Q: Libero on Team A on the first contact on or in front of the attack line and below the height of the net over hand passes (set) the ball into the plane of the net with a joust being the next play on the ball.
A: Rule9-5-6b Illegal back row attack on the libero - Team B must contact the ball prior to any player from Team A completing the attack above the height of the net
Q: Can a player replace a piece of jewelry with a string i.e (nose ring, ear ring)
A. No, Rule 4-1-5 - safety concern & Rule 4-1-7 jewelry shall not be worn (we do not rule on what is considered fashionable and a string will be considered jewelry as it is not defined as legal equipment allowed to be worn by a player participating in a set).
Q: Server player A1 is standing in a non-playable area holding the volleyball ready to serve and waiting for the whistle for serve. Is this legal?
A: Yes, Rule 8-1-2: A player may start in a non-playable as long as the server's foot touches the floor inside the defined serving area prior to contacting the serve and is not touching the floor outside the serving area at the moment of contact with the ball. Rule 6-4-3 all players except the server shall not be touching the floor outside the boundaries of the court area at the moment of serve.
Q: Server player A1 is sitting in the bleachers holding the volleyball talking to her mom. R1 is ready to whistle for serve. Is this legal?
A: Yes, Rule 8-1-2: as long as the server's foot touches the floor inside the defined serving area prior to contacting the serve and is not touching the floor outside the serving area at the moment of contact with the ball. Rule 6-4-3 all players except the server shall not be touching the floor outside the boundaries of the court area at the moment of serve. NOTE: Do not wait for the server to get in the service area in this instance, the R1 should whistle for serve as soon as the server has the ball and the R1 has completed their court scan to ensure all requests have been granted by the teams, and all officials are ready to proceed with the set. It is clear the player is ready to serve, as they have retrieved the ball. If the player does not contact the ball within 5 seconds it is an illegal serve Rule 8-2-5c - loss of rally.
Q
: Coach of Team S submits their line-up at the 2 minute mark with the Libero designated as #7 but wanted Libero #9
A: Rule 7-1-2, 10-4-3a: Team S must play with Libero #7 unless Libero #7 is injured or becomes ill and then the coach may replace the Libero #7 with a new Libero
NOTE: Even though Rule 10-4-3a does not talk about ill, the rule book has been synonymous over the years in regards to players that are injured or ill and how the situations are handled.
NOTE: Rule 7-1-2 only defines substitutions prior to the start of the match, but not a redesignation of a starter, or redesignation of the libero for the set.
Q: There is a discrepancy in the score and the assistant coach for team A requests the R2 to verify the accuracy of the score. The R2 calls an official’s time-out. Team A stays on the floor and the coach walks up to the sideline to confer with their players. Team B goes to their bench to take a drink of water and confer with their coach.
A: Rule 11-2-4: Both teams’ actions are legal, during an official or team time-out the teams may confer with their coaches only on their court or their team bench area. NOTE: Anytime an official must suspend play with an official’s time-out to handle one of many numerous situations that are not directly related to the play (scorekeeping error, administrative need or spectator control, etc.) teams may confer at their benches and need not stay on the floor.
Q: Player A1 attempts to enter a set wearing silicone ear and nose plugs
A: Rule 3-1-6: Illegal, Silicone plugs are considered jewelry and must be removed prior to warm-ups and/or competition
Q: Team B removes their warm-up jerseys preparing for play and it is noticed that they all have pink shirts on in honor of “Think Pink Month”. However the pink shirts only have a 6 inch number on the back of the shirt, and no number on the front of the pink shirt.
A: Rule 4-2-4: Illegal, the team must adhere to the uniform code at all times, the team must change their jerseys back to their original playing uniforms, and or put a permanent number on the front of the pink shirt which may be with a permanent marker. Taping a number on the pink shirt is not acceptable and not permanent. All numbers must be permanent no exceptions.
Q: Player A1 attempts to enter a set with a surgical implant protruding from her cheek bone. The implant looks like a piercing about the same size as a stud earring
A: Rule 4-1: Legal, as long as the surgical implant is covered and padded with a minimum band-aide cover. No sharp edges or metal may be exposed at any time. As well as the school should have a letter from the CHSAA allowing the player to compete. The letter should travel with the player to all volleyball matches. The CHSAA will make every accommodation to allow players with special needs to participate at the highest level as long as risk minimization is adhered.
Q: Player A1 attempts to enter a set with Cochlear implants
A: Rule 4-1: All types of hearing aids and Cochlear implants are no more dangerous than eye glasses and are acceptable and need not be taken out or covered/padded. Hearing aids do not create an unsafe playing environment. Translators for the hearing impaired may stand in the replacement zone during a dead ball, sit on the team bench or stand behind the team bench at all times to translate for the hearing impaired player on the floor, translators staying near the coach so that they can hear what the coach is saying to translate for the hearing impaired participant is not unsporting or unethical behavior. Players with diabetic pumps may compete at all levels. All equipment used in the playable area may present a risk-management concern and may need to be padded. Comment: Each state association must rule on its own special-needs participants, the CHSAA states that during all matches the focus should be to reasonably accommodate special needs players and their disability. If unsure as to the legality of a special needs player, schools should contact the CHSAA for a letter of approval on participation. Remember, schools, coaches and officials are there to provide as many positive opportunities to players as possible!
Q: Every time team A is attempting to serve, the home team starts stomping on the bleachers
A: Rule 1-8: Legal, bleachers are not considered artificial noise makers, let them stomp away
Q: The ball deflects off A1’s block and is heading out of bounds towards team A’s bench. Player A2 is attempting to make a play on the ball when the head coach is hit with the ball while standing 7 feet from the sideline.
A: The ball is called dead and ruled out by touch on player A1, point awarded to Team B. There is no replay for a head coach interfering with a legitimate play on the ball at anytime while standing in the coaching zone.
Q: Starting player for team S is found to have 2 inch bobby pins in her hair that may or may not have ribbons attached to the bobby pins. Due to the way it is positioned in the hair it makes it impossible to tell how the ribbon is attached or used in the hair.
A: Rule 4-1-5, 4-1-6: Legal: Bobby pins with a maximum length of 2 inches are permitted even if they are not controlling hair; the ribbon as long as it is 2 inches or less in width in the hair is legal. We are not going to judge whether or not hair control devices are actually controlling hair for legality. Any item in the hair that has decoration that is hard, unyielding or can be easily be removed would be illegal. We are not going to have the player remove the bobby pin to see if the ribbon is attached to the bobby pin. NOTE: NFHS major point of emphasis is to not go looking for equipment violations. Penalize all egregious equipment violations and focus on what is important, facilitating play. Fans, coaches and players are not there to watch us blow our whistle or to see us trying to find violations. Do not go looking for penalties!!
Q: After the completion of a set one, the referee is climbing down the referee stand and their pants split up the inseam, what do you do?
A: Rule 11-1-2: Official’s time-out will be called for the official to retire to the restroom to use safety pins to temporarily resolve and fix the inseam problem so that the fans do not get a glimpse of the referee’s undergarments. NOTE: always carry safety pins in your referee bag!!
Q: Server tosses the ball and it strikes a backboard or rope hanging over the serving area prior to contacting the ball for serve
A: Rule Book 2-1-1: There are no specific guidelines if the tossed ball hits an object below 23 feet prior to contact of serve. These types of objects would be in play normally except on a served ball. Any ball touching an object is out of play prior to the contact of serve, the ball would be dead immediately. We would not allow the server to complete the serve. We will award a replay not a reserve for all objects below 23 feet prior to the contact of serve. If the ball contacts the object below 23 feet after it is contacted by the server, the ball is dead and a loss of rally is awarded to the opponents.
Q: Prior to the start of the match the R1 notices an exposed permanent tattoo
A: CHSAA and NFHS have no guidelines on tattoos. Permanent tattoos are legal and need not be covered unless they are derogatory.
Q: Prior to the start of the match the R1 notices an exposed temporary tattoo
A: Rule Book 4-1-7: Players shall not wear body paint or glitter on their hair, face, uniform or body. NOTE: If the player can wipe their hand across the tattoo and it does not smear or come off then it is legal. The purpose of this rule to keep body paint or glitter from rubbing off on the competition volleyball.
Q: Prior to the start of the match player S1 removes their warm-up jersey at the team bench
A: Rule Book 12-2-9: There is no penalty for removing a warm-up jersey in the playing area. Removing their playing uniform so that an undergarment is exposed would be penalized with a yellow card for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Q: Team S sends substitute S7 to the sideline between the attack line and center line to enter as substitute. The R2 recognizes the request, and at the same time the score keeper informs the R2 that S7 is not listed on the roster.
A: Rule Book 10-3-7b Penalty 1: A player attempting to enter the game as a substitute not listed on the roster is unnecessary delay - time out. The roster is corrected, and at that time the coach may decided to continue to substitute or withdraw the substitute but the penalty is still enforced no matter what the final decision is from the coach. Once the set is stopped to handle this illegal situation it is unnecessary delay.
Q: What is the difference between wrist bands vs. sweat bands?
A: Case Book 4.1.1 Situation A (c) and 4.1.6 Situation C (b): Sweat bands are legal as long as they are no more than 2 inches in width and are moisture absorbent. Wrist bands are not moisture absorbent, and would be considered jewelry and be illegal. There is no regulation on where they can wear the sweat band on the arm. In other words it can be above the elbow. There is no regulation on how many sweat bands a player can wear on their wrist/arm (unlimited) unless it is a safety factory. Then the referee may ask them to remove a few of them for safety reasons. Definition of a Sweat band is a band worn to absorb sweat: a strip of terry cloth worn around the head or wrist/arm to stop sweat running into the eyes or onto the hands while playing sports
Q: How strict is the rule on exposed sport bras?
A: Case Book 4.2.7 and Rule Book 4-2-7: The rule book is clear that if players are wearing sport bras or undergarments which are visible outside their sleeveless uniform tops, they be of plain and of like color to the uniform top. Here is a rule of thumb on these. If you cannot see the sport bra while the player is standing in a relaxed manner then it is legal. Same test we use on a bare midriff uniform for legality. We know at times during the course of play an undergarment may become exposed and we will allow the player to resolve the matter without penalty. Unless it is a continuous problem that stops play then unnecessary delay is called for the team to resolve the equipment issue.
Q: Prior to the start the fifth deciding set, the head coach receives a red card for unsportsmanlike conduct
A: Rule 12-2-1 Penalty 1(b): If we end a set with a red card and we have one or more sets to go, then we will start the next set with a 0-1 score. Please keep in mind that if the team that is being penalized is the serving team, then we have a loss of rally for that point and they lose the first serve as well. The receiving team will need to rotate and take the penalty point as well as the serve. If the team that is being penalized is the receiving team, then the serving team will start with one penalty point. And all red cards and disqualifications need to have a misconduct form filled out and sent to your CVOA President, CVOA Area Director and CHSAA.
Q: If after the deciding set and prior to the officials leaving the gym, a coach is unsportsmanlike the referees will not issue an unsportsmanlike penalty or issue any type of unsporting card, the referees will report the situation to CHSAA using the misconduct form.
A: The penalty for the coach is they will be suspended from the next match their team plays.
Q: Are teams required to have a home jersey color and an away jersey color?
A: Rule Book 4-2-1: There are no regulations requiring teams to have two sets of jerseys, one for home and one for away in different colors
Q: Team R arrives on the playing floor and the R1 notices that all the players have a mascot or team name on their exposed T-shirts, the T-shirt is of similar color to the uniform top
A: Rule Book 4-2-9, 4-2-10: The Rule book does not specifically address mascots and uniform names on spandex or undergarments, except as it relate to a manufacturer logo or American flag. To be consistent across NFHS rule codes, any visible logo is illegal on exposed undergarments. Volleyball does not allow undergarments to extend below the uniform bottom, and any exposed undergarments with the top of the uniform must be of similar color to the uniform top. Thus as long as the team name and or logo is not exposed it is legal. However any exposure of a logo on an undergarment would require the player to remove the undergarment before participation.
Q: Team S arrives on the floor and the R1 notices that all players are wearing a long sleeved undergarment of white color underneath their blue uniform tops, and the Libero is wearing a long sleeved undergarment of blue color underneath their white uniform top.
A: Rule Book 4-2-7: If undergarments such as T-shirts, body suits, etc. are worn in such a manner that they are exposed, they shall be of a single color similar to the predominant color of the uniform top. The players must remove the undergarments before continuing to warm-up and before they can participate in the match.
