Volleyball Officials

[TheEdge2010]

I was pleased with the outcome last evening at Farragut High school. 4 great teams left all they had on the courts and congrads to both Karns and Lady Admirals. I have watched for years the quality of girls volleyball go forward. I have also watched the officials and their lack of knowledge for basic rules simply go backward. I have witnessed young ladies spending all year in training only to see a few clowns with white shirts and online training trying to prove they understand volleyball. The four that called the region final are simply the worst ive seen in 6 years. A good official lets the kids play and allows the game to go forward. All year we have seen no two hands until last evening in the regional championship. It is a rule then enforce it, but do it when it's not about a regional championship also. Karns and Farragut deserve the chance to move forward, but as I watched the officials in the last game it was to them no more than a chance to be a joke. Even the head official at one point covered his private area when a ball came near him. He did this while smiling at the net official.He was a clown and has been for years. This is simply uncalled for around young high school ladies. Many of these ladies deserve better, their families travel and spend 100's of dollars while these clowns could care less as long as the paycheck is there. I have decided not to attend state this year, TSSAA MUST MAKE CHANGES OR FACE LAWSUITS IN THE YEARS AHEAD.This kind of activity must be dealt with. Wakeup it may just be girls volleyball but these young ladies deserve better.

[jumper]

I attended the Farragut-Karns match and observed a few questionable calls and also accidental whistle blow of the down official (she did acknowledge the miss-blow- however it disrupted the winning point.) just weird. While I do understand there is alot going on to call I can say there were a few calls favoring both sides; it wasn't one sided. I might add that were missed calls by line judges on several occasions, in my view and mind these were incorrect. I did not see the guarded aim you refer to of the up ref.

 

However last night was not the worst I have seen. Is it due to laziness, ignorance or momentary daydreaming perhaps? Favoritism is least appealing of all. I am sure I have seen this over the years and all we want is: "May the best team win". Yes, Really. With that being said, Let's hear it for the many correct calls and great refs out there!!!!.

Congrats to the remaining schools in our Region- Karns and Farragut

Edited October 21, 2010 by jumper

[TheEdge2010]

I will promise you this will cost a great team a state championship down the road, I have spoken with a TSSAA officer this afternoon,he has had other complaints about this and it will be investigated. This was promised to me, they are having issues all over the regions this year. I dont ask for a one-sided official but one who doesnt screw with the flow of the game. We now have to pay for 2 officials at all distrct games, I think its made it worse than better. The crew last night should go back and finish their middle school training before moving up the ladder to high school.

[youthsportsPIX]

I will promise you this will cost a great team a state championship down the road, I have spoken with a TSSAA officer this afternoon,he has had other complaints about this and it will be investigated. This was promised to me, they are having issues all over the regions this year. I dont ask for a one-sided official but one who doesnt screw with the flow of the game. We now have to pay for 2 officials at all distrct games, I think its made it worse than better. The crew last night should go back and finish their middle school training before moving up the ladder to high school.

 

Does anyone know if it is a requirement for four officials for Sub State Matches? NCS lost in Summertown due to a parent line judge because their were only two TSSAA Officals for the match. I have seen four officials at two of the Regional games I have attended and need to verify what the TSSAA Requirements are. Similar to regional and Sub State Basketball where it is required to have 3 Ref's. Anyone know?

 

Thanks.

[EastTnVBFan]

I was at the South vs Karns match last night. My daughter plays for South and yes, South lost. I dont know who the officials were in the matches that have been reffered to in the above post but I do want to commend the officiating crew that we had last night. The R1 was very very good, she made the ball handling (judgement) calls as well as any official I have seen this year. And yes, she called them against South as well as Karns. She handled the coaches and captains with confidence and professionalism. The R2 might have been the best I have seen this year when it came to calling net and centerline violations. I dont think that she missed anything. The line judges were very competent and were a huge part of the success of the whole officiating crew last night.

So, yes, there is much opportunity in the area of officiating improvement and training within TSSAA as well as all states associations. But its very encouraging to see that there are still some awesome officials out there and that they were assigned a match that reflected their abilities....

[PHargis]

[play4keeps]

Does anyone know if it is a requirement for four officials for Sub State Matches? NCS lost in Summertown due to a parent line judge because their were only two TSSAA Officals for the match. I have seen four officials at two of the Regional games I have attended and need to verify what the TSSAA Requirements are. Similar to regional and Sub State Basketball where it is required to have 3 Ref's. Anyone know?

 

Thanks.

 

Don't know if it's required or not, the hosting school pays for the refs. We had 4 last night and one of the line judges looked like he'd never done it before. He stood at least 3 feet off the corner and made a lot of questionable line calls. I don't generally question any line judge as I am not standing on the line but, in this case, neither was he

[TheEdge2010]

Does anyone know if it is a requirement for four officials for Sub State Matches? NCS lost in Summertown due to a parent line judge because their were only two TSSAA Officals for the match. I have seen four officials at two of the Regional games I have attended and need to verify what the TSSAA Requirements are. Similar to regional and Sub State Basketball where it is required to have 3 Ref's. Anyone know?

 

Thanks.

[After what ive seen this year nothing surprises me anymore with TSSAA. And yes they should have 4 at district, regions and substate games. Notice I said should, But one good official is better than 4 sometime! WHAT A JOKE!

[PHargis]

I very well could be mistaken but have been told numerous times that two TSSAA officials are required and the hosting school may elect to pay two others. Its their option. Many hosts seem to not want to be put in the position of finding two qualified, or in the case of region, two from the non playing schools. They pay two other Tssaa. Its not that they are better. Its the impression given. If the R1 and R2 are good, they will critique each other during the match. I actually saw that being done and if a lines person is out of position, it is quickly taken care of. The biggest mistake of a lines person seemed to be on the serve, to get out of the way initially of the server and quickly getting to the set position after the serve. An experienced line person does that very well. Someone who is not used to doing it has to do it some to do it well. It is true, volleyball in Region and Sectional and especially at State has always been and continues to be full of intense rivalries and intense scruitny. The game has become much faster the past few years. It seems to take intense concentration. Fans recognize great communication and coordination and professionalism between individuals who do not on a regular basis work with each other. It looks as if there is a lot of pressure. It seems to be the main problem sometimes is that the team might not all be working consistantly together. If that happens, it sticks out like a sore thumb.

As a sidelight and as some recognition of some Middle School Officials, this past season I have seen some R1's pointedly, during matches, call linesman down during a match for not being in position and not making definitive calls. All are trying to make the sport better.

[TheEdge2010]

Hargis, great post! I wish and hope this does happen at state but i doubt it will. I just think the game has passed alot of these folks by. It hurts when we see how much parents spend on their children only to have bottom of the barrell officials. Sorry but its truly how I feel!

[PageMan]

As far as the number of officials required: In district matches, there are supposed to be two, but I know of at least three occasions where only one was present - explanation - "we don't have enough officials to cover all the matches in the area". During non-district matches and weekend tournaments only one can be used, but some championship matches will have two - it depends on the team hosting the tournament. In regional and sectional matches we had four, but some of the linesmen were unknown to me and were out of position at times and missed tip calls. It appears to me that these unknown officials are new and lack experience. Every sport I've covered over the years has good and bad officials. A team has to make the best of what they get and hope that a bad call doesn't cost them a match.

[eagles_fan12]

Does anyone know if it is a requirement for four officials for Sub State Matches? NCS lost in Summertown due to a parent line judge because their were only two TSSAA Officals for the match. I have seen four officials at two of the Regional games I have attended and need to verify what the TSSAA Requirements are. Similar to regional and Sub State Basketball where it is required to have 3 Ref's. Anyone know?

 

Thanks.

 

At the NCS/ Summertown match, all 4 officials were TSSAA officials. Neither line judge had on their official shirts but one was a TSSAA official from NCS and the other was an official that had no connection to either team. The only parent line judge was from NCS.