2005-06 Rule Changes

[TheGreatLineJudge]

Many thanks to my friend from Memphis who emailed this to me!!

 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Cynthia Doyle

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (January 28, 2005) ‹ Use of the libero player in high

school volleyball, effective with the 2006-07 season, was approved by the

National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Volleyball

Rules Committee January 9-10 at its annual meeting in Indianapolis. All

volleyball rules changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of

Directors.

The committee also approved use of the libero player for the 2005-06 season

by state association adoption. A state association may permit use of the

libero next season; however, all stipulations approved by the committee for

use of the libero in 2006-07 will apply for those states electing to use the

libero next season.

Specific stipulations approved by the committee for using the libero

include:

€ The libero must be designated on the lineup sheet prior to each game.

€ The libero must enter the game after the starting lineup has been checked..

€ A team may exercise one replacement per dead ball.

€ The libero must enter and exit the game between the attack line and the

baseline.

€ The libero may be the team captain.

€ The libero may be used as an exceptional substitution for an injured

player if no other legal substitutions are available.

€ The libero shall not replace a disqualified teammate.

€ The libero shall not block or attempt to block.

€ The libero shall not serve.

€ The libero shall not set the ball using an overhand finger pass while in

front of the attack line extended for an attack above the height of the net..

While the libero player has been approved for high school volleyball, use of

the defensive specialist will be an option for an individual team¹s coaching

staff. Since the use of the libero player is a coaching strategy, its use in

a particular game is optional.

The libero is a back-row player and is not allowed to complete an attack

from anywhere if the ball, at the moment of contact, is entirely above the

height of the net. The libero wears a uniform in contrast to other members

of the team, and is intended to be a player who specializes in defense and

serve reception. The libero may replace a back-row player, except the person

serving, without taking away from the team¹s allowed number of

substitutions. Only one libero may be designated per game.

The libero player has been used at the international, collegiate and club

levels for a number of years, and, this past year, 10 states experimented

with its use at the high school level. Acting on positive feedback from

these 10 state associations, the Volleyball Rules Committee agreed to

approve its use across the board.

³The libero is used at all levels of volleyball,² said Cynthia Doyle,

assistant director of the NFHS and liaison to the Volleyball Rules

Committee. ³It has improved the caliber of play, and it allows for greater

on-court involvement by the team¹s best defensive player.²

The committee approved two additional rules changes ­ one regarding the

umpire¹s responsibilities with the lineup card and another clarifying the

limitations of a back-row player.

Rule 5-4-3b (16) was revised to delete the requirement of the umpire to

record illegal player equipment, uniform warnings, penalties and

disqualifications for unsportsmanlike conduct on the lineup card.

³Although the umpire is required to use a lineup card to check the lineup,

the umpire is no longer required to record illegal equipment or

unsportsmanlike conduct violations on the card,² Doyle said. ³The umpire is

required to report illegal equipment and unsportsmanlike conduct violations

to the scorer, who records these violations in the official scorebook. The

committee determined it was unnecessary to record this information on the

lineup card.²

Regarding a back-row player, Rule 9-5-4 was revised to state that if the

ball is hit back into a back-row player whose hands are below the height of

the net, it is ruled as the team¹s first hit/contact.

In addition, hand signal No. 2 in the Official Volleyball Signals was

changed from an open hand to pointing a finger at the line.

Another rule that was passed by the committee last year takes effect this

coming volleyball season. Beginning with the 2005-06 season, the standard

official¹s uniform for high school volleyball will include an all-white,

short-sleeved collared polo shirt, instead of an alternating black-and-white

vertically striped, knit shirt. Other requirements for the officials uniform

remain the same: black slacks and solid black athletic shoes and black

socks.

Volleyball is the third-most popular sport for girls at the high school

level, with 396,322 participants, according to the 2003-04 NFHS High School

Athletics Participation Survey. It also ranks third in school sponsorship

for girls with 14,181 high schools offering the sport. In addition, a total

of 40,093 boys participated in volleyball in 2003-04 at 1,683 schools.

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Commentary and answers to come as questions arise!

[theghost20]

So, when is the state meeting to decide whether or not to adopt it for the 05-06 season? Is there any lobbying that could be done - for or against?

[TheGreatLineJudge]

Bump!