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OK, after a long winter nap, I'm back. Sorry for the respite. Since it is Indoor Season now (40°F in Santa Rosa is definitely INDOOR season!) and the Juniors club teams are getting under way as well as the adult teams, I will cough up a few indoor rules and maybe an outdoor rule for nostalgic purposes. Unfortunately, just before I started this, I lent my 1997-98 Rule Book to someone who did not return it, so I will "outdatedly" quote from the '96-97 Book until I get a new one - definitely before the next entry.
I still don't have an e-mail address so if you have any "Rules" questions, you can contact Steve at vballguy@cobravolleyball.com and he will relay the message to me. OK, since I haven't heard any comments, I'll just pick some random rules:
Indoor- Rule 19.5.2 (It is a blocking fault when...) A back-row player completes a block or participates in a completed collective block (rules 19.1.2, 19.1.3).
If you are in the back row and you go up to block there are a couple of circumstances that make it illegal. The following constitute an illegal block:
1.) You're back row and you block the ball; 2.) You are part of the block if the ball is blocked even if you don't touch it; 3.) You are back row and above the height of the net and the ball contacts you. So basically, you can jump, reach above the height of the net with two other back-row players, and NOT touch the ball - it is NOT a blocking fault. However, if at some point, you are above the height of the net, you drop your hands (like some smart players will do to intimidate the hitter), and the ball hits you before you hit the ground, you are an illegal blocker!! It doesn't happen very often (which is why it's here since many refs don't call it). On the other hand, if you are back row, and you are part of the block, and the ball is blocked (even if you don't touch the ball) you have made it an illegal block.
The next topic will be sanctions, since I haven't been able to play due to incompetant managerial skills, incomprehensibly ignorant officiating teams/individuals, and pathetically juvenile players' personalities. The following is a list of categories and sanctions as stated in Rule 24.
Indoor - 24.1.1 - 24.1.4; 24.2.1-24.2.4: Unsportsmanlike conduct: argumentation, intimidation, etc. Rude conduct: acting contrary to good manners or moral principles, expressing contempt. Offensive conduct: defamatory or insulting words or gestures. Aggression: physical attack or intended aggression.
Misconduct Warning: For unsportsmanlike conduct, no penalty is charged but the team member is issued a warning against repetition in the same game. This warning is recorded on the scoresheet with the uniform with the uniform number of each team member involved. Misconduct Penalty: For rude conduct, the team is penalized with the loss of a rally. The sanction is recorded on the scoresheet with game score and uniform number of the team member involved. Expulsion: Extremely offensive or repeated rude conduct is sanctioned by expulsion. The team member must leave the playing area, bench and warm-up area for the remainder of the game. The sanction is recorded on the scoresheet with game score and uniform number of the team member involved. No additional penalty will be charged. Disqualification: For a repeated offensive conduct (expulsion) or for aggression, the team member must leave the playing area, bench, warm-up area and spectator area for the remainder of the match. The sanction is recorded on the scoresheet with game score and uniform number of the team member involved. No additional penalty will be charged.
To sum up:
Arguing with the ref or opponents, making calls to influence the ref, doing any unsportsmanlike conduct to intimidate players or official = YELLOW CARD (meaning: slap on the wrist, "Stop it you idiot")
basically, most officials will interpret the second rule as follows: 2nd misconduct (above) or a flagrant unsportsmanlike conduct (i.e. cussing toward another player/ref, making an ass of yourself by continuing to do something stupid after being warned, kicking a ball, or unsportsmanlike conduct which leads to stopping a rally = RED CARD (meaning: you just cost your team a side-out if you have the ball, or a point for the other team if they have the ball.)
Flat out cussing out the ref is a good way to get kicked out of the game. Other offenses after already receiving a red card will merit expulsion. You do NOT need to receive a red card before you are expelled. I have seen good officials use this for players who have done something deserving a red card but the score is such that penalizing the player essentially costs his/her team the game because of the point awarded, so the ref expels the player (this particular player kicked a ball quite hard) and the team usually goes on to lose anyway but it wasn't due to the action of the juvie. = RED & YELLOW CARDS TOGETHER
Finally, if you have the intelligence of an amoeba (like some pathetic players who cause other teams to be suspended) and are willing to start a fight, or generally try to start a fight (even if you're cerebrally-challenged, evolutionarily impaired, with a Napoleon complex), don't be surprised if you're out of the match for good. = RED & YELLOW CARDS APART
While I'm in a fervor about officials' duties, I'll clarify a positioning rule.
Indoor - Rule 10.1.3: The positions of players are determined and judged according to the positions of their feet contacting the court as follows: (see diagram)
Rule 10.1.3.1: Each front-row player must have at least a part of a foot closer to the center line than both feet of the corresponding back-row player.
Rule 10.1.3.2: Each right (left)-side player must have at least a part of a foot closer to the right (left)-sideline than both feet of the center player in the corresponding row. The server is exempt from the application of this rule
Commentary 10.1.3: The position of players is judged according to the position of the foot last in contact with the floor at the time of service.
Here's a picture:
ping when the ball is served.
In the third picture, LF's foot is closer to the sideline than both of CF's feet. No problem... until CF moves over toward the sideline when the ball is served.
Finally, the fifth diagram shows a staggered serve receive where no one is out of rotation; however, if LF moves in, CB moves up and RB moves up, there are three violations.
The trick to staying in rotation is just to remember who is in front of you and who is next to you. Most refs won't call a positioning fault because they don't want to look foolish if they're wrong and they don't take the time to study where the players are on the court. I've seen some pretty horrendous officials (but then again, I coach High School!) but there are some out there that should be commended for the attention that they pay to positioning and the alertness they show during a potentially difficult part of the game.
I'll cut it short this time and promise to have a new Book before next gripe session. Please send some questions. I'm running out of self-generated thoughts due to a short attention spa............
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