Attached Is This Week's Communique' for Week #10

I appreciate the honest dialogue with many of you following your matches - in-person, via email or by phone. Gone are the days of officiating a volleyball match, debriefing with your crew and an observer, getting something to eat and then moving on to your next match. TV and CRS have exposed all of our great calls (with little credit, at times) and our "teachable moments." The beauty of accountability is the learning process.

This week was the final CRS conference call. The more we talk about the nuances and your experiences, the better we perform. But, as you can see from the videos below, we continue to be "challenged" and I don't mean CRS!

Attached is this week's Communique' for Week #10.

I will be sending the referees a short survey and would appreciate you complete it and send this survey back to me byTuesday, November 7.

Weekly Videos

View this clip.

A tough play for an R2 is to determine whether a player contacts the net or if the force of the ball into the tape causes the net to contact the player. There are no magic words or practice hints, just diligence and an awareness that when a ball hits the tape, it may appear that the player committed a net fault.

An even tougher play for an R2 is to call a net, accept the challenge and review your own work! But, according to this second referee everyone has an ego and it is difficult to reverse oneself.

The original decision was net fault on #14. In review, were you able to see that #22 actually pushed the ball down on the net tape aggressively, which made it appear to be a net fault?

Did you also notice that although the decision was reversed, a replay was not awarded? Why? Because the block fell to the floor and the net fault whistle had no effect on the play; therefore, the point was awarded the blocking team.

No net fault and the blocking team successfully blocked the ball to their opponents' floor.

Another play that causes some doubt is whether to allow play to continue or whistle four-hits. Watch this video clip.

According to the referees in this match, after four-hits was called, there was a conference between R1 and R2. The decision was made to call a replay. CRS was in use. After the conference at the stand, one or both officials should have reminded each other that a challenge is not allowed following a replay. The R2 knowing that the replay decision would most likely need an explanation to the coach losing the point, should have stated the verdict and, "Coach, unfortunately, a challenge is not allowed following a replay."

Certainly this is arguable that replay was allowed to be challenged and reviewed, the R2 would be able to settle the dispute, which is what happened in this match. As you can see in the video - 4-hits was correct. However, the other team could have protested the allowed challenge. The rules committee will review this particular nuance of CRS in January.

In the same match, this play appears textbook, until...

The LJ1 reads the play, comes up the sideline and assists in a strong antenna call. At the same time, the R2 steps to the fault side, whistles and owns the antenna fault. The offending team and coach are in total disbelief and challenge the play. But, as you can see, prior to the challenge review, the R2 requests a warranted sanction card. The R2 continues with the challenge review and shows that the original decision is confirmed.

But, the sanction during a challenge opens up yet another can of worms.

Anne will send out an eblast addressing this very situation soon. Imagine if the coach already had a yellow card that set, or even a red card - and what if it was set or match point? Stay tuned...

Watch this video with a front row setter on your right - WWYD?

The setter contacted the ball first. The "intention" of the setter is not something we judge. We can only judge the ball and the action on the ball and its location. Both officials provide the coach with a "ball in the plane" gesture. At first viewing this clip, it may appear that the ball never entered the plane. Please see theattachedstill photos from Colorado observer, Jim Miret, who broke this play down.

Picture 1 -

Picture 2 -

And let's not forget about the setter taking it over on two - be aware of the back-row setter's contact and the potential for a double contact from either a front-row or back-row setter?