Volleyball Officials and Their Duties

Like officials in most sporting competitions, volleyball officials are important in order to control the flow of the game and enforce the rules. The volleyball referee team includes the first referee, the second referee, the scorer and two line judges. Without the officiating crew, the fast-paced game could easily get out of hand if disputes regarding rules were to arise. Officials are used at every level from high school to the pro game.

What are scorers in volleyball?

The official scorekeeper keeps track of the score throughout the volleyball game. Before the game begins the scorer writes down the starting lineup of each team on the lineup sheet and notifies the referees if the lineup was not received on time.

If a dispute or irregularity arises regarding the scoresheet, the scorer uses a buzzer to notify the first and second referees. Also, when a substitution request arises, the scorer tells the referees. In the NCAA, an assistant scorer is used to run the scoreboard and act as a libero tracker.

What are Line Judges in volleyball?

At least two, and as many as four, line judges monitor each game and make judgment calls on out of bounds plays. The line judges stand at the corners of the court along the end line of the court watching the lines to indicate whether a ball in play falls in or out of the court. If a ball goes outside of the bounds set by the sideline and endline, it is a point for the other team.

If a server steps on the line during a serve, it is a foot fault and the line judge watching the given line notifies the referees using a flag. When a player touches an out-of-play ball or if the ball hits an antenna, the designated line judge also indicates the interference.

What is the First Referee in volleyball?

The first referee stands on the referee stand and controls the play of the entire game. Whatever issues arise during the game, the first referee determines the call and has the final say. After making a call, no player or other referee can argue the call, although a formal protest can be placed with the scorer. The first referee is similar to a crew chief in a baseball umpire crew and most have an intense depth of knowledge on volleyball rules and hand signals.

Pre-match, the first referee inspects the equipment and the players' uniforms. The warm-ups and the coin toss also fall under the jurisdiction of the first referee.

Throughout the match, the first referee makes calls regarding faults and scoring issues. They also tell the servers in the back row when ball crossing, or serving, is allowed. At the end of the match, the first referee notes the score and signs the official paperwork.

What is the Second Referee in volleyball?

The second referee works to assist the first referee throughout the game. If for some reason the first referee cannot finish her duties, the second referee may take the place of the first referee.

The second referee stands next to the post opposite the first referee. In addition to assisting the first referee with determining faults throughout the game, the second referee is in charge of all substitutions, timeouts and the actions of the scorer's table.