Pyramid of Officiating Success

A pyramid with levels of hierarchy for coaches.

This pyramid represents what it takes to reach the highest level in officiating. Whether you only officiate high school or go on to officiate other groups like NCAA or USAV.

Pyramid Levels & What to Master

Each set of levels in the Pyramid have rule knowledge and items to master as both an R1 & R2 to be able to advance to the next level. The levels range from 1 – 4. No matter what level you might be in today you should always work on knowing ALL of the rules and how to apply them during a match.

If you are interested in moving up to a higher level you will need to contact the training committee to set up dates to be observed.

You can email our Training Director at: [email protected]

Level 4

  • Establishing and Maintaining Match Control & Tempo
  • Correctly following all protocols (subs, time outs, etc.)
  • Scanning
  • Signal Clarity

Level 3

  • Coach / Referee interaction
  • Working with and supporting your officiating team
  • Working with and understanding the job of scorekeepers & line judges

Level 2

  • Confidence vs Arrogance
  • Teach Others – Knowledge & Information

Level 1

  • Mentoring Officials – Life lessons & Experience

Items to Master for each Level

Level 4

Rule Knowledge & Technique

  • Serving & jewelry rules
  • Uniform Rules
  • Tempo – have an even tempo (not too fast and not too slow), whistle is loud and concise
  • Signals – make sure that you practice in front of a mirror and know the proper signals to make
  • Know how to measure the net and game balls
  • Know when lines ups are due and infraction if necessary
  • Know the net & center line rules
  • Non-disruptive coaching
  • Line up rules (when a coach can change vs sub)
  • Double contact rule
  • Know how to administer the “Captain/Coach” meeting
  • Prolonged contact (ie a Lift) Rule
  • Match “Conduct”
  • Injury Time Outs
  • Playable area vs non-playable area Rule

As the R1

  • Signal Clarity – separate signals (whistle, side out signal, infraction), whistle is loud and concise
  • Scanning – In this order
  • First make sure that the server has the ball and going back to serve
  • Look at Receiving team & their bench
  • Look at Line Judge on receiving team side
  • Look at R2
  • Look at Line Judge on Serving team side
  • Look at Serving team & Bench
  • Blow for serve
  • Make the serving error call when it happens
  • Make contact with your partner after every dead ball
  • Know where the setter is (front or back row) when they play the ball
  • Know when to call a Back Row Attack or Illegal Block
  • Call doubles and lifts appropriately

As the R2

  • Transition to blocking side always
  • Watching for nets & make the call – do not follow the ball
  • Administer Time Outs and Subs –
  • Have the correct whistle clarity and signal correctly
  • Signal Clarity – whistle is loud and use a double whistle with clarity
  • Make contact with your partner as the R2 when you are giving the game back to the R1
  • Signals – give the correct signal for the infraction (i.e.: a double or lift versus a down ball)
  • Understand when to call Nets and Center Line Violations
  • Know how to check line ups
  • Know where the setter is (front or back row) on serve receive and are they leaving early?
  • Anticipate a coach asking for a sub, time out or wanting a clarify a rule call. This will be done with scanning benches prior to each serve
  • Call out of rotation for the setter leaving early

Level 3

Rule Knowledge

  • Pre-match with Line Judges and Scorers
  • Know how to keep score & solve any scoring issues
  • Know how to administer sanctions and record them on the score sheet
  • Know how to explain rule clarifications
  • Illegal Block & Illegal Attack Rules
  • Know how to call out of rotations by all players serving and receiving teams
  • Know Sanction Durations
  • Know how to deal with Injury / Illness during a set
  • Protest Procedures

As the R1

  • Be able to explain a rule clarification to the captain
  • Be able to administer a sanction, who to talk to when you do
  • Make an Illegal Attack or Illegal Block call immediately when it happens
  • Know how to explain an illegal attack or an illegal block to the coach
  • Be able to control bad behavior using your cards
  • Know when a coach is stalling the game and control the behavior with cards
  • Know how to explain an illegal attack or an illegal block to the coach
  • Be able to keep score in its entirety
  • Be able to deal with exceptional subs
  • Be able to handle a Rule Clarification (Protest) by a coach

As the R2

  • Know how to explain an out of rotation violation to the coach
  • Call out of rotations on non setters and setters leaving early
  • Be able to explain to a coach what the R1 called if asked
  • Be able to explain why a card was given to a player or coach
  • Be able to deal with exceptional subs and record them on the score sheet

Level 2

  • Do not criticize partner, LJ’s or Table personnel (during match and afterwards)
  • Have a good pre-match meeting with your team
  • Have a good post-match meeting with your team
  • Give up your feeling that the R1 is the boss, they are just the team leader
  • Give up feeling that you are better than everyone else
  • Able to officiate with a new official and teach them about rules & information

Level 1

  • Mentor officials with your officiating experience, leadership and lessons learned in your career as an official