Summer-97 As the Outdoor Nationals draw nearer, I'll try to clarify a few rules that have recently come up at some tournaments of late. The first rule that needs to be "restated" is in honor of Mike N. who has developed his soccer skills. Despite the effectiveness, it is still not legal to serve the ball with the foot. (When it is, I will definitely have a new skyball)

IT STATES: Outdoor - Rule 16.5.5 The server shall contact the ball with one hand or any part of the arm after clearly tossing or releasing the ball and before the ball touches the playing surface. IT MEANS: You can't kick the ball! And, as long as it's handy, it also specifies the ball must be out of the one hand before being contacted by the other; so underhand serves and some skyballs can be called illegal if they aren't CLEARLY released before contacted. As long as serving is the topic, another issue was brought up to me regarding the service area.

IT STATES: Outdoor - Rule 16.5..1/Indoor - Rule 17.5.1 The server may move freely behind the end line. At the moment of service or take-off for service, the server must not touch the ground outside the service zone. The player's foot may not go under a boundary line. After the service contact, the player may land on the court or outside the service zone. (sic outdoor; indoor rule phrased slightly differently) IT MEANS: You must be within the service zone (see illustration) when your feet last touched the ground. The service zone is behind the end line and between the sidelines and their extensions. Most of the time it's the jump serve approach that causes the foot to be outside or on the sideline; a ref who's paying attention and can see this will usually call it. Steve has brought up another point to me raised by Kerri who asks about "sand digs" on a serve reception. A "sand" dig or sometimes referred to as a "beach" dig is where the ball is momentarily mangled, molested, mutilated, slobbered upon, etc. (you get the point). This has been perfectly legal on the beach for some time and is equally legal on the grass; however, according to the '96-'97 USA VB rule book it is still not legal indoors.

IT STATES: Outdoor - Rule 13.4.3.1: For Doubles and Triples Competition only: An exception (to Rule 13.4.3) shall be allowed during the defensive play of a hard-driven ball (an attack-hit or blocked ball traveling at a high rate of speed), as judged by the referee. In that case, the ball may be momentarily lifted or pushed, provided the attempt is one continuous motion and the player does not change the direction of that motion while contacting the ball. IT MEANS: You cannot lift any first ball unless it is hard-driven. So even though Waldo is hitting a 90 mph jump serve, according to the rules, it is not considered a hard-driven ball if it is a serve. Now remember, you can still double the ball (outdoor-still can't use fingers, indoor- you can have no skills and get away with it!) on a serve, YOU JUST CAN'T LIFT IT!! So the "beach" dig is out for serve receive. But don't be too confident, Kerri, that your league will adhere to the rule. We've got leagues here that change the rules weekly! For my next trick, I will tell Scott how to get a USA Volleyball Rule Book. Steve might know of a site that publishes the whole rule book, but I just do this little piece of work when I can figure out where all the letters are on the keyboard. As far as getting a book, I'd recommend writing to: USA Volleyball 3595 E. Fountain Blvd., Suite I-2 Colorado Springs, CO 80910-1740 (719) 637 8300 Web site http://www.volleyball.org/usav/ The indoor Rules Interpreter is Tom Blue (tblue@roanoke.infi.net) and the outdoor R.I. is Steve Owen (swowen@camalott.com). OK, enough business crap, and back to the tournaments. Since Dave removed part of my face at Nationals in Tahoe a couple of weeks ago but couldn't break a pair of $5 sunglasses, I will touch on the injury delays. Most people know of the indoor injury procedure (Rule 11.3) and the 30 seconds to determine if the player will continue playing (the player can remain for as long as possible after thirty seconds if it is determined that s/he will not continue playing). And...

IT STATES: Indoor - Rule 11.3.3: No player may be granted more than one three-minute injury time-out during any MATCH. If a player becomes injured to the extent that a second injury time-out would be required, the team is declared incomplete [Rule 7.5.3]. IT MEANS: You get a three-minute rest if you are injured IF NO ONE ELSE CAN GO IN FOR YOU. Otherwise you must play within thirty seconds or get off the floor (in as much time as you need). Now the Outdoor Injury time-out is different in that... IT STATES: Outdoor - Rule 121..2: When no legal substitute is available ... (remember in doubles, there are no subs) an injured player is given a five-minute recovery time. This will not be granted more than twice for the same player in one game... IT MEANS: Outdoors, you get two 5-minute injury time-outs but that's it! And you can't use your regular 30-second time-outs afterward to extend it. Since I'm on this page: indoor time-outs: 2 30-second. (Rule 20.2.1/20.5.1) outdoor time-outs: 4 30-second. (Rule 19.1/19.2) outdoor side changes: 30 seconds. (Rule 22.2.2) OK, last one because I'm getting tired. At Festival last month, I was officiating a great match between two Southern California teams and an issue came up that did not please the coach of the violating team, but I explained it to him as it is stated in the rule book and he had no other recourse than to disagree with the rules! (helps to know 'em) Team A's front row player and Team B's front row player contacted the ball at the same time and the ball went "out" on Team B's side. I awarded the rally to Team B and team A's coach expressed his "thoughts". IT STATES: Indoor - Rule 14.2.3: If two opponents simultaneously contact the ball and it... goes "out", it is the fault of the team on the opposite side. IT MEANS: Exactly what it says!!! The coach realized the rule stated that his team was at fault but wanted to dispute the physics involved. There is no Rule that covers disputes in Newtonian Laws of Motion so he had his say and sat back down. I think it's great that questions have been coming from as far as the East Coast, so if you've been playing and something comes up regarding the rules, look it up. I'm sure you probably have the same questions that thousands of others have, so if you want to help others as well as see your comment in bits, just contact us. (Thanks for the stitches, Dave)

Comments welcome. Thanks, Paul. Previous Rules

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