriveWauwatosa, WI 53213

or OTP.camp.director@pavo.org

Watch the PAVO web site after the firstof the year for the announcement of thecamp locations for 2005. •

Officials Camp Scholarships Available for Spring 20052005 USAVReferee Training

Courses

By Brian Hemelgarn,USAV NationalCommissioner – RVAReferee Development

USAV’s Officials’ Division isspearheading a new programaimed at providing officials of allexperience levels with valuable on-court training and education. TheReferee Training Courses (“RTC”)will be held during the upcomingseason at various locations aroundthe country during the spring andsummer of 2005.

With the modifications to the JuniorNational and National ratingprocesses, we now haveopportunities to utilize nationalQualifiers, NIRSA, the Girls’Invitational Championship, andother major events as trainingvenues. Gloria Cox, Steve Robband Brian Hemelgarn will head thecommittee charged withdeveloping the training materialsand modules. Members of theUSAV National Rating Team, andother Officials’ Divisionadministrators, will staff the RTCand provide both classroom and on-court practical sessions.

Details about the RTC, as well asdates and sites, will be availablein an upcoming Official Word. Ifyou’re interested in participating,contact your regional referee chairto express your interest! This newfacet in USAV referee developmentwill surely be a popular addition toUSAV’s referee training andeducation programs. •

the exam and passed; Alan submittedmy scores to my assignors. ThanksAlan for your patience.

I truly think that when I sit down at acomputer, it knows it’s me. Yep,someone inside says, “Hey, here is thatPowell character, let’s make her lifemiserable.” Last evening I sat downafter a weekend of officiating to vote forthe PAVO elections on line. Again, Igot – “This page cannot be displayed”(Sound like Rodney Dangerfield’s norespect bit?) This morning I came toschool early to finish my newslettermessage and the power went out in theschool – no computer. Today I receiveda phone call from “Deadline Dale”(Goodwin), who prepares the PAVO

material for this newsletter. He was inneed of my article, but couldn’t reachme because his reminder email to mebounced back today! Tonight I receivednumerous comments from those thatvoted in-line – all comments werepositive, only two were unable to viewthe candidates biographies. I decidedto try again – yea, I was able to voteand submit! I voted for Anne Pufahl –she never has trouble with her computer,even though she uses a Mac!!

I am sure some of you enjoyed readingthis about my trials and tribulations –many of you are shaking your head andhave no sympathy. Those were thedays of pica and elite. I love you FishGupton, wherever you are. Call me,don’t email me!!!! •

Pres from page 4

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USAV Referee Commission

By Kathy Ferraraccio, AVPfor Referees

With the start of thisseason, we are at the beginning of anew quadrennial in volleyball. TheOlympics are over, and some newleadership has been announced. I knowthat Glenn Sapp has made someannouncements in an article elsewherein the newsletter, but I would like toannounce the return of those serving onthe USA National RefereesCommission.

Kathy Ferraraccio, AVP for RefereesMary Blalock, National Commissionerfor Evaluation and Training of NationalRefereesCharles Ezigbo , National Com-missioner for Evaluation and Training ofJN RefereesBrian Hemelgarn, National Com-missioner for RVA Development,Referees

We are looking forward to another greatfour years, building programs, bringingin new referees, and training refereesat all levels of the game. Each year,the number of teams increasesdramatically, and the challenges wenow face are to bring in new officials,get them trained, and get them on thecourts. With the help of the regions,we are looking at new programs toassist in this endeavor. If you havesuggestions, please forward them toone of the people above.

I would also like to personally thankWally Hendricks for his tireless workto make the world of volleyball a betterplace for referees. He workedcontinuously on bringing us up to speedby updating records, talking to peopleto see what was needed, and by beingthere for us. None surpassed hisdedication and his presence was seenat all tournaments, at all levels of play.I know that Wally will still be on the

courts with us, so make sure you goup to him and thank him for all the workhe did for you.

At this time, we all know there aredeadlines in front of us, and I would justlike to give a quick reminder of some ofthem. Officials Division dues are to bepaid by December 1, 2004 to avoid alate payment. They should be paid toBarb Van Pelt, 4118 Calle Unidos, LasCruces, NM 88005. If you have oneNational or JN certification with USAV,then your dues are $40. If you havetwo or more National or JN certificationswith USAV, then you owe $60. Thisincludes, refereeing, both indoor andoutdoor, and scorekeeping.

If the dues are received after December1, there will be a 50% late paymentassessed. After March 15, yourregistration will be dropped. You wouldthen have to appeal to the AVP to bereinstated. If you plan on retiring thisseason, you must do so by February15, 2005 to avoid paying this seasonsdues to the Officials Division. Let theAVP know by that date if you would liketo retire your patch.

Also on February 15, your exams aredue to the AVP. If your exam is not inon or before that date, with a passinggrade, you will not be confirmed for anytournaments during the summer. Youwill only be accepted, meaning you arenot guaranteed any matches beyondthose needed to retain yourcertification(s). When you take theexam on-line, your results areautomatically sent to me, saving youthe trouble of having to remember to mailthem.

I would also like to remind each of youto go into the USAV/PAVO databaseand update your information as itchanges. If you have a change of emailaddress, or phone number, or move intoa new home, please update this

information as soon as possible, as thisis the information used to make sureyou get all pertinent mailings, whetherby pony express, or on the internet.

As we enter this new season, keep inmind that you are always beingwatched. Remain professional at alltimes, whether on the court as a player,a referee, or a coach. If we continue tohold ourselves to the highest ofstandards, we will improve the sport ofvolleyball, and we will improve theconditions for all of us. You might bethe referee who brings in three newofficials, just because of theprofessionalism that you show in thegym.

I am looking forward to a great start,and would love to hear from you aboutyour thoughts for the division, and forthe future. Drop a note to let me knowyour ideas, or just to say hello. I hopeto see each of you sometime during theseason. If not, then I will surely seeyou all after the winter snows aremelted, and the summer is once againupon us. •

“USAV RulebookCorrection”

Rule 12.1.2 is correctlystated in thecommentary and in thebody of the rules (page36) but is incorrect in

the Rule Changes at the beginningof the indoor rules (page xviii). •

The Official Word October 2004

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High Performance TournamentNew NationalReferees Certified

Under New ProcessBy Mary Blalock, NationalCommissioner for Eval-uation and Training ofNational Referees

This year (2004) is the first year therewere two classes of NationalReferees. The first class wentthrough the process the old waywhich was to go to Boys, be invited toNIRSA the following year and thenfinish the process at Opens right afterNIRSA. This class was listed in thelast edition of the Official Word.

At the meetings in Atlanta it wasdecided to change the process tomake it less time consuming andless costly for the candidates. Thenew process is to apply to theNational Commissioner forEvaluation and Certification and thenbe accepted and go to Boys and berated at the Boys event for one’sNational referee status. If successfulat Boys then the new National refereeMUST attend at least the second halfof Opens the following year wherethey will receive their patch and bementored by an existing Nationalreferee. In addition to that they willneed to prove their ability to keepscore by taking the scorekeepers test(if they are not already a NationalScorekeeper).

Successfully passing this year asNational Referees in Austin were:Kevin Ball, Lara Brown, SteveBurinsky, Dickson Chun, DouglasCouvillon, Charles Fleet, TraceyHarrison, William Jones, TomJoseph, Dan Kitchel, JamesKramar, Bob Kyle, Lisa Paull, SteveSaviano, Tracy Shadle, Amy Unger,and Stacey Weitzel.

A special thanks to the raters whohelped make the new process workso well. They were: Mary Blalock,Brian Hemelgarn, Wally Hendricks,and Dave Spencer. •

By Janet Blue, AVP USA/International ScorekeeperCommission

Austin Juniors hosted the 2004 HighPerformance Tournament from July21 through 24 at the Palmer Arena.As in the past the USA InternationalReferee and Scorekeepercommissions used this event as atraining session.

In attendance for the referees wereJulie Voeck (Badger), KevinWendleboe (Carolina), Brig Beatie(Northern California) and DenisBergstedt (Great Lakes). Julie andKevin are candidates to becomeinternational referees havingattended the FIVB Clinic in Atlanta inMay. Not having attended the HighPerformance Tournament in thepast, they were given this additionalopportunity to work usinginternational rules and protocol andreceive daily feedback on theirperformance. All referees attending alsogot the opportunity to practice using theinternational scoresheet; being proficientwith this is an additional requirement forthose desiring to become internationalreferees.

Internationally qualified scorekeepersattending were Amber Fulk (Carolina),DeAnn Korinek (Great Plains) and Thang

2004 Newly Certified Junior National Refereesby Charles Ezigbo National Commissioner USA Jr. National RefereeCertification & Evaluation

Congratulations to the 2004 newly certified Junior National referees.These candidates passed at the Girls National Junior volleyball tournament inHouston TX.

Nguyen (Lone Star). This tournament alsooffers the scorekeepers the opportunityto work with international procedures andprotocol that are not used at the Open

tournament as well as to receiveimmediate feedback.

Mary Holly Blalock (Lone Star),International Referee and NationalCommissioner for Referee Certificationand Evaluation, was the refereesupervisor. Janet Blue (Old Dominion),USA/International Scorekeeper andAssistant Vice President for the USA/International Scorekeeper Commission,was the scorekeeper supervisor. •

Front: Thang Nguyen, Amber Fulk, DeAnnKorinek Back: Denis Bergstedt, Julie Voeck,

Kevin Wendleboe, Brig Beatie

Christopher AielloStephen AricheaAndrew BeyerJeff BrownShari BrubakerRandall BurdinScott BurnettAndrea CervenaWayne ClarkPhyllis ColemanScott Couch

Tammy ElliottTerry FryChristopher HermosilloJennifer JanovecKenneth JohnsonWilliam KissellChad KlunckWard KostekDebra LaValleyJohn Love Rick McQuown

Gary MerrillCliff MilanoskiDon MillerCharles MoxeyShera MoxleyNancy NunezPatsy NealGary OncaleOwen Reiley, JrDonna RobertMiller (J.R.) Salima

Emily StricklandJanna Ter MolenOrvil WeddelBob WillisDaniel WongMichael YoungMichael Zewski •

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USA/InternationalScorekeeperCommission

Janet Blue, AVPU S A / I n t e r n a t i o n a lScorekeeper Commission

I am pleased to let you know that ournew Officials’ Division vice president,Glenn Sapp, has asked me to continueas assistant vice president of thiscommission as we begin the newquadrennium. I have committed to atleast two more years and really lookforward to continuing my work with allthe internationally qualified and certifiedscorekeepers.

In the past eight years the commissionhas accomplished many things: higherpay for scorekeepers as well as pay forassistant scorekeepers for tour andexhibition matches; increased expertiseof all scorekeepers due to the changesmade to the USAV scoresheet, theopportunity to work Open matches atthe National Tournament using the FIVBscoresheet and the continued review of,feedback on and return of scoresheets;the opportunity to give additional trainingto qualified scorekeepers at the annualHigh Performance Tournament (seeaccompanying article in thisnewsletter); the certification of threescorekeepers; and, though short-lived,the opportunity to assign our certifiedand qualified scorekeepers to the UnitedStates Women’s Professional VolleyballLeague matches.

I would like to thank all of you for yoursupport during the past eight years, butespecially Debbie Reed, Sue Mailhotand Cathy Hoy. Their help, input andexpertise has been invaluable.

I regret that currently we have noupcoming tournaments, tours orexhibitions to assign. I will be using thisdowntime to review all those Openscoresheets and tour match

By Kathy Ferraraccio, AVPfor Referees

After a long summer oftournaments and clinics, the PAVOseason is now well under way. And inmany areas, teams are also gearing upfor the USA Volleyball season. Butbefore we can let go of the summer, Iwould like to thank a number of peoplewho made the tournaments run so muchsmoother.

The head referees at each event did atremendous job of keeping everyone ontrack, and making sure that all refereesreceived a fair amount of work. I wouldlike to thank those people who put intheir time in this position.• Opens: Kathy Ferraraccio and

Steve Robb• Girls: Kathy Ferraraccio and Leisa

Jordan• Boys: Steve Owen and Donnie

Goodwin• Girls Invitational: Donnie Goodwin

and Brian Hemelgarn

Those who ended up with the most workdue to a shortage of officials at thejuniors tournaments were the assignors.Many times, they received no thanks,even though they were not only puttingout a schedule that was workable, butthey were working matches that did nothave referees to cover them. Theyworked tirelessly from morning till night,and always with a smile on their faces.This crew deserves more than kudos,

Thanks for a Job Well Done

but alas, this is all I have to offer. So,please, when you see the followingpeople, give them a big thank you for ajob very well done.• Opens: Corny Galdones, Scott

Atkinson, Tim Harlow, RonBuchanan

• Girls: Al Herbert, RandyCummings, Tim Harlow

• Boys & Girls Invitational: ScottAtkinson, Ron Buchanan, GregLeung

Special thanks also goes to Al Herbert,who helps me many times over thecourse of the year, as I bounce numbersoff him, hoping to get the perfect numberof referees for each tournament. Withouthis help, this job would be much harderthan it is. Thanks, Al.

Last, but not least, the most thanks gothe referees who continue to work theseevents, even though each year we havea shortage of referees. Each of youworked hard to make sure that allmatches were covered, even if it wasyour 12th of the day. You nevercomplained, but continued on in aprofessional, although a bit tired, manner.The camaraderie that was felt at eachof the tournaments was phenomenal,and all worked together to make thesethe best officiated tournaments of thesummer. This organization could not dothis without you, and I only hope thatthe compensation you receive cancontinue to improve, so that we can findmore dedicated people like you. Thankyou. •

scoresheets from the Juniortournaments.

Please make a note in your addressbook that I am changing my e-mailaddress. The new address isJBB4vbirtc@aol.com. You may beginusing it when you get this newsletter. I

also will send each of you for whom Ihave an e-mail address a reminder viathat format. •

The Official Word October 2004

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Member Profile: Thomas’ Jump from Track to Volleyball Pays Dividends

Verneda Thomas’ athletic career began at Chicago’sYMCA in 1952 when, as a child, she was observedjumping rope at extraordinary heights. Soon thereaftershe joined the USA track team, andcompeted in the Pan American games

in Mexico City, where she placed third in the highjump. She traveled with the team to Russia,Poland, Hungry and Greece in 1958 for duelmeets. She had become used to placing first orsecond in her meets, so when she placed thirdshe became disenfranchised. Track’s lossbecame volleyball’s gain.

Thomas began playing volleyball with an AAUteam. “I don’t remember how we did in that firsttournament,” Thomas said, “but I do rememberthe great satisfaction I felt in playing the game.”

In 1960, Thomas and her sister joined theChicago Rebels AAU team, coached by BerthaLucas, and qualified for USVBA Regionals. Thatsame year the Olympic committee announcedthat it was adding volleyball to the 1964 Olympicsin Tokyo. The Rebels advanced to the national tournament, andThomas got the attention of Team USA. She was selected toplay on America’s first Olympic volleyball team. “I was a teammateof many great players namely, Mary Jo Peppler, Genie Gartner,Gail Ohrorie, Sharon Peterson and Linda Murphy to name afew,” Thomas said. “At that time I was one of two Afro-Americanwomen playing national volleyball, and the only one on theOlympic team.”

It was a whirlwind tour for Thomas. She met USA swimmerDonna Deverona. She shook Walt Disney’s hand on a teamtour of the newly opened Disneyland. When she got to Tokyo forthe games she was amazed at how crowded was the city,something she didn’t expect having come from Chicago. “Therewere so many people on the streets, if you had fainted therewas no place to fall,” she said. “My Olympic volleyball experiencewas disappointing because I was on the ‘second team’. Whenthe first team got beaten so badly in their matches, the “secondteam” got to play the Japanese team. We got slaughtered. Withgames being played to 15 points and best-of-5, our team got 15points for the whole match. We were so disappointed with ourperformance. We only won one match, which was against Korea.We didn’t go to the closing ceremony, which today I regret,”Thomas said.

She continued to play volleyball with the Rebels, and enrolled atGraceland College in 1970 to complete her degree. Sheattended a winter term in Honolulu and worked in acardiovascular research lab. Queen’s Medical Center thereoffered her a job as a chemist upon graduation.

She began playing with the Locahi Hawaiians, who trained onthe beach and did squat jumps in the water. She didn’t swim,

and training was a struggle. So she enrolled in swimming class,and despite almost drowning twice, she received herintermediate card by swimming one mile. After learning to swim,

volleyball training was much easier.

She played with Locahi from 1975-1984, whenshe began playing on a master’s team. It wasabout that time that she began overseeingofficiating at the University of Hawaii. She alsoserved as USA Volleyball officials’ chair.

She has officiated at all levels of volleyball,obtaining her USA National in 1982. She is anavid trainer of officials and scorekeepers. Sheserves as president of the Diamond HeadOfficials Association. She also is aninternationally certified scorekeeper.

Verneda Thomas, a true pioneer of volleyball inthe U.S. •

Verneda Thomas

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2004 PAVO Officials’ ConventionDecember 16 – 18

REGISTRATIONYour Name ______________________________________________________________________________________

PAVO Board Name ______________________________________________________________________________________

Your Address ______________________________________________________________________________________

City ___________________________________________ St _________________ Zip ________________

Home Phone __________________________________ Work Phone ________________________________________

E-Mail Address ______________________________________________________________________________________

Can we release the above information to other convention attendees &/or sponsors? YES NO

Non-PAVO Non-PAVO AmountPAVO Members PAVO Members Members Before Members After You AreBefore 11/15/04 After 11/15/04 11/15/04 11/15/04 Paying

Convention Registration * $100 $150 $125 $150

“Mini” Convention Registration * $75 $100 $75 $100

Includes all PAVO sessions & AVCA exhibit show (dates & times TBA)

Includes PAVO social & Semi-final Analysis on Friday evening, and all Saturday sessions

Extras and Options: --

NCAA Match Tickets ** Tickets are not included with convention registration. Matches are onThursday, Dec. 16 and Saturday, Dec. 18. All tickets sold in sets for bothdays. Limited quantity available - maximum 4 per registrant.Non-registrants may not place ticket orders.$40 x ___________________ (No. of tickets)$25 x ___________________ (No. of tickets for youth under 17)$25 x ___________________ (No. of tickets for senior over 60)

AVCA Coach of the Thurs. 12/16/04, 9:30 am - 11:00 am. May overlap some PAVOYear Brunch (Westin) convention sessions. $35 x _________________ (No. of tickets)

AVCA All-America Fri. 12/17/04, 10:30 am - 12:30 am. May overlap some PAVOPlayer Brunch (Westin) convention sessions. $35 x ___________________ (No. of tickets)

Guest attendance Fri., 12/17/04 PAVO Evening Social and Semi-Final Analysis(Guest tickets only needed for NON-convention attendees)No. of guests __________ x $20 each (Max. of TWO per convent. registrant)

TOTAL DUEMake checks payable to PAVO; submit to P.O. Box 780, Oxford, KS 67119, or complete

credit card information below and mail or fax to 316/455-3800

Visa MasterCard Discover (circle one)

Credit Card Number _________________________________________________ Exp. Date ______________________

Signature ________________________________________________________________________________________

* Requests for convention registration refunds received before December 1 will be charged a $25 service fee. Requests for convention registration refunds received after December 1 will be charged a $40 service fee

** NOTE: NCAA match tickets are not refundable under any circumstances..

PAVOPO Box 789Oxford, KS 67119

FROM:_______________________________________________________________

The Official Word Vol. 6 No. 5

page twelve

By Dale GoodwinInterim Board Member

Sunshine, warm temperatures,Final Four volleyball and our sport’sbest professional developmentopportunity all await you in Long Beach,Calif., Dec. 16-18 when the 2004Officials Convention comes to town.

For just $100 for PAVOmembers, and $125 fornon-members, thisconvention offersofficials a chance tohear about thebest techniquesfor bench andcrowd control, howbest to overcome thatbad call or bad match youhad last night, how to trainyour eyes to serve youbetter, about unusualplays and proper rulings,

and how the pioneer women of volleyballhave seen their sport grow.

The “tip-off” session on Thursday willfeature Anita Ortega, who will relate herroots as an L.A. teen to her successesas a UCLA basketball star and currentDivision I women’s basketball referee.

Of course, the standardsessions will be back,

including a social andsemifinal analysis ofthe officiating, acoaches panel togive us feedback,and a collegecoordinators paneldiscussion aboutmoving up andgetting noticed inofficiating.

A special sessionwill be offered for

PAVO local board chairs, offering them

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE:

Thursday, Dec. 16Session #1 9:00-10:00 a.m. Tip off with Anita OrtegaSession #2 10:15-11:15 a.m. Recordkeeping for tax purposesSession #3 11:30-12:30 p.m. Coaches PanelSemifinal matches 5:30 and 8:00 p.m. Long Beach Arena

Friday, Dec. 17Board chair assembly 10:30-11:30 a.m.Session #4 Noon-1:30 p.m. Vision Training (Ken Mills & Peggy Schaefer)Session #5 1:45-2:30 p.m. Division I Coordinators PanelSession #7 6:00-9:00 p.m. Social and semifinal analysis

Saturday, Dec. 18Continental breakfast 8:00-8:30 a.m.Session #8A 8:30-9:30a.m. Novice on-court sessionSession #8B 8:30-9:30 a.m. Crowd and bench control (Karen Gee)Session #9 9:45-11:00 a.m. Plays and Ruling (Marcia Alterman).Session #10 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Psychology of officiating (Paul Salitsky, Sports

Psychologist)Final Match 3 p.m. Long Beach Arena •

Long Beach Convention Has Something for Everyone

a chance to hear from and ask questionsof PAVO Executive Director MarciaAlterman and President Joan Powell. Amini registration is being offered toentry-level college officials whichincludes Friday night’s social andsemifinal analysis, and Saturday’ssession, which will include a break outfor new officials. That registration fee is$75 for all officials.

Convention registration can beaccomplished in-line at www.PAVO.org.Hotel reservations at the host LongBeach Hyatt Regency may be made onthe website, or by calling 562-491-1234.Cost is just $99/night. Semifinal andfinals tickets are available through theConvention. A tentative schedulefollows. Questions about theconvention? Please contact DaleGoodwin at past.president@pavo.org,or by phone at 509-323-6133. •

The Official Word October 2004

by Charles Ezigbo - NationalCommissioner USA Jr.National RefereeCertification & Evaluation

For those in the Northern part of thecountry, it is the time of the year whereour volleyball activities most likely aremoving indoors. For those in the warmweather states – play on! Whatever thecase, the USAV season is just aroundthe corner and there are some importantchanges to be aware of for thoseintending to take the step from Regionalto Jr. National and for Jr. Nationalsplanning to step up to the National level.For the latter, please refer to the articlein this Newsletter by Mary Holly -National Commissioner USA NationalReferee Certification & Evaluation.

Starting in 2005, the Girls NationalJunior Tournament is the only locationwhere new Jr. National evaluations willoccur. We will not be performingevaluations, as was the practice in thepast, at the Qualifiers. All upgrades,evaluations, and certifications in 2005will only take place at the Salt Palacein Salt Lake City, Utah, the home of the2005 Girls National Junior Tournament.Currently the dates for this tournamentare June 29 – July 6. The exact datesduring this event for the upgradeprocess will be forthcoming at a latertime.

Application deadline is April 1, 2005.Candidates will be notified via email oftheir acceptance by May 1, 2005. ByFebruary 1st 2005, the “Application forBecoming a Jr. National Candidate” willbe posted on the USAV web site, under“Officiating” and the specifics of whereto send the required information will bedetailed. Application is not automatichowever. In order to be considered, acandidate must be recommended byhis/her Regional Referee Chair.Additionally, the Commissioner and

New PAVO NationalsRecognized

By Mike CarterPAVO National RatingTeam Director

I am honored to announce the 17new PAVO National Referees.

From the University of SanFrancisco rating site:Joe SloateRobert OkamuraKathy RogersBrian BrinkMichael Farish

From the Arkansas State ratingsite:Mark NobleTom HobbsErik FisagaMike GibbsRon Mutter

From the LaSalle rating site:Michael McPoyleAlan SowaHarold WebberBrad AabergDennis Branch

Please join me in congratulatingeach of our new PAVO Nationalreferees. •

Regional Scorekeeper Chair must alsosign off on the application. A fee of $150must accompany the application. Acopy of the candidate’s USAVcompleted test must be included. Thistest must be completed to 100%. Allnew candidates will be required at theevent to complete and pass a practicescore sheet. Please work with yourRegional Referee Chair if you areinterested in becoming a Jr. NationalReferee. Your Regional Chair can guideand prepare you on what is required inorder to be considered as a candidate.

The process that occurs for evaluationsand certifications during the Girls Jr.National event will be detailed in a futureNewsletter. They will also be clearlydefined to all the candidates uponacceptance. For those who are alreadyJr. National referees, the Girl’s andBoy’s National Junior tournaments willcontinue to be used as opportunities tobe reviewed. The intent is to continueto provide the opportunities to get yournumbers up!

One of the advantages of this newprocess to the candidate is that theoverall financial expense of completingthe process is significantly reduced.But as you have probably figured out,the ability to handle the same numberof candidates at one site will be limitedas opposed to when we used multiplesites. Therefore, it is a good idea tostart to work early with your regionalleadership to make your intentionsknown. Then get out and work, work,work – especially in the R2 position.

What, you might ask, will be done nowat the Qualifiers? Well, as this articleis being written, an effort is in place totry to use the Qualifiers as a trainingsite. If successful, this could provideyet another opportunity for candidatesto prepare. Under the guidance ofnationally rated referees, both potential

candidates and those just wishing toimprove their skills will have theopportunity to attend these trainingsessions. This is yet another benefitto the overall refereeing cadre. Keepan eye out in upcoming articles of theOfficials Word for more on this. •

Changes to the Junior National Referee Process

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The Official Word Vol. 6 No. 5

page fourteen

By Corny Galdones

It’s a rare moment when an Average Joe official getsto learn directly from and hobnob with the top officials

and authorities of other professional sports. I had the pleasureof doing that this summer at the National Association of SportsOfficials annual conference on August 7-9 in Crystal City,VA.

The conference was held in a beautiful downtown area withina short hike to the Pentagon and right across the PotomacRiver from our nation’s Capitol. The weather was perfect,more like fall climate rather than the hot, humid temperaturesof the Washington, DC summer. Of course, theseobservations are biased. I live only a 10-minute drive fromthe host hotel, 45 minutes in rush hour.

When I first heard about this high-powered gathering, I hadreservations about the pricey $375 registration fee. Then Itook a look at its proposed agenda topics and speakers.Wow! It would have been a shame for me not to attend anassembly of this quality, especially since it was being heldpractically in my backyard. I figured getting new and differentperspectives on officiating could not hurt. And some folksmight say I need all the help I can get. But I digress. Ifnothing else, the cost would be tax-deductible. The moneyspent turned out to be well invested.

Sports officials and directors attending the convention ranthe entire gamut of the great, the wannabe great and thenot-so-great like me. There were the familiar names fromtelevision like Jerry Seeman, Bob McElwee and Red Cashionof the NFL and Danny Crawford of the NBA, the not as familiarbut just as outstanding officials from other sports and workingofficials of college and high school levels. The good mix ofattendees created an atmosphere of camaraderie and anexcellent forum for the exchange of ideas and viewpoints onissues and challenges we officials face.

The topics covered were wide-ranging and relevant to today’sofficials. Sportsmanship and the role of an official in improvingits environment was the keynote topic. Other subjectscovered included assigning, training and rating referees,independent contracting, insurance, background checks,security and the current state of officiating. The session onpublic disclosure of and organizational support for officials’mistakes captivated me.

As a bonus, I got to socialize with Marcia Alterman andJoan Powell, who were there to represent our sport in theprofessional and proficient manner that we have come toexpect from them and take for granted. How’s that? Do Iget any brownie points? In all seriousness, they did a terrificjob in leading the breakout sessions on volleyball. Plus Joan,

in her modesty, has not made it known that she is a NASOofficer and had an active role in running the conference.Volleyball is fortunate to have these two stellar leaders.

I highly recommend for any volleyball official to attend a NASOannual convention at least once. It’s educational andworthwhile. There’s one caveat. Find a sponsor for yourentry fee. •

NASO Conference Well Worth Investment

PAVO Board Chair Assemblyat Long Beach Convention

By Joan Powell, President

When most organizations have a convention,they include at least one “business meeting”

in the schedule. The PAVO Officials’ Convention inLong Beach will make that addition this year as well.All PAVO Board Chairs are invited to come to a specialsession on Friday morning (12/17) where we’ll focuson the business of running a board. Marcia Altermanand I will be there to answer your questions andfacilitate a discussion about how to recruit and retainmembers, handle ratings issues, etc. And, even moreimportantly, we want to receive your input on howPAVO can help you have a more successful officials’organization.

In order to motivate board chairs to attend, PAVO willgive a 50% discount on convention registration to allboard chairs who attend the business meeting (seethe convention information elsewhere in thispublication). Many boards are fundingthe travel costs for the boardchair so that they haverepresentation at thisimportant event. Ihope to see you allthere! •

The Official Word October 2004

page fifthteen

By BrianHemelgarn, USAVN a t i o n a lCommissioner –

RVA Referee Development

This year at the US OpenChampionships in Atlanta, Ihad the pleasure of presentingSteve Webster of the USAVNew England Region with theinaugural Referee Chair of theYear award!

Steve was certified as a USANational referee in 1997 – thesame year he took on RefereeChair responsibilities for theNew England Region. Since that time,he has helped referees of all levels byoffering his time and experience as atrainer, officiating educator and mentor.He guides NERVA officials throughregional training camps, includingvideotaping and feedback, as well ason-line accreditation programs forplayer officials, l ine judges andscorekeepers.

These on-line accreditation programsconsequently led to the deployment ofon-line rules testing for NERVA officialsin 2000. The success within his regionwas so significant, that a year later,Steve, with cohort Tom Sweeney, beganoffering the on-line testing to otherregions. This has ultimately blossomedinto the national on-line testing system,which is currently being used by bothUSAV and PAVO.

Steve has also been actively involvedwith USAV by serving as the AtlanticZone Rep to the Officials’ Division RVAAdministrative Council. He also worksclosely with me to provide training andeducational materials to referee chairsaround the country.

His involvement in volleyball doesn’tstop there! He was active as an adultplayer in competitions until 2002,including a Men’s 35s silver medal atthe 1996 Open Championships. He’s

also busy inwomen’s collegiatevolleyball as aPAVO Nationalreferee, and alsoas PAVO SpringCamp staff.

Steve is a well-deserving recipientof our inauguralReferee Chair of theYear award! Besure to offer a“Congrats” the nexttime you see himon the court! •

Steve Webster

2004 PAVOConvention WelcomesUSAV Referee Chairs

By Brian Hemelgarn, USAVNational Commissioner –RVA RefereeDevelopment

In addition to being the site for thisyear’s PAVO Convention, Long Beach,California, will be the host for ourinaugural Referee Chair Assembly(RCA) on Friday, December 17! Inconjunction with a host of activities onthe slate for PAVO’s Officials’Convention, December 16-18, theUSAV Officials’ Division will offer the“RCA” to provide regional refereechairs with the most current, up-to-date rule interpretations, techniques,and training materials to get startedon the upcoming season. What betterplace to spend a couple of days inDecember than sunny SouthernCalifornia!

With the 2004-05 rules changesadopted by the Rules TestingCommission and the USAV ExecutiveCommittee in Atlanta, the RCA will bean important event for distributingcrucial information, answeringquestions, and networking with refereechairs from other parts of the country.

The RCA agenda will be covered onFriday morning, allowing participantsto attend PAVO’s ever-popular Social/Semi-Final Analysis on Friday evening,as well as the Saturday PAVOconvention sessions. RCA attendeesmust register for the PAVO convention,and may attend either the entire PAVOconvention and the RCA, or they mayopt for a “mini” registration, whichincludes the RCA, the Friday nightSemi-Final Analysis and the Saturdayconvention sessions.

Registration for the full PAVOconvention is $100 for PAVO members,and $125 for non-PAVO membersbefore November 15. After that date,registration is $150 for both membersand nonmembers. The “mini”registration is $75 for members andnonmembers who register before Nov.15. It is $100 after that date. •

NCAA RulesCommittee

By Marcia Alterman, NCAASecretary-Rules Editor

The NCAA Rules Committee willmeet in Indianapolis in January, 2005.The agenda is already quite full! Oneitem that will get a great deal ofdiscussion will be the results of the rulessurvey. This year, there are two newaspects to that survey – (a) it will bedone on-line rather than via regular mail,and (b) referees are invited to expresstheir opinions on the survey questionsas well.

To participate in this survey, go on-lineto http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB223U5TX8DU9. Onthe cover page, enter your name and,in the line where it requires aninstitution to be entered, please put“Official”. In item #3, select “GameOfficial”. With that informationsuccessfully submitted, you will nextsee the survey questions.

Take advantage of this chance to haveyour thoughts become part of the rules-making process. •

2004 Referee Chair of the Year: Steve Webster

The Official Word Vol. 6 No. 5

page sixteen

By Sue Mailhot, AVPScorekeeping Commission

One quadrennium, fouryears, 208 weeks, 1460 days etc, etc,etc has certainly passed by quickly.Many changes to the scorekeepingmethods have occurred in that timeframe. When I was first appointed tothis position, we were still using the“Lauten” scoresheet and sideoutscoring. We were just getting ready toexperiment with rally scoring andchanging the scoresheet radically.

Initially, we thought the transition to thenew scoresheet would takeapproximately two to three years tophase in and teach all the “old dogs,new tricks”, but most regions jumpedright in. We threw away our red pensand everyone adapted very quickly tothe simpleness of the new scoresheet.And now, most of us would never goback.

This year, when Glenn Sapp called andasked if I would remain in this position,I happily accepted. I’ve worked with andhad the support of some fantastic peopleover the past four years and I look forwardto this new quad. I would like to thankthe scorekeepers that have given somuch time in making these past fouryears prosperous ones. Every onelisted here has given some extra effortto this worthy cause; Dennis Lafata,Emi Vishoot, Debbie Reed, SteveCrane, Janet Blue, Cathy Hoy, Dee Yoe,Jeff Hoppen, Kim Will iams, KelliAuletta, Nancy Funk, Mary Uhlmann,Juli Nuttall, and Dixie Collins. I knowthere are many more that I failed tomention, but scorekeepers are a greatbunch. They are always there willingto help out whenever it’s necessary.And I am grateful for everyone’sinvolvement over the past four years.

I would also like to thank WallyHendricks for being a tremendousvisionary who led the Officials Divisionin a positive progressive manner over

the past four years. His managementstyle allowed the scorekeepingcommission to continue its successfuloperation.

Over the past four years, we havecertif ied over 75 new NationalScorekeepers. We’ve seen the demiseand the resurrection of the NationalJunior Scorekeeper program. Thescorekeeper monitor program wasinstituted and has been a tremendousasset to the YJOV Championships.

So as we begin another quadrennium(or four years or 208 weeks or 1460days) or however you want to count thetime, I look forward to continue workingwith the National ScorekeeperCommission. I would like to announcethe following members to the NationalScorekeeper Administrative Council:Dennis Lafata – National Com-missioner for ScorekeeperAdministrationNancy Funk – National Commissionerfor Certification and EvaluationSteve Crane – National Commissionerfor RVA DevelopmentJeff Hoppen – National Commissionerfor National Junior ScorekeeperCertification and EvaluationEmi Vishoot – National Commissionerfor Beach Scorekeepers

Revising the Scorekeeper section of theOfficials Division manual will be one ofour first tasks.

2004 New National Score-keepersCongratulations to our newest NationalScorekeepers, who certified in Atlantain June of 2004!Lynn Barber (Southern)Maureen Barbosa (Southern California)Kelli Bryant (Gulf Coast)Arthur Chavers (Western Empire)John Cline (Bayou)Jim Farmer (Sun Country)James Feickert (Arizona)Erik Fisaga (Great Plains)Tracey Harrison (North Texas)

Brian Hemelgarn (Ohio Valley)Shanon “Moose” Knudtson (Southern)Scott Masters (Chesapeake)Jerry Moews (Arizona)Kristine Mullen (Ohio Valley)Michelle Prater (Southern)Regina Sanders (North Texas)Jeff Werner (Gateway)

Need to Recertify in 2005The following people need to attend theNational Open Championships inDenver, May 2005 and keep score on aminimum of 6 matches to renew theirNational Scorekeeper certification:Brown,Kay NCFallon,Tom OVFulmer,Kristal OVHaggard,Kent RMKaase,Ronnie LSLudlum,Kevin CHMara,Margie RMMares,Chris NTMcCracken,Chuck CAMeyer,Peter AZNoble,Mark SUObermeyer,Dale AZPiontek, Phil HAQuinn, Ray WERoehrer, Kathleen FLSalvatore, Patty OVShaffer, Tamara ODStevens, Bill KEThompson, Marilyn CATwohig, Barbara EVUpdegraff, Lynne IAWashburn, Patty HA

If you feel you are on this list in error orhave extenuating circumstances,please contact Sue Mailhot by Jan 1,2005. If you have at least 5 years as acertified National Scorekeeper andwould like to retire, you must send awritten request (email is fine) to Sue byFeb 15, 2005.

PowerPoint ScorekeepingPresentationLynne Updegraff, National Scorekeeperand Commissioner of the Iowa Region,is putting the finishing touches on apower point presentation that shedeveloped to teach scorekeeping. Thispresentation can be used in manydifferent ways in the region. You couldsend it out to the remote areas of your

USAV Scorekeeping Commission

The Official Word October 2004region and not have to send an actualclinician. Individual clubs could use thepresentation to effectively teach theirplayers. A copy of this presentation isavailable from Lynne for a nominal fee.Contact Lynne at email addressoffice.mail@iavbreg.org. Check thewebsite for further information. We’dlike to thank Lynne for her dedicationand extreme efforts in making thispossible.

Scoresheet ChangesWhen you get your rulebook this fall,you will notice some extreme changes.The Rules Testing Commission wastasked with making the USA Volleyballrulebook fall more in line with the FIVBrulebook. The scorekeepercommission was concerned that wewould also need to change to theinternational scoresheet andtechniques. But the commission wasrelieved to hear that is not case. Wewill continue to use the scoresheet thatwe’ve been using for the past few years,with a couple of minor changes.

International rules use the term set,instead of game. All terminology on thecurrent scoresheet has been adjustedto reflect this change.

Also new this year, all sanctions willbe in effect for the entire match. So ifyou are using the single gamescoresheet in your region, do not forgetto transfer all sanctions to the nextsheet.

National Scorekeeper RatingsFor the past two years now, the ratingsfor National Scorekeeper certificationhave been done in the second sessionof the USA Volleyball Open NationalChampionship. The ScorekeeperAdministrative Council voted to keep theratings in the second session. Thischange allows many of thescorekeepers that have dual roles atthe tournament (raters, internationallycertified, etc) be available for workingOpen matches. It also provides thetournament with more scorekeepers inthe second session when we have beenhistorically short of all officials. So ifyou have National Scorekeepingcandidates for next year, make sure

they plan for the second session of thetournament and not the first.

The application for National Scorekeepercertification is on the USAV websiteunder the Officials section. Applicationsare due by ??

New National JuniorScorekeepersWith the incredible voluntary efforts ofcurrently certif ied NationalScorekeepers in attendance at theYJOVC events this past summer, wewere able to certify 6 new NationalJunior Scorekeepers. The raters onlyhad positive comments regarding theprior training and professionalism of thenew candidates. So we congratulatethose regions that were able to sendcandidates this year and we lookingforward to seeing more candidates inthe near future. If you know of anyonethat is interested in becoming aNational Junior Scorekeeper, have themcomplete the application that is foundin the scorekeeper section on the USAVwebsite.

National Junior ScorekeeperCertification ProgramThe National Junior ScorekeeperCertification Program was reinstitutedat the 2004 USA Volleyball NationalJunior Championships. The program isdesigned to encourage junior playersto participate as an active member ofthe championships. Although there isno pay for keeping score at matches atthis time, we are hopeful that in the verynear future, this will become a reality.In the meantime, the NationalScorekeeper Commission wants to beprepared by creating a large cadre ofcertified scorekeepers.

To become certified as a National JuniorScorekeeper, the candidate must:

• Be a current USA Volleyballregistered member in good standingwith his/her RVA.

• Receive approval from the RegionalScorekeeping Chair.

• File the official application form withthe National Commissioner for Junior

Scorekeeper Certif ication andEvaluation. This form is available onScorekeeper section of the USAVolleyball website (under Rules/Officials).

• Pay an application fee of $25.

• Attend an approved National JuniorScorekeeper clinic in its entirety.

• Successfully complete the writtenand practical scorekeeperexaminations.

• Successfully pass ratings on two fullmatches.

• Successfully pass one rating on adeciding game.

• Complete other requirements asprescribed by the USA NationalScorekeeper Commission.

• To retain National JuniorScorekeeper status, thescorekeeper must:

• Remain a USA Volleyball registeredmember in good standing within his/her RVA.

• Attend a USA Junior VolleyballNational Championship event atleast once during a three year periodand keep score on a minimum of twomatches for each year not inattendance.

In those years, that a National JuniorScorekeeper cannot attend a USAJunior Volleyball Championship,attendance and participation at aNational Qualifier is stronglyencouraged.NOTE: A scorekeeper encounteringunusual difficulty in attending a USAJunior Volleyball Championship duringa three year period may apply to theAssistant Vice President of the NationalScorekeeper Commission, for a one-year extension.

The National Junior Scorekeepercertification does not have an equalrating in the region. It does not equateto a Regional scorekeeping rating,unless the region has determined it assuch. Check with your regionalscorekeeper chair for your region’spolicy. •

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The Official Word Vol. 6 No. 5

page eighteen

September 1, 2004By Marcia Alterman, NCAA RulesInterpreter

NOTE: Use the following code to analyzethese situations:

R = RECEIVING TEAMS = SERVING TEAM

R1 = RIGHT BACKS1 = RIGHT BACKR2 = RIGHT FRONTS2 = RIGHT FRONTR3 = CENTER FRONTS3 = CENTER FRONTR4 = LEFT FRONTS4 = LEFT FRONTR5 = LEFT BACKS5 = LEFT BACKR6 = CENTER BACKS6 = CENTER BACK

1. A cameraman is located in the gapbetween the score table and the teambench, further away from the courtthan the front of the table and the frontof the team bench. Is this positionlegal?

Answer: Yes. The intention of Rule1-1-1-b is to restrict media personneland equipment from the playablearea in front of the score table andteam bench area (including the warm-up area). If there is a gap betweenthe table and the benches, that isnon-playable area, and media canbe located there.

2. In Team R’s facility, the score table is40 feet long (extending approximately10 feet past the attack line on eachside). Can a cameraman bepositioned in front of the portion ofthe score table that extends past theattack line?

Answer: No. The intention of Rule1-1-1-b is to restrict media personneland equipment from the playablearea in front of the score table andteam bench area (including the warm-up area).

3. The Team R head coach displaysunsporting conduct as the result of aball handling decision. As the firstreferee displays the yellow card, the

head coach goes to the warm-up areato talk with a substitute. Should thesecond referee follow the head coachto communicate the sanction?

Answer: No. When the refereeassesses an individual sanction to ateam member on the bench, thesecond referee must communicatethe sanction to a designated coach(Rule 6-4-2-b). If the head coach isnot accessible without furtherdisrupting the flow of the game, thatcommunication can be to anothercoach from that team. In addition, ifthe first referee has any degree ofdoubt that the second referee’scommunication is effective, s/he canelect to also communicate to theplaying captain, even if the sanctionis to a person not on the court. In therare case when there is not adesignated assistant coach, thesecond referee will have tocommunicate with the head coach,regardless of his/her location.

4. Team S is assessed a team delaysanction for failure to return from atimeout in a timely fashion. What isthe correct referee procedure in thecase of a team delay?

Answer: Both the first referee andsecond referee should communicateteam delay sanctions (Rule 6-4-2-c).The first referee communicates withthe playing captain, and the secondreferee communicates the sanctionto a designated coach.

5. As the teams switch benchesbetween games two and three, theTeam S coach is assessed anindividual warning (yellow card) forunsporting behavior. What is thecorrect referee procedure?

Answer: When sanctions areimposed between games, the refereeshows the appropriate sanction cardsimmediately. If a yellow card isassessed, the referee does not showthe card again at the beginning of thenext game. If a red card is assessed,the referee shows the card andassesses the loss of rally at thebeginning of the next game (Rule 6-4-3-b). Since this sanction is beingassessed to a team member not on

the court, the primary communicationfor either situation should be betweenthe second referee and a designatedcoach. If a player is assessed asanction as she leaves the court atthe end of a game, the primarycommunication will still be from thesecond referee to a coach, rather thancalling the captain back to the refereestand.

6. Player R6 receives the serve. Thelibero for Team R makes the secondteam contact using an overhandfinger pass while sitting on the floorwith her buttocks in the attack zoneand her feet behind the attack line.Can a teammate legally complete anattack-hit for the third team contact?

Answer: No. The libero isconsidered to be in the attack zone ifany body part is touching the floor inthe attack zone at the time of contactwith the ball.

7. If a libero jumps to serve, should thereferee consider that contact to be anattack hit if she contacts the ball whileit is completely above the height ofthe net?

Answer: No. By definition, an attackhit is an action other than a block orserve (Rule 13-5-1).

8. The libero has not yet served in thisgame. Team R wins a rally androtates to serve. Before rotating, theTeam R libero has replaced player#2 and is on the court in center back.The next server is player #5. As theteam rotates, player #2 enters thegame over the sideline between theattack line and end line, the liberomoves directly to the service area,and player #5 exits the court betweenthe attack line and end line. Is thisaction legal?

9. The libero has not yet served in thisgame. Team R wins a rally androtates to serve. Before rotating, theTeam R libero has replaced player#2 and is on the court in center back.The next server is player #5. As theteam rotates, player #2 enters thegame and the libero exits the court,(both go over the sideline betweenthe attack line and end line). Beforethe referee authorizes the next

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service, the coach tells the libero thatshe is to serve next, so the libero re-enters the game, and player #5 exitsthe game (both go over the sidelinebetween the attack line and end line).Is this action legal?

Answer: Both of the aboveprocedures are legal. The libero isnot required to exit the court prior toreplacing the server, but, if she does,she may re-enter immediately tomake that exchange (Rule 11-2-5-b-4).

10. Team S player #3 is rotating to theserving position. The libero is in thewarm-up area. Before the beckon,the libero walks directly from thewarm-up area to the service zone toreplace #3 and serve (she has notyet served in this game). Must thereferees give a verbal warning aboutthis inappropriate replacementprocedure?

Answer: No. A team delay is theresult of the failure to comply withRule 11-2-5-b-4, especially if thereplacement involves the serviceposition. Players must exchange viathe sideline between the attack lineand the end line. The replacement isstil l allowed if a team delay isassessed.

11. The Team S libero (#2) has served inthe 3rd rotation in this game. Later inthe same game, the libero is injured,and the coach redesignates anotherplayer (#5) as libero. Can #5 servein a different rotation, since she hasnot yet served in this game at all?

Answer: No. Once the libero hasserved in a particular rotation, anyother players who play as the liberoin that game will serve in that samerotation (even if they had alreadyplayed and served in a differentrotation as a non-libero).

12. Team S’s libero has replaced player#8 and is in the game in center back.Player #5 is serving. Team R calls atimeout. During the timeout, theTeam S coach tells player #8 to returnto the game and replace the libero incenter back, and tells the libero tomove over and serve, replacing player#5. When the team comes back ontothe court after the timeout, the playersgo to these new positions. Is thisallowable?

Answer: No. The currentinterpretation is that the same sixplayers that were on the court when atimeout was called must return to thecourt afterward. Failure to complyresults in a team delay sanction. Afterthe same six players return,exchanges may take place as usual.

13. The Team S libero has served in thecurrent game in position three (inreplacement of starting player #5).Later in the same game, the libero isprepared to serve in position six (inreplacement of starting player #7).The officials are aware that the liberocannot serve in this second position,but how should they handle thesituation?

RULING: Treat this situation as anyother potential wrong server. Thescorekeeper and referees should waituntil the service contact is madebefore assessing the rotation orderfault (Rule 17-4-4-b). Once the faultis assessed, the libero can remainon the court in replacement of #7 ifthe team desires, as a rally hasoccurred.

14. Team S player #4 is in the servicezone preparing to serve. After thebeckon, the Team S coach has thelibero replace #4 (the exchangeoccurs appropriately over thesideline between the attack line andend line). The libero serves withinthe allowed eight seconds. Whatshould the referees do?

Answer: Treat this as any other latelibero replacement. Allow the rallyto occur, and then give a verbalwarning to Team S. Subsequent latereplacements in the match will resultin a team delay situation (Rule 11-2-5-b-3).

15. Team S’s libero has not yet served inthis game. The libero legally replacesplayer #5 in the serving position, andthe first referee beckons for service.The libero allows eight seconds topass without serving, and the firstreferee calls a delay of service andawards a point to Team R. Can thelibero serve in a different positionlater in the game, since no serve wascontacted?

RULING: No. Service delay is oneof several faults listed as “IllegalService” (Rule 12-2-2). When any ofthose faults occur, a loss of rally isrecorded for the serving team, and

the player in the service position isconsidered to have served. In thiscase, for the rest of the current game,the libero can only serve in thatposition.

16. The Team R libero has replacedplayer #7, and has played at least onerally in left back. Player #7 replacesthe libero and the libero goes to thebench. After the next service contact,play is stopped and a play-overawarded because of an extraneousball on the court. Can the Team Rlibero now re-enter to replace a back-row player?

Answer: Yes. There must be at leastone rally between libero exchanges.A rally consists of (a) a servicecontact, or (b) a sanction that resultsin a loss of rally.

17. The Team R libero has replacedplayer #7, and has played at least onerally in left back. Player #7 replacesthe libero and the libero goes to thebench. After the next authorization forservice, but before service contact,play is stopped because of anextraneous ball on the court. Can theTeam R libero now re-enter to replacea back-row player?

Answer: No. There must be at leastone rally between libero exchanges.A rally consists of (a) a servicecontact, or (b) a sanction that resultsin a loss of rally.

18. The receiving team libero hasreplaced player #5 in center back.Player #5 is expelled while on thebench. What is the next allowableaction regarding the expelled player?

Answer: The libero can remain inthe game until her position rotates tothe front row. When that occurs (orany time before then), any legalsubstitute may be substituted for“phantom” #5. If no legal substituteis available at the time a liberoreplacement is required, the team isdeclared incomplete and the gameis defaulted.

19. A Team R receives the serve andpasses the ball into the plane of thenet. The Team R setter, who is in theback row, reaches higher than the topof the net to try to retrieve the ball. ATeam S front-row blocker attempts toattack the ball while it is still in theplane, but contacts the hand of theTeam R setter instead. Has a faultoccurred?

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Answer: If the Team S blocker trulyprevents the Team R setter fromplaying the ball by contacting herhand, then the Team S blocker hascommitted a fault (Rule 14-2-3). Thereferees will use the “reaching overthe net” signal (Signal #23) to call thefault.

20. When the libero serves in a decidinggame, how does the scorekeeperindicate the position where thatservice occurred, since the numbers(1 – 6) on the far left of the scoringsection do not appear in the middleand right-hand columns?

Answer: For the middle and right-hand sections of the deciding gamescoresheet only, the scorekeepershould simply draw a triangle aroundthe starting player’s number on theline where the libero serves for thefirst time. Even if the starting playerhas been substituted for (andslashed out), the triangle around thatnumber will indicate the libero’sserving position.

2004 Rule Book Corrections1. Points of Emphasis (Page 7), “SanctionProcedures”: Final sentence should read “Whena team member on the bench or in the warm-uparea is sanctioned, the second referee will clearlycommunicate the sanction to a designatedcoach; the first referee may also communicatethis sanction to the captain.”

2. Rule 1-1-1-b (page 10), “Playing Surface”:First sentence should read “Media equipmentand personnel are restricted from the playablearea in front of the team benches, score table,and warm-up area. and between the attacklines extended on the bench side of the court”

3. Rule 2-1-1-a (page 15), “Size andConstruction”: First sentence should read “Adouble thickness of white canvas or vinyl 5/8centimeters (2 – 3 1/8 in.) wide must be sewnalong the full length of the top of the net.”

4. Rule 6-3-2 (page 28), “Examples”: Additem: “l. Improper libero replacementprocedure (See Rule 11-2-5-b-3 and 11-2-5-b-4).”

5. Rule 9-2-4-c-3 (page 43), “Change of TeamAreas Between Games”: Should read “Oncethe courts are determined for the deciding game,the first referee will indicate whether theteams will exchange benches or not. Theinterval between games begins at that time.”

6. Rule 11-2-5-b-3 (page 52), “The LiberoPlayer”: Should read “Replacements can onlytake place after the end of a rally or at the startof each game after the second referee has verifiedthe starting lineup. Replacements cannotoccur while the players are off of the courtfor a timeout. The replacement must occurwhile the ball is out of play and before theauthorization for service…” •

2004 RULESINTERPRETATIONNEWSLETTER #2

September 24, 2004By Marcia Alterman, NCAA RulesInterpreter

NOTE: Use the following code to analyzethese situations:

R = RECEIVING TEAMS = SERVING TEAM

R1 = RIGHT BACKS1 = RIGHT BACKR2 = RIGHT FRONTS2 = RIGHT FRONTR3 = CENTER FRONTS3 = CENTER FRONTR4 = LEFT FRONTS4 = LEFT FRONTR5 = LEFT BACKS5 = LEFT BACKR6 = CENTER BACKS6 = CENTER BACK

1. In the first game of a match, the TeamS libero is injured and cannotcontinue play. When the Team Scoach redesignates a different playeras libero, how should thescorekeepers indicate the change onthe score sheet and libero trackingsheet?

Answer: Both the scorekeeper andassistant scorekeeper should slashthe original libero’s number at the topof the page and write in the numberof the new libero. Also, a commentshould be made in the Commentssection of the score sheet, noting thescore when the libero was

redesignated (for example, “15-18,State #12 redesignated as libero”).

2. The Team S libero legally serves forplayer No. 2. A very long rally follows,which Team S wins. Team Smistakenly rotates and player No. 10serves the next ball. Immediatelyafter No. 10 contacts the serve, thescorekeeper informs the referees ofthe wrong server, and the appropriateaction is taken. How should thescorekeeper note the involvement ofthe libero in the rotation fault in theSanctions box of the score sheet?

Answer: The scorekeeper shouldenter “10/L” in the WS column of theSanctions box. The libero’s numberis always identified at the top of boththe score sheet and the liberotracking sheet, so the “L” will clearlyidentify who was involved in therotation fault.

3. Player S3 runs under the net cable toattempt to pursue her team’s errantfirst contact. What is the line judge’sresponsibility when this occurs?

Answer: When a player travelsunder the net or net cable to pursuea ball that is in the opponent’s freezone, no fault is committed until thatplayer actually contacts the ball.When the ball travels over or outsidethe antenna to the opponent’s freezone, the line judge should signalthat the ball is pursuable byextending the left arm straight out atshoulder height. If a player who hasrun under the net cable contacts theball, the line judge(s) and refereesshould signal the ball “out”.

4. When the libero serves in a decidinggame, how does the scorekeeperindicate the position where thatservice occurred, since the numbers(1 – 6) on the far left of the scoringsection do not appear in the middleand right-hand columns?

Answer: For the middle and right-hand sections of the deciding gamescore sheet only, the scorekeepershould simply draw a triangle aroundthe starting player’s number on theline where the libero serves for thefirst time. Even if the starting playerhas been substituted for (andslashed out), the triangle around thatnumber will indicate the libero’sserving position.

5. The libero replaces player No. 3 andserves for the first time in the current

The Official Word October 2004game. Later in the same game,player No. 5 substitutes for No. 3.When player No. 5 rotates to theservice position, can the liberoreplace her and serve?

Answer: Yes. The rules indicate thatthe libero may serve in one position(that is, one rotation). Once theposition where the libero will serve isestablished, she may serve for anyplayer that has substituted into thatposition.

6. The Team S libero has not yet servedin the current game. Player No. 3 (thesecond server for Team S) should bethe next legal server. However, thelibero, who has been on the bench,replaces player No. 7, and goes tothe service area to serve. Theofficials allow the illegal servicecontact to occur, and then call therotation fault. Can the libero serve ina different position later in the samegame, or has the rotation where thelibero may serve been establishedwith the illegal service contact?

Answer: The libero has not yetlegally served in this game, and maysubsequently serve in any position.The scorekeeper will indicate theillegal service with a square in thescoring section of the score sheet,and not place a triangle around the“2” under “Serving Order”. In theSanctions box, the entry should be“L/3” in the WS column.

7. The Team R setter is in the front row.Player R5 receives the serve, andpasses the ball into the plane of thenet. Then, there is simultaneouscontact between the Team R setterand a legal opponent, and the ballimmediately falls to the Team R court.However, when the simultaneouscontact occurred, the first refereewhistled and (incorrectly) signaleda back row blocker on Team R.Should a replay be awarded?

Answer: Probably not. The rulesstate that the referee must determineif an inadvertent whistle or hornaffected play or not. If play wasaffected, a replay results; if not, theresults of the rally stands (Rule 15-1-2). In this case, the fact that the ballimmediately fell to Team R’s courtprobably means that Team S shouldwin the rally, unless the referee feelsthat the incorrect whistle truly affected

Team R’s players from making thenext play.

8. When the second referee checks thestarting line-ups for game two, henotices that player No. 7 is listed asthe Team S libero and is also one ofthe six players entered in the Team Sstarting line-up. Can the Team Scoach choose to have player No. 7as either the libero or a non-liberostarter?

Answer: No. Once a player isdesignated as the libero, that cannotbe changed for that game. The TeamS libero for the current game will beplayer No. 7. A substitution must bemade for player No. 7 in the startingposition where she is listed, just as ifa “phantom” number had beenentered in the starting line-up. Note:preventive officiating would haveprevented this situation. An excellentsecond referee would have the coachcorrect this error when the line-upsheet is carefully reviewed beforesubmitting it to the scorekeeper.

9. While in the front zone, the liberoreaches up and contacts the ball withthe knuckles of one hand (fingersbent) for her team’s second contact.After the libero’s contact, the ball isattacked by a teammate while it iscompletely above the height of thenet, and the ball crosses completelyto the opponent’s side. Has a faultbeen committed?

Answer: No. the libero is onlyrestricted from using actual “fingeraction” when setting in the front zone(Rule 11-2-5-a-4). If, in the referee’sjudgment, the libero’s contact is withthe knuckles, the back of the hand,or the fists, the play is not consideredto be an “overhand finger pass”.

TECHNIQUE NOTE: There have alreadybeen several problems created by a lack ofcommunication among the officiating crewwhen the libero serves. It is vital that bothreferees and both scorekeepers are alert andcommunicative about this situation. Thesecond referee, in particular, must ensure thatthe scorekeepers are aware when the liberoserves, especially for the first time in the game,and mark the score sheet and libero trackingsheet appropriately. Take extra time, if needed,to mark the libero exchanges and substitutionscorrectly. Please cover this issue thoroughlyin the pre-match discussion. •

USAV RuleModification

Based on recom-mendations from ourrisk managers (ESIX),the insurance committee

of the ROD passed the followingmotion last weekend, which wasalso passed by the GeneralAssembly of the ROD.

All Regions will make a USAVmodification to Rule 10 to add backCommentary 16.1.1 to 16.1.1.4from the 2003/2004 USAV Rulesthat states:

“Players may play the ball over anon-playable area if they have abody part in contact with theplaying area at the time the ball iscontacted. They may enter the non-playing area after playing the ball.Non Playing areas are defined asthe: (a) walls, bleachers or otherspectator seating areas; (b) teambenches and any area behind theteam benches; (c) area betweenthescorekeeper’s table and teambenches; and (d) any other areaoutlined in the pre-matchconference by the first referee[reference Rule 24.2.5].”

page twenty-one

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