2010-11 Volleyball Rule Changes

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF STATE

HIGH SCHOOL ASSOCIATIONS

1-3-1 When a team commits a fault, the results is a loss of rally and the opponent shall receive a point.

Rationale: Clarifies when a point is scored and when a rally has been completed.

2-1 New 8 The libero replacement zone is the area near the sideline between the attack line and the end line.

Rationale: Defines a specific zone for replacements similar to the substitution zone.

2-new 5, 9-8-1f Defines non-team members as officials, media personnel, spectators located in a playable area.

Rationale: This definition clearly identifies non-team members and delineates the difference between a non-team member and a team member. This delineation is helpful when determining when such actions such as a replay should occur or various penalties are assessed.

4-1-1, 2, 3, &4 Updates and clarifies the rules regarding braces, casts, padding and prostheses.

Rationale: Clarification of rules regarding braces, casts, etc. from NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee.

4-1-6 Expands the style of items that may be worn in the hair to include unadorned flat clips no longer than 2 inches.

Rationale: Flat clips will not create a risk of injury and will provide another viable method to use as a hair control device.

4-1-New 8 Places a long standing informal procedure within the rules for the state association and school to follow when an accommodation/modification of the rules for participation is made due to medical, special needs or religious reasons.

Rationale: Includes a procedure to follow when an accommodation/modification of the rules for participation is made due to medical, special needs or religious reasons.

5-3-4e Changes the end-of-set protocol for the last set in a match to require the first referee, after confirming the score with the second referee, to simply release the teams from the end lines and thus permit each state association to establish its own end of match protocol, such as a team handshake.

Rationale: These changes in court protocol will assist in a more logical end of set, will eliminate court congestion and permit individual states to establish a handshake procedure if desired.

6-New 1, 9-1-1 Defines team members as school representatives located in the team bench area including coaches, teammates, managers, trainers and the players.

Rationale: Defines team membership which previously had not been included within the rules. This is helpful since there are penalties and actions related to players and non-players.

6-New 2 Defines teammates as all players on the same team in uniform and further define players as those teammates on the playing court.

Rationale: Defines team membership and players which previously had not been included in the rules. This is helpful since there are penalties and actions related to players, team members and non-players.

10-1-4, 7-1-2 Once the lineup has been submitted by the required deadline and prior to play commencing, the coach may request and be granted a substitution.

Rationale: Rather than begin the set with a penalty of a loss of rally/point and confusion for the players and officials, allowing the head coach to substitute prior to the start of the set may alleviate the problem. Lineups shall not be rearranged. Only substitutions would be allowed.

12-2-8d It is unsporting conduct to disrespectfully address a referee and now assistant officials (line judges, scorer, libero tracker and timer) are included.

Rationale: It should be stated in the rules that any team member who disrespectfully addresses the referees, as well as the assistant officials (line judges, scorer, timer and libero tracker), shall be considered unsporting conduct. Current language limits such comments to be unsporting only if addressing the referees.

Official Signal #6 Net Foul/Net Serve: The second referee is not required to touch the net or signal a net serve.

Rationale: It is obvious a ball is a net serve and is not necessary for the R2 to mirror the signal of the R1. This is an unnecessary signal for the R2.

Major Editorial Changes

1-7-2, 3-2-1, 4-1-5, 5-3-3c(17), 5-3-3c(18), 5-3-3c(21), 9-9-1h, 10-2-5a, 10-2-7a(1), 10-2-7c, 10-3-5, 10-4-2 new d, 10-4-3, 11-2-3, 11-2 PEN 1, 11-2 PEN 2, 12-2-6, 12-2-6 new NOTE, Procedure for Unsporting Conduct Violations #10, Line Judge Signals (using flags), NFHS Official Volleyball Signals # 6 & #8, How to Use the Signals #23, Scorer and Libero Tracker Duties, Case Book – Pre-match Responsibilities #5

Points of Emphasis

1. Conduct of head coach while standing

2. Libero review

3. Timer’s responsibilities for all time-outs

4. Informal officials signals

5. Court management

6. Second referee responsibilities

7. Line judges responsibilities and training

8. Judging height of the ball on completed attack by libero

Press Release

Volleyball Substitution Change Allows for Requests Prior to Play

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Becky Oakes

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (January 26, 2010) — One of several new rules changes by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Volleyball Rules Committee permits a coach to request a substitution after submitting his or her lineup for a set but prior to play commencing. The changes, which were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors, will take effect with the 2010-11 season.

Rather than beginning the set with a penalty of a loss of rally and a point for the opponents, the changes to Rules 10-1-4 and 7-1-2 will allow the head coach to make a substitution after the lineup is submitted, which may alleviate confusion by players and officials to start the set.

“The new rule change will allow the coach to have submitted his or her lineup at the beginning of the set and will allow substitution requests to be made before play commences,” said Becky Oakes, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the Volleyball Rules Committee. “However, no change to the lineup may be made except through substitution or the existing protocol for an injured or ill player.”

In a similar effort to eliminate confusion, Rule 5-3-4e was amended to change the end-of-set procedure in the last set of the match to reduce court congestion. Currently, after the first referee confirms the score and signals end of set, the players are directed to their respective benches.

The new rule change simply requires the first referee signal to release the players from their respective end line after the score is confirmed. The rule change allows individual state associations to establish a handshake procedure if desired and will reduce congestion on the court at the end of the match.

Another distinction made by the committee was the re-defining of players, team members and non-team members.

The changes to Rules 2-5, 6-1 and 6-2 define team members as all school representatives located on the team bench area, including but not limited to coaches, teammates, managers, trainers and the players. All players on the same team in uniform are teammates, and players are now defined as those teammates who are on the court. Non-team members include, but are not limited to, officials, media personnel and spectators.

These changes were made to more clearly define all individuals present at the game, as certain actions and penalties are related to players, team members and non-team members.

After last year’s addition of bobby pins as a means of hair control, the committee has updated Rule 4-1-5 to include unadorned flat clips that are no longer than two inches in length.

“It’s just another method of hair control,” Oakes said. “These items may actually be more secure than bobby pins and do not pose a risk of injury.”

Changes made to Rules 4-1-1, 2, 3 and 4 outline the guidelines for guards, casts and braces allowed during play. Additionally, the use of prostheses must be authorized by the individual state associations. They must be determined to not be any more dangerous to players than the corresponding human body part or parts and do not put the opponent at a disadvantage.

“The NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee provided the committee with information that was more current,” Oakes said. “The revised rules update the language and provide consistency among sports, where appropriate, regarding casts, braces, supports and prostheses.”

Following are other changes made by the NFHS Volleyball Rules Committee:

· In a change to Rule 1-3-1, scoring a point was redefined. When a team commits a fault, the result is a loss of rally and the opponent shall receive a point.

· New Rule 2-1-8 defines the libero replacement zone as the area near the sideline between the attack line and the end line.

· Any modification to a player’s uniform, equipment or accessories due to medical or religious reasons now requires a letter of authorization from the state association. The letter must be made available to the referees at or prior to the pre-match conference.

· Rule 12-2-8d, which states one may not disrespectfully address a referee, was modified to include any match officials such as line judges, scorer, timer, libero tracker or any other similar official.

· Regarding officials signals, Note 6 improves game efficiency by requiring that only the first referee is required to signal net foul or net serve.

“This year, the rule changes the committee made were aimed at administrative details that enhanced the flow of the contest,” Oakes said. “The revised definitions provide more clarity that assist in application of the rules.”

A complete listing of all rules changes approved by the committee is available on the NFHS Web site at www.nfhs.org. Click on “Athletics & Fine Arts Activities” on the home page, and select “Volleyball.”

Volleyball is the third-most popular sport for girls at the high school level, according to the 2008-09 NFHS Athletics Participation Survey, with 404,243 participants nationwide. The sport ranks fourth in school sponsorship with 15,069 schools sponsoring the sport. In addition, 49,346 boys participate in volleyball at 2,192 schools.

This press release was written by Emily Newell, a spring intern in the NFHS Publications/Communications Department and a sophomore at Butler (Indiana) University.

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