NFHS BallHandling z Criteria for making ballhandling calls

NFHS Ball-Handling z Criteria for making ball-handling calls in volleyball Thomas Hoy, Vice-President, SAVOA

z NFHS Ball-handling decisions can be the toughest decisions a volleyball official has to make. Additionally, ball-handling judgment is often used to define a referee. The pace of the game and athleticism of today’s athlete only makes the job of an official tougher. Ultimately, they are judgment calls. However, a focus of every official should be to have consistency in ball-handling judgement. There is a lot of subjectivity involved in ball-handling calls because of this general criterion--judgment. --NFHS Rules and Points

z NFHS Ball-handling The following criteria can be used to develop consistency when judging ball-handling as the first referee: § Only the contact point should be considered when judging legality. § Outside influences such as player technique, spin, coaches’ expectations or crowd reaction should not be considered when judging the legality of the contact. § There is no body/ball position or playing technique that automatically results in illegal contact.

z NFHS Ball-handling On a team’s first ball contact, the ball cannot come to rest or have prolonged contact. On the second or third contact, the ball cannot be double contacted, come to rest or be caught. Additionally, when evaluating ball-handling it is important to focus on the continuation of play when judging second ball contacts that are directed to a teammate. Below are hints to use when assessing second ball contacts: § A player in good position must play the ball without discernible double contacts (on second/third contact). § Less severe judgement is applied to a contact by a player who makes a challenging or spectacular play while maintaining a legal play. § Mishandled balls resulting in a blatant fault should still be called, regardless of the challenging or spectacular nature of the play.

z NFHS Ball-handling In the ball-handling continuum from loose or tight, most referees call it somewhere in between these two limits. No one is wrong. Each referee establishes a correct ballhandling standard that is personally comfortable to use. The key is consistency. In any given match, the teams and players will adapt to whether it is called tight or loose, so long as it is consistent. Trouble starts when similar play actions are not called the same way. So, observe the teams during warm-ups, watch for style of the setters, and gauge the skills of the hitters. Determine a ball-handling standard you will use that is in line with the players’ abilities. Set your standard toward the skill level of the better team.

z NFHS Ball-handling Here is a discussion on five types of ball-handling plays: prolonged contact, double contact after the first team’s play, tipped ball, flipper and pancake attempts. Prolonged Contact (types of illegal hits) § NFHS (9 -4 -5) uses wording that says, “Legal contact is a touch of the ball by any part of a player’s body which does not allow the ball to visibly come to rest or involve prolonged contact with a player’s body. ” § A ball can be overcontrolled by a player using a forearm pass, block, attack or set. When the player catches or stops the ball, a fault has likely occurred. Prolonged contact can also be whistled if the player throws the ball, or when the player allows the ball to come to rest against their body, or when the player traps the ball motionless against the net.

z NFHS Ball-handling Forearm pass § This is a common technique where players hold their arms close together, forearms facing upward, to form a platform to pass the ball. It is often used during serve reception and when making other first team contacts, but also can be used to set the ball to other players if an overhead set is not an option, and to send the ball to the opponents on a third team contact. If the ball is trapped against the body or caught in the arms, it would be called an illegal hit (prolonged contact).

z NFHS Ball-handling Overhead Set § A common technique to send the ball to the hitters or send the ball over the net to the opponents. This includes contacting the ball overhead with both hands and using the fingers to control the contact. The spin of the ball is not considered when determining the legality of the contact, nor should the referee consider the player’s body position, the technique used, or the sound of the contact. § To determine the legality of each contact, the first referee should lead the ball with his or her eyes, rather than follow the ball in the air. The referee should focus on the actual contact of the ball on the body part, then focus on the next play/player with his or her eyes. If the player ‘over controls’ the ball, you see it stop in the hands or there is a throwing action, it should be called an illegal hit.

z NFHS Ball-handling Ball falling near the floor §A fault could result when a player is trying to play a ball that is very close to the floor by getting underneath the ball to prevent it from going to the playing surface. A player may try an open hand play in an attempt to keep the ball in play, but may not catch the ball to prevent it from touching the floor. §A ball is generally not caught/thrown or a fault if a player makes contact underneath the ball with an open hand provided the ball rebounds immediately, or if hit with a palm heel or back of the hand.

z NFHS Ball-handling Ball played out of the net §This is a play that often results in referees automatically making a call when the ball was actually played legally. As long as the ball rebounds off the player, the referee should allow play to continue and not make a call based on the player’s body position or technique. §A ball falling down the front of the net often rebounds slowly from a player’s arm(s) because it is not carrying much momentum. A slow rebound should not be confused with an illegal catch/throw. If the ball stops on the arms, or looks like it is being “dragged” out of the net, it is probably an illegal hit.

z NFHS Ball-handling Assisted Hit §It is an illegal hit for a player to assist a teammate, or for a player to use equipment or the net to gain an advantage, in playing the ball.

z NFHS Ball-handling Double Hits (types of double contacts) §NFHS (9 -7 -Penalties) says “for a double hit, [sic] there will be a loss of rally and a point is awarded to the opponent. ” §A ball can be under controlled by a player when they make multiple contacts through loss of control, touches the ball twice in a row, or if the ball touches two parts of the player’s body in succession. Double contact is allowed on the first ball played (not counting the block) each time the ball crosses the net, it is allowed if an opposing player contacts the ball between the team’s two hits, and it is allowed if a player blocks the ball and then plays the ball again.

z NFHS Ball-handling Overhead Set §Double contact will be whistled when a player makes an error in setting, not counting the first team contact. It is easier to call and whistle a double contact if you watch the hands because the ball will come out of the player's hands in an awkward way or direction, often appearing to slide off sideways. §Ugly, spin and crowd reaction should not be the basis for whistling this play.

z NFHS Ball-handling Overhead Set §It is up to the judgment of the referee on whether to call a double contact violation on a set or not. Because of the pace of the action at higher levels, it is sometimes very difficult to call a double contact. More leniency should be given to players of younger age or with teams which have limited skills when whistling this call. You make the call: https: //vimeo. com/98494895.

z NFHS Ball-handling Simultaneous Contact §When teammates contact the ball at the same instant, it is permitted and considered one hit. Any player may attempt the next hit following the simultaneous contact, provided the simultaneous contact was not the team’s third hit. In this instance, a double hit is not whistled.

z NFHS Ball-handling Forearm Pass §A double hit is more rarely called on a forearm pass, but it is a violation if on the second and third team contact it includes contact by one part of the body, and in succession, another part of the body. On fast play be sure you see two distinct contacts before you call a “double” on a forearm pass.

z NFHS Ball-handling Tipped and ‘Off Speed’ Balls Tipped Ball §NFHS (9 -5 -1 -b 2) states that a tip is completed by a fingertip attack on the ball which directs the ball into the opponent’s court. When a player uses one open hand to send the ball over the net it is called a “tip” and more rarely now a “dink. ” The player uses the pads of their fingers to contact the ball and control the direction it is sent. Tips are usually sent short in the court over the block but can also be sent deep (called a power tip). A tip is usually with one hand is in contrast to swinging the arm to hit the ball over the net as a strong attack.

z NFHS Ball-handling Tip Fault §There are several situations where the tipped ball will be a ball- handling fault. In all cases the signal will be an illegal hit (prolonged contact). Just as a caught or throw ball, the error for the player is that they have prolonged contact with the ball, or the player changes the direction of the ball while it is a single attempt to direct the ball into the opponent’s court. §Here a few examples: §Slam dunk— the prolonged contact problem is in taking the ball across the net and then changing the direction of the ball by slamming it downward. §Carry— here the ball is contacted behind the head or body and then carried forward in an advancing lift until it is released. §Throw— a prolonged contact error by the player who contacts the ball, pulls it backwards (a sort of cocking process), and then pushes it forward to release.

z NFHS Ball-handling Off-Speed and Roll Hits § Off-speed hits are a popular option for attacking if a player is just trying to place the ball or just trying to keep the ball in play. It is typically a play that goes over the outreached hands of a blocker and falls behind the blockers short of backrow defensive players. § Another type of off-speed hit is a ‘roll shot. ’ This is when a player slows down the speed of their arm swing while attacking to send the ball shorter in the court and in front of the defenders. The arm still makes the same motion as a full speed attack and the whole hand or palm heel makes contact with the ball. Using the same judgment as with caught or throw balls, prolonged contact is an illegal hit.

z NFHS Ball-handling Flipper or Dive Play §NFHS (9 -4 -5) says contact “by any part of a player’s body which does not allow the ball to visibly come to rest or involve prolonged contact with a player’s body” is legal. During a very athletic play, the player may “go vertical” and slap the ball with the back of the hand or fist to keep the ball in play. This play is seldom called a violation because of the difficulty of catching the ball on the back of the hand or on fist, and the uniqueness of any chance of a double contact.

z NFHS Ball-handling Pancake Play §NFHS (9 -3 -3 -g) states that a ball that touches the floor becomes dead and is a fault. During this skilled ‘pancake’ play you may see the player save the ball by placing her hand flat on the floor and allowing the ball to naturally rebound without the ball contacting with the floor. This is an advanced skill and typically is not called for ball-handling. The judgment of the referees is critical because the hand on the floor has to be perfectly planned, placed and executed to make this play legal. The player error with a pancake play is usually in the attempt, because the ball misses the hand it is whistled as a dead ball because it is just down and signaled “in. ”

z Thanks for finishing this training This is an important part of your professional responsibility COMMENTS and QUESTIONS? Study of ball-handling is not complete until referees have reviewed Section H of the NFHS Volleyball Officials Manual.