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Basic Umpire Mechanics

Positioning – start at center line

Look through the net

Watch attack develop

Moving to see antennae for ball beyond Referee stand and ball outside the pole on umpire’s side

Signals – mimic referees signals. Don’t anticipate. Use correct signaling sequence.

Step away from pole when giving signals. Come to a complete halt then give signal.

When giving Information Signals, be discrete but make them easily seen by stepping away from pole.

Whistle – blow it loud. Clear, sharp, authoritative. Use different whistle for sub/TO (two toots). Blow as soon as violation occurs.

Scan the court at the end of play. 450 degrees checking with bench most likely to have sub/TO. Identify backrow setters

Look at the receiving team (NOT THE SERVER). Umpire has receiving team and the referee has the serving team for rotation faults.

Stand six to eight feet back from the pole on blockers side – look through the net as the attack develops

Focus on blockers/switch on transition.

When teams loose control of ball it’s better to be on wrong side of the net then stuck behind the pole.

Expedite subs – blow whistle get subs in the game (demonstrate proper signal), report numbers to scorekeeper, write on card, RETURN COURT TO REFEREE WHEN YOU ARE READY AND IN POSITION. (talk about communication with scorekeeper and different methods for using a sub card). Also talk about not focusing on card.

Back row attack/block – signal first, if no reaction from Ref blow whistle.

Help with ballhandling.

Role of umpire on line calls without line judges (help on serve receive – give signal immediately if you have information). Stay with the net during rally – but if you have an opinion give it immediately, don’t wait for the deer in the headlight look from the referee. If you have a touch, signal immediately. If you don’t have a touch SHAKE YOUR HEAD ‘NO’. COMMUNICATE!

If ball goes into the tape/block on the umpire’s side and lands out of bound on the hitter’s side LEAD THE REFEREE with result.

Preventative officiating

Collect line-ups and rosters. Check line-ups before turning them to scorekeeper for duplicate numbers and missing captains. Identify captains to referee. Get spare ball in play. Monitor floor wiping.

Anticipate substitutions and time-outs. Inform referee of number of time-outs used.

Monitor all time – for pre-game, timeouts and between games. Control warm-ups.

Do you think communication (referee/umpire, umpire/scorekeeper) would be useful?