All certified referees are required to attend a USAV/PAVO clinic, pass the exam (90 is passing), maintain their scorekeeper certification, AND obtain two ratings during the regular or fellowship season. We will be using a mail-in card to monitor recert ratings during the season. Details will be explained at the clinics. Other requirements for Regional or National Referees include rating, working at least two tournaments, and working at one or more Regional Championships. More detailed requirements for Regional and National Referees will be mailed to you.

     Clinics - All certified referees are required to be dually-certified as a scorekeeper (Provisional, Regional, or National) so that you are proficient in the use of the new scoresheet. All of you should have attended a scorekeeper recertification clinic LAST SEASON!!! If you forgot to attend a scorekeeper clinic last season, you MUST attend this season, or risk losing your certification until next year. This will require referees to attend for an entire clinic day. Juniors referees are especially encouraged to attend any of the fall clinics for recertification or to become certified as a new Provisional Referee (you must attend the scorekeeper clinic as well) or Provisional scorekeeper.  Attendance at one of the fall clinics satisfies the clinic requirement. Existing referees who are unable to attend one of the many pre-season recert clinics will be able to attend one of the junior’s clinics, but will not be authorized to referee until they have attended the clinic. 

     The current schedule for weekend and weekday clinics this fall can be referenced on Page 12 of this issue.  You should also check periodically on the CHRVA Officials’ Webpages (http://www.vball-life.org/officials/index.cfm) for the latest clinic schedule. Please be advised that the weekday clinics are for recertifying referees and recertifying scorekeepers ONLY.

     New Referees - Must attend both a new referee AND a new scorekeeper clinic, successfully pass both exams and attend one or more Fellowship Tournaments to successfully pass the practical “on-the-job” evaluations (ratings) as a first referee (three ratings) and as a scorekeeper (two ratings). See the clinic attendance matrix on Page 12 to see when you need to arrive at clinics, and what to expect.

FELLOWSHIPS

     We are planning for several fellowship tournaments for November/December. We anticipate that there will be several other fellowships sponsored by other club/teams. Our goal will be to have all fellowships used as training-certification tournaments. The fellowship season will be challenging since there will be a new scoresheet for some of you to become familiar with, as well as several major changes in rules that will need to be practiced. The full information about fellowships will be discussed at clinics and on the CHRVA Officials Webpage at http://www.vball-life.org/officials/index.cfm.  I encourage everyone to take advantage of these training/practice tournaments to become familiar with the new “look” of volleyball officiating.

REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

     I want to extend a personal THANKS!!!!! to the many referees who worked the 2000 Regional Championships.  We were able to completely staff each tournament with non-playing referees. These individuals, some of whom worked more than one day, and some of whom are Provisional Referees, deserve a BIG round of applause: Diane Abood, Rodney Anderson, Kelli Auletta, David Baskin, Maggie Booth, Marty Bosse, Tom Brewer, Julie Briggs, Bruce Burris, Kevin Buter, Sergio Cafarelli, Mike Cerny, Phyllis Coleman, Dixie Collins, Harry Collins, Wil Creech, Morris Davis, Les Deason, Monica Deckers, Sue Ebbitt, Charles Ezigbo, Corny Galdones, Caroline Gaulke, Arlene Geppi, Sue Habicht, Steve Hall, Peggy Henderson, Eric Hoffman, Jim Holcolm, Cindy Hollies, Ken Hollies, Johnny Hsiung, William Hughes, Mary Anne Hughes-Creech, Shari Jennings, Jim Kriebel, Rico Latham, Larry Liden, Graham Martin, Ken Matz, Jeff Mazerski, Sherry Morgan, Duncan Munro, Mark Nash, Tom O’Connor, Bob Powell, Rudy Quinones, Amy Rodeffer, Brant Scalan, Tracy Shadle, Scott Shipley, Kevin Sippel, Richard Smith, Kenneth Spriggs, Bryan Strong, Tim Stubbs, Jim Teramani, Barbara Thomas, George Towner, Ray Vance, Guy Wainio-Oato, Sue Wainio-Oato, Stacey Weitzel, David Weitzman, Todd Wyatt, and Diana Zabetakis.

     Congratulations to Steve Burinsky, Mark Nash, and JoAnn Peters for completing their Junior National Referee certification earlier this year. Congratulations also to Diana Zabetakis and Glenn Reid for completing their certification as USA National Referees at the 2000 NIRSA Club Championships in Reno last April and to Eric Hoffman for being invited to the 2001 US Open Championships as a USA National candidate.

NEW RULES
     I must apologize for misleading you all last year when I stated that you would not have to worry about the Libero. However, don’t say I did not warn all of you that there probably would be more changes after last season! There are several new rules for this season, supplementing last season’s changes, which we will again be discussing in detail at the fall clinics. Come prepared to ask lots of questions.

Libero + 8 Substitutions: In all competitions, teams will have the use of the Libero, but will be limited to 8 team subs; each player has unlimited entries not to exceed the team sub maximum. Teams will designate their Libero player at the beginning of each match, on the lineup sheet. Use of the Libero will require an additional scorekeeper “helper” sitting at the table to keep track of the Libero replacements of backrow players. Referees will need to be aware of the Libero-backrow player replacements, as well.

“Let Serve”: If the served ball contacts the net and continues into the opponents’ court, play continues. If the served ball does not enter the opponents’ space via the crossing space, then the service is declared a service fault, with a resulting loss of rally. The server still may make only one toss for serve (except for 14 and under juniors, who will continue to have “one free toss”).

“Blocker”: The term has been re-defined so that a player is a blocker if they are near the net and have part of their body above the top of the net at the moment of contact of the ball. If the player is near the net, but is not above the top of the net, and the ball contacts the player, then that contact is simply the first team hit. This rule applies equally to collective blocks (multiple player blocks).

     Continue to look at the Officials Webpage (http://www.vball-life.org/officials/index.cfm) for the latest information about clinics, fellowships, the rating/certification process, and officiating opportunities.

REFEREE LISTING

     Go to the CHRVA Officials’ Webpages to view the listing. If your name is not on the official list, then you are not certified for one reason or another, and you need to find out why (email the Referee Chair). 

     We have a lot of challenges this season. As always, I am open to comments regarding the Playing Rules, protocols. The USAV Rules of the Game Commission relies upon the Regions’ input when making decisions about rule changes. Therefore, if there are changes you feel strongly about, let either me or Anne Hughes (CHRVA Commissioner) hear your comments.

     Have a great 2000-2001 Season!