Welcome to the first Installment of "Rule Six Article One." (Previously 4.1 for us diehards) This periodically occurring chunk o' information will contain Indoor AND Outdoor Rules (according to the 1996-1997 Official USAVB Rule Book) and the common mythical rules by which many people play. Please use this information freely and don't hesitate to pass it on, as it is so intended.

As an opener, I would like to express my disgust with one rule. IT STATES: Indoor - Rule 14.4.3.2: During the first hit of the team (not blocking), the ball may contact various parts of the body consecutively, provided that the contacts occur during one action. Commentary: The first hit of the team includes reception: (a) of the serve; (b) of an attack hit by the opponent [this may be a soft or hard attack-hit]; (c) of a ball blocked by one's own team and (d) of a ball blocked by the opponents. During the team's first hit successive contacts with various parts of the player's body are permitted in a single action of playing the ball. These include contacts involving "finger-action" on the ball and contact with the foot. The ball, however, may not be caught and/or thrown. IT MEANS: You can double the crap out of the ball on ANY FIRST BALL!! An official CANNOT call you for a double. However, s/he can still call a lift if the ball comes to a visible rest in your hands (and bringing the ball down to your waistline and back up again could probably be construed as a visible rest!) The old rule never said anything about not being allowed to set the ball on serve receive, it just stated that it was "very difficult" to do cleanly. What this rule implies is that you no longer have to have any skills in passing (both forearm or overhead) in order to play the sport. It has become laughable because now there are hacks on the court who are determined to mangle any first ball knowing that the ref can't call a double (but at least they know the rule!).

Now, for those of you who are doubling the ball on the first ball OUTDOORS, don't use this argument in your defense. IT STATES: Outdoor - Rule 13.4.2 A player may have successive contacts with the ball during a single attempt to make the team's first contact provided the fingers are not used to direct the ball. IT MEANS: You CAN double a first ball as long as you're not trying to set it with your fingers. Even if it a lollipop serve and it bounces off of your arms, face, shin, neck, then foot (as long as it is ONE ATTEMPT) it is legal! Since it is currently Indoor season, I'll save Outdoor setting for another time and focus on another Indoor Rule.

Some people still come up with the notion that the ball can change shape in order to be "in". So I dedicate this next "clarification" to Charlie B. (so that he won't have to keep using it to "test" people). IT STATES: Indoor - Rule 12.3 The ball is "in" when it touches the floor of the playing court including the boundary lines. AND Indoor - Rule 12.4.1 (The ball is "out" when ) no part of the ball contacts either a boundary line or the area within the boundary lines. IT MEANS: Taking into account Rules Committee and Officials Committees interpretations of this rule, the ball is "dead" as soon as it touches the floor. If this is the case, when the ball touches the floor outside of the line but "smooshes" out and then touches the line, it is now a moot point since the ball was already "dead" before it "smooshed". So... in order for the ball to be "in", a part of the ball MUST hit a part of the line BEFORE the ball is ruled "dead". If you have rebuttal to this, send me your "rebuts" and I'll be glad to show them to the appropriate persons of interest.

And finally, to all of you officiating: Please, BLOW THE WHISTLE IMMEDIATELY WHEN THE BALL IS "DEAD" then make up your mind about the call later!

Comments welcome. Thanks, Paul.

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