BACK TO GKCOA HOME PAGE

The GKCOA leadership team has been thrilled with the turnout for our first two meetings.  We are proud that so many officials are wanting to improve.  Thank you for your support!  Hopefully the high attendance means that we are providing information that you actually want to hear and is helping you get better!  Great job!!

 

ASSIGNOR ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. Keep checking your Arbiter account daily for any new assignments and changes.  The email notification function is not working properly on some people’s accounts.
2. Contact school a week in advance to confirm assignments.
3. Check your blocked dates.  If you become available on a date you previously blocked, contact David and/or Don immediately!
4. Freshman matches are in flux right now as schools determine if they will have the numbers to field B-teams (now known as C Silver teams).  If matches are dropped, make sure you are aware to your changes in Arbiter to those assignments.

 

MSHSAA RULES/MECHANICS ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. You have two more opportunities to get your MSHSAA mechanics clinic requirement done:  Mon., Aug. 20 at Warrensburg or Thurs., Aug. 23 at St. Joseph Le Blond.  See http://www.mshsaa.org to register and for more specific information.
2. Be aware that pre-match warm up is now 16 minutes long instead of 18.  See your MSHSAA rules announcement and the online rules review for the details.
3. Remember that if a school has improper line markings (i.e.:  an attack line that is shadow bordered), take a photo and send it to Dixie Ousley or to MSHSAA directly and copy Dixie.  Do not force a school to tape the line down or do not say that the match cannot be played.

 

JAMBOREES:

We encourage you to attend a jamboree to watch, just to get the wheels turning before you work your first match.  Here’s the list of GKCOA assigned jamborees you can go to:

Fri., Aug. 17 – Raytown (5:00pm)

Sat., Aug. 18 – Cameron (10:00am)

Mon., Aug. 20 – Bishop LeBlond (5:00pm), Center (5:00pm), Fort Osage (5:45pm), Excelsior Springs (6:00pm)

Tues., Aug. 21 – Lee’s Summit (5:00pm), William Chrisman (5:00pm), St. Joseph Lafayette (6:00pm), WINNETONKA (6:00pm – WEBCAST ONLINE STARTING AT 5:30pm)

Wed., Aug. 22 – Lexington (4:00pm)

Thurs., Aug. 23 – Pleasant Hill (5:00pm)

If you can’t make it to one of the jamborees above, we can bring one to you.  We are webcasting the Winnetonka jamboree providing play-by-play and color commentary on Tues., Aug. 21–you will be able to send in questions and we can provide answers while we are live on the air.  We will archive the webcast in case you cannot watch live.

 

LINE JUDGING:

The Suburban Conference has requested GKCOA to provide line judges for most varsity matches, and we need to make sure we’re doing a better job embracing that opportunity. Referees need to make sure we are treating our line judges (whether they are parents or certified officials) with greater respect.  Have a great prematch with them, and make sure you are making eye contact and using them throughout the match–they can really save your bacon in tough spots if you show that your trust them and keep them engaged. Line judges need to make sure the mentality needs to be that this is a great opportunity to see higher level volleyball and watch how different referees handle different situations.  With the right mindset, we will provide our teams and coaches a better officiated match knowing that stature of line judges needs to be elevated.

 

R2 TIPS:

Many times if a match lasts forever, it’s due to poor match management.  An easy way to improve the pacing of a match is to make sure you are efficient with your substitution procedure.  When a legal sub request is made, blow your whistle and get the players in and out right away.  You don’t have to force the players to stand in the sub zone while the numbers are recorded on your lineup card and by the scorekeeper.  Have a quick verbal or visual confirmation with the scorekeeper that they have the numbers recorded and move on with match!  A single sub should take 5-10 seconds tops.  If you have multiple subs, it will take a little longer, but not much longer!  Be efficient with your time to improve the pacing of the overall match.

 

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HIGH SCHOOL AND CLUB RULES:  SEE DOCUMENT

We briefly talked at the meeting about the rule difference between high school and club. We were not advocating one rule set as better than the other, but coaches and players get confused by different rulesets.  If we can identify differences and make sure we can articulate differences to coaches and players as situations arise, our credibility as referees increase.  They will believe we are keeping up with the sport that way.

 

DROP BOX QUESTION:

From Lindsey Hood, Park Hill head coach:  Is it legal for one of my players to have a towel tucked into her waistband during play?

We contacted MSHSAA on this one, but the short answer is that it is legal, but if it falls out and causes a potential safety hazard during play, the R1 can stop the play and issue an unnecessary delay for that.  If a delay is sanctioned, then the towel must be removed from her waistband.  If the player drops it, but quickly throws it off the court without causing a safety issue, let play continue without a delay.

Those of you who will be refereeing Park Hill, make sure you know the rule!  Good on Coach Hood to ask this question in advance so there’s no issues on match night!

 

NEXT MEETING:

Sun., Aug. 26 at LEE’S SUMMIT HIGH SCHOOL – 3:30pm for new officials, 4:30-6:00pm for all officials.  PLEASE ARRIVE ON TIME!  We will be talking about Part II Test questions (remember, we are not going over every question) you may have, we will have some situational videos to watch, and remember to ask questions or provide meeting ideas in the DROPBOX for us to go over that day.

 

WE ARE ALL MENTORS, WE ARE ALL MENTEES!