• Rule 5-2-1, Uniform
  • The official uniform in the state of California is dark navy blue pants, white socks, white collared short-sleeved polo shirt (with Volleyball Certified Official on the left sleeve) and clean, white shoes. It is preferred that you use a white whistle with a white lanyard for high school contests.
  • The SCVOA has NOT adopted an official warm weather uniform, however, uniform deviations are permitted at individual contests when authorized by the assignment coordinator or the individual in charge of the officials on a per contest basis.
• Rule 12, Procedure for Unsporting Conduct Violations, Second Referee
  • When the second referee sees or hears an action or response that necessitates a card, he/she shall move to the offending team's side of the net and take a few steps onto the court toward the first referee. The second referee shall verbally request from the first referee which card is requested. The first referee shall show the appropriate card as requested by the second referee. In no circumstance, will the second referee show the card to anyone, including the first referee or the coach.
  • When a card is issued by the first referee, the second referee will immediately inform the coach of the offending team what the card is (yellow, red, yellow and red), who the offender is and the nature of the offense. Following this, the second referee will direct the scorer to record the proper notations and verify that the scorer has recorded them correctly.
• Officials' Signals and Mechanics
  • Signal #20, Illegal Substitution -- this signal is NOT utilized. If an illegal substitution takes place, it is a team delay and the appropriate signal will be Signal #21a, Time-Out, charged to the offending team. If the offending team has no time-outs available, then they incur the penalty for an excess time-out, which is loss of point/rally.
  • Signal #22, Unnecessary Delay -- this signal is NOT utilized. If an unnecessary delay takes place, it is a team delay and the appropriate signal will be Signal #21a, Time-Out, charged to the offending team. If the offending team has no time-outs available, then they incur the penalty for an excess time-out, which is loss of point/rally.
  • Signal #19, Substitution -- this signal should be at shoulder height and not in front of the face. It may be done with open hands or closed fists, however, both the R1 and R2 should be consistent and both officials should use the same mechanic throughout the match.
  • In the absence of a mechanic or protocol that is specifically utilized in High School, the PAVO/NCAA mechanic or protocol will be used. These are specified in the NCAA Women's Volleyball Rules and Interpretations.

• Rule 1-3-1
  • Clarifies when a point is scored and when a rally has been completed.
• Rule 2-1-8 (new) and 9-8-1f
  • Defines the specific zone for libero replacements and its physical location in the playing area.
• Rule 4-1-1, 2, 3 and 4
  • Updates and clarifies the rules regarding braces, casts, padding and prostheses.
• Rule 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.
• Rule 4-1-8 (new)
  • Places a long-standing informal procedure within the rules for 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.
• Rule 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.
• Rule 6-1 (new), 9-1-1
  • Defines team members as school representatives located in the team bench are including coaches, teammates, managers, trainers and the players.
• Rule 6-2 (new)
  • Defines teammates as all players on the same team in uniform and further defines players as those teammates on the playing court.
• Rule 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.
• Rule 12-2-8d, 12-2-9d
  • It is unsporting conduct to disrespectfully address a referee and now assistant officials (line judges, scorer, libero tracker and timer) are included.
• Points of Emphasis
  • Conduct of head coach while standing
  • Libero review
  • Timer's responsibilities for all time-outs
  • Informal signals (except 4d)
  • Court management
  • Second referee responsibilities
  • Line judges responsibilities and training

Rule changes for 2010:

Don't have them yet. Wait until after July 24, 2010.

NAIA Modifications

• Unlimited substitutions.
• NO requirements for 1.75 meters of service area past the end line.

• 2-out-of-3 set matches allowed (3^rd set to 15 points).
• No manufacturer's logo language.
• NO requirement for 1.75 meters of service area past the end line.

Base on extensive discussion at the 2008 annual meeting, the NCAA Women's Volleyball Rules Committee has developed a new directive regarding ball handling judgment, primarily regarding second team contacts. This is not a rule change but a new approach to ball handling judgments that is intended to increase intensity and focus for the players and coaches and improve fan understanding and involvement.

• Recent rule changes emphasize continuation of play and fewer stoppages (for example, rules for the libero, rally scoring and continuation of play after some net contacts).
• Collegiate women players demonstrate more athleticism than ever before and that athleticism should be highlighted.
• Players have better skills due to increase quantity of play through the year, training started at an early age and better coaching.
• There is a demand by all match participants for consistency in ball handling judgment.
• Volleyball is enjoying an increased fan base and significant growth.

The committee recognized that ball handling judgment was, at times, inconsistent both within a match and from contest to contest. Not only were those inconsistencies frustrating for players and coaches, whistles for subtle infractions discernable only by the referees are confusing to fans. With increased television exposure, it is important to develop ball handling guidelines that are understandable by typical sports fans, not just the volleyball community. The basic tenet is that the excitement of the sport of volleyball can be increased with fewer whistles for minor ball handling infractions and increased leniency on particularly athletic plays that may not result in a perfectly executed set by traditional standards but provides a continuation of play.

Directives

The points below have been emphasized in ball handling judgment discussions for several years and are still vitally important when considering faults:

• Referees should only call faults that are actually seen.
• Only the contact point should be considered when judging legality.
• Outside influences such as player technique, spin, crowd reaction or coaches' expectations should not be regarded.

The following points are new emphases by the rules committee and should decrease the number of whistles that stop play:

• Only the most obvious violations should be called.
• Referees should be less severe when judging an athletic play by a player in less than ideal position. In other words, there should be increased leniency when a player's best effort to continue play is made with unorthodox technique. However, clumsiness or lack of skill must not be confused with athleticism. A player who has the opportunity to set the ball from good position will be expected to execute without multiple contacts.
• Referees should avoid being overly mechanical or technical in their judgments and work within the current culture of the sport and the spirit of the competition.

Principles

There are two basic tenets associated with this directive that the committee feels will improve the public's overall image of our game without damaging the integrity of the sport:

• Less severe ball handling judgment will result in more consistency within a match and from event to event.
• Coaches will continue to teach good technique and to play the best players because the best result is derived from well-executed skills.

• Rule 1.3.4
  • Coach's restriction line is from attack line to end line, 1.75m from the sideline and parallel to the sideline.
• Rule 2.6d and e
  • Referee's platform is required. Step ladders, jump boxes and other devices not specifically designed as referee platforms shall not be used.
• Rule 4.5.1
  • Casts, even if padded, are forbidden.
• Rule 4.5.2
  • If a player's equipment falls to the floor and creates a safety hazard, play is stopped and a delay sanction assessed.
• Rule 5.1.3
  • Both coaches sign the scoresheet after the match to verify the results.
• Rule 6.1.3
  • A completed rally is the sequence of playing actions which results in the award of a point.
• Rule 7.2.2b
  • For junior competition, when one team has exclusive use of the court, the other team must either be at its team bench or out of the playing area. Warming up with balls at the team bench or the spectator walkways is not permitted.
• Rule 10.1.3
  • The ball this is heading towards the opponent's court through the lower space is in play until the moment it has completely crossed the vertical plane of the net.
• Rule 11.2.2.2
  • To touch the opponent's court with any part of the body above the feet is permitted provided that it does not interfere with the opponent's play.
• Rule 11.3.1
  • Contact with the net by a player is not a fault, unless it interferes with the play.
• Rule 11.3.2
  • Players may touch the post, ropes, or any other object outside the antennae, including the net itself, provided that it does not interfere with play.
• Rule 11.4.2
  • A player interferes with the opponent's play while penetrating into the opponent's space under the net.
• Rule 11.4.3
  • A player's foot (feet) penetrates completely into the opponent's court.
• Rule 11.4.4
  • A player interferes with the opponent's play by (amongst others):
    • Touching the top band of the net or the top 80 cm of the antenna during his/her action of playing the ball, or
    • Taking support from the net simultaneously with playing the ball, or
    • Creating an advantage over the opponent, or
    • Making actions which hinder an opponent's legitimate attempt to play the ball.
• Rule 12.6.1.2
  • It is a serving fault if the service toss touches any obstruction before the service contact.
• Rule 12.6.2
  • After the ball has been correctly hit, it is a service fault if the ball touches any overhead obstruction.
• Rule 14.1.1
  • Blocking is the action of players close to the net to intercept the ball coming from the opponent by reaching higher than the top of the net, regardless of the height of the ball contact. Only front-row players are permitted to complete a block, but at the moment of contact with the ball, part of the body must be higher than the top of the net.
• Rule 15
  • An interruption is the time between one completed rally and the 1st referee's whistle for the next service.
• Rule 15.2.2
  • A time-out before the start of the set is permitted.
• Rule 15.10.3
  • The actual request for a substitution is the entrance of the substitute player(s) into the substitution zone, ready to play, during a regular interruption.
  • If that is not the case, the substitution is not granted and the team is sanctioned for a delay.
  • The request for substitution is acknowledged and announced by the scorer or second referee, by use of the buzzer or whistle, respectively.
• Rule 19.1.4
  • The Libero cannot be either team captain or game captain at the same time as performing the Libero function.
• Rule 19.3.2.3
  • A replacement made after the whistle for service but before the service hit should not be rejected but must be the object of a verbal caution after the end of the rally. Subsequent late replacements shall result in the play being interrupted immediately and the imposition of a delay sanction. The team to serve next will be determined by the result of the delay sanction.
• Rule 19.3.2.5
  • The consequences of an illegal Libero replacement are the same as those for a rotational fault.
• Rule 22.2.3.2
  • If the fault is whistled by the second referee, he/she will indicate:
    • The nature of the fault
    • The player at fault (if necessary)
    • The team to serve following the hand signal of the first referee.
  • In this case, the first referee does not show either the nature of the fault or the player at fault, but only the team to serve.
• Rule 25.2.3.3
  • The second referee is not required to sign the scoresheet(s). For junior competition, the coaches sign the scoresheet(s) after the match to verify the results. For adult competition, the team captains sign the scoresheet(s) after the match to verify the results.