1. SECOND REFEREE (R2) TRAINING
USA Volleyball Rules
Prepared by Celia Serine, Business Director, J-Stroke Volleyball Club
(Not A Product of USA Volleyball)

2. Second Referee Duties Assists R1
Verifies line-ups for each team before each set
Mimics all signals of R1except a ball served into the net
Discreetly signals violations blocked from R1’s view
Oversees scorekeeper and assistant scorekeeper
Authorizes and controls time-outs and substitutions
Visually & verbally notifies coach when 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th substitutions are used and visually notifies R1
Visually & verbally notifies the head coach after the 2nd team time out is used & visually notifies the R1
Whistles prohibited player contact with the net and antennas (on both the R1 and R2 sides of the court)
Supervises injury situations

3. Second Referee Duties
Whistles if ball strikes antenna on R2’s side of court; may assist R1with a ball crossing behind the R1 by showing “out” sign discreetly; R2 should not whistle ball behind R1
Whistles center line violations
Whistles positional faults (out of rotation) of the receiving team
Whistles illegal back row attacks (signal to R1 first)
Whistles a down ball contacting the floor (signal to R1 first)

4. Second Referee Duties
Stops play for balls crossing the net outside the R2’s antenna
Stops play when a ball contacts an object/equipment outside the antenna
Communicates with R1during match
Uses 2 upraised palms to give the court back to R1 after subs, time outs etc.

5. Second Referee Calls R2 Calls R2 Does not Call
illegal back row attacks
net and center line violations
Ball down (pancakes attempts etc.)
Ball outside antenna
Players out of rotation
Substitutes & time outs
R2 Does not Call
4 hits
foot faults
touches (until asked by R1)
judgment calls (lifts, doubles)

6. Second Referee Signal Sequence
Whistle to stop play
Signal nature of fault (and player at fault, if necessary. Do not indicate player number. Gesture with arm extended and palm up toward the player at fault.)
Mimic first referee’s indication of loss of rally (next team to serve)

7. Whistle Technique
Blow whistle promptly – Be clear, sharp and authoritative
Blow separate whistle for each interruption request, including simultaneous requests (example: both teams request subs during the same dead-ball period)
Use different tones for different purposes (example: double tweet for time outs and subs; multiple tweets for injuries, long tweet to start and end set)
Mimic the R1: “1-2-3 Method” (whistle  loss of rally signal (indicates the team that won the point and serves next)  indicate violation or fault)

8. Second Referee Mechanics
Focus on receiving team during serve
Move to blockers' side during rally
After play ends, step to side of net of the team at fault, then mimic R1
If R2 whistles the fault, step to the side at fault
Scan both benches during dead balls for timeouts, substitutions or other needed communication
Serve and protect the R1, provide first response to coaches’ concerns; do not delay the match to discuss judgment calls
NOTE: The second referee must always step to the offending team’s side of the net when initiating a call.

9. Second Referee Mechanics
Substitution procedure
Administer substitutions from area that allows the scorekeeper to clearly view the players substituting
In-coming and out-going subs meet in the substitution zone (in succession, one sub at a time for multiple subs by same team).
R2 must give the “authorization to enter” signal
For simultaneous substitution requests from both teams. whistle for each team’s request
After releasing substitutes, repeat substitute numbers to scorekeeper as needed
Signal to first referee to indicate that play may begin, i.e., “ready” signal (hold both palms up toward R1)

10. Substitutions –
With the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th team substitutions, the R2 will notify the coach verbally and by displaying the substitution signal followed by the number of team substitutions used during the set. (10 – clenched right fist, 11 – clenched right fist plus index finger of left hand, 12 – clenched right fist plus index and middle finger of left hand).
The R2 then repeats the substitution signal and indicates number of substitutes to the R1

11. Second Referee Techniques
Time-out Procedure – R2 makes Time-out Signal and points toward bench of team making request
Neither referee is required to display number of time-outs taken after 1st timeout
R2 must notify coach (or captain) of second time-out by displaying the time-out signal and then showing two fingers and saying “2 taken”, if appropriate.
R2 then notifies R1 in the same manner.

12. Second Referee Techniques
Requests for Subs or Timeouts: R2 will whistle each team’s request separately. Multiple subs by same team require only one whistle.
Team Captain: R2 indicates the game captain to the R1 by placing the arm in the chest area, hand open and palm facing the floor, and pointing, open hand, toward this player. (At start of set or when captain is replaced by substitute or the Libero.) Captain should acknowledge designation by raising a hand.
Back row attack – Signal is to raise arm straight up and then bend elbow and sweep forearm down in front of face.

13. Second Referee Techniques
Improper Requests: A request for an illegal substitution or time out or late libero replacement is an Improper Request. R2 can shake off the request, but if the request is acknowledged (i.e., whistled), a game delay results. The second game delay in a set or match results in a penalty.
Note - An Improper Request is signaled with a sweeping motion – the arm extended, open hand, and the palm facing away from the body on the offending team’s side of the court.
A Game Delay is signaled by holding up one forearm and touching the watch area with opposite hand. A game delay with a penalty is signaled by pantomiming holding a penalty card in from of the watch area of the wrist.

14. RULE CHANGES:
WARM-UPS: When one team has exclusive use of the court, the opposing team may NOT warm up with practice balls in the free zone surrounding the court. They are to be on bench watching.
WORK TEAM: The entire work team must be on the court ready to work 5 minutes before the match starts (R2, scorer, libero tracker, flipper, 2 lines persons) or team is assessed game delay at start of next match.

15. RULE CHANGES: CENTER LINE VIOLATIONS
A player’s foot or feet may be on or above center line as long as some part of the foot (or feet) is touching or directly above the center line.
Player’s foot or feet completely over or straddling the line is illegal
Any body part above the feet can be across the center line as long as it doesn’t interfere with play
Crossing under the net outside the sideline is legal but can’t interfere with play
Penetration under the plane of the net without contacting the floor is legal (example, player pikes on spike, and feet go under the net but don’t contact the floor)

16. RULE CHANGES: NET VIOLATIONS -
Contact with the net is not a fault unless the player is in the action of playing or blocking the ball and contacts the tape or the top 8 cm of the net (Basically the first square of the net), or interferes with the integrity of the net (example, pulls the net down to assist the hitter).
Contact with any portion of the net outside the antenna is legal
Contact with antenna by player is only illegal if it is in the top 8 cm of the net or the portion of the antenna above the net
Contact with net supports by player (legal)
Intentionally deflecting ball through the net (illegal)

17. RULE CHANGES SUBSTITUTIONS –
A substitute player entering the sub zone is the only request for a substitution that will be recognized.
Substitutions MAY NOT BE requested by the head coach, captain or player being replaced.
Players must wait until authorized by the second referee to enter the set
For multiple substitutions by the same team, each substitute must enter the substitution zone successively, one at a time

18. RULE CHANGES
LIBERO - after exiting the game, libero can’t reenter the game until after rally is completed AND a point is scored.
Libero can’t reenter on a replay, or a re-serve, or after a penalty point. Must be an earned point.
NOTE – Team can replace libero with reserve libero once per Match (reserve libero is to be indicated on score sheet).
On a libero injury, coach need not designate a replacement immediately, just return the player to the game who was replaced by libero. If coach redesignates a libero, it must be a player on the bench. Coach may wait to redesignate libero until a player comes off the court to be used as libero.
After new libero is designated, injured libero can’t re-enter the MATCH in any capacity.

19. Libero Jerseys:
If sharing libero jerseys among players, team is technically required to submit a new roster before the match showing new libero and player numbers.

20. RULE CHANGES SIGNING SCORESHEET
At end of the MATCH, each coach and the R1 must sign the score sheet for each set to indicate agreement with the set result.

21. Rule differences from PIAA:
Coach: If seated, coach is required to sit on bench nearest the scorekeeper. Coach may stand or walk within free zone in front of team bench without disrupting the match.
Assistant Coaches: Assistant coaches may instruct players while seated on the bench. One assistant coach at a time may leave the bench to instruct players but must stay within free zone in front of team bench and not disrupt the match.
Coin Toss – Only captains must attend the coin toss. Both pre-match coin toss and deciding game coin toss are for serve/receive or choice of playing area.
Time outs: Last 30 seconds only. No warning signal is given before the end of the time out. Time outs may be taken on the court.

22. Rule differences from PIAA:
Warnings & Sanctions - Warning is a finger wag, yellow card is a penalty, red card is an expulsion, yellow and red is a disqualification.
Blocks: A part of body must be over top of the net to be a block, regardless of where the ball is contacted.
Player attire – Barrettes are allowed.
Team Delay - warning -one hand held against opposite wrist. Penalty - yellow card held against opposite wrist.
Team Captain - one team member (not the libero) must be designated as the team playing captain on the roster, and is the captain anytime that player is on the court. If the team captain is not on the starting line up, another player must be designated captain anytime the team captain isn't on the court.

23. Rule differences from PIAA:
Substitutions: Each team gets only 12 substitutions per set.
Illegal Back row attack signal- extend one arm and hand straight up from the shoulder and then bend arm at the elbow to lower the forearm and open hand in front of the face to about chin level.
Signal for 3rd and 4th team contacts by same player - "double contact" not “4 hits”
Change in line up after submitted – permitted by substitution
Back boards – ruled same as ceiling

24. Hand Signals
All one hand Signals are made with the hand that is on the side of the team that commits the fault or illegal request.
After the signal is made, the referee gestures to the player who committed the fault or the team that made the illegal request.

25. Team to Serve
Extend the arm
to the side of the
team that will
serve.
Beckon for Serve
Move the hand
to indicate the
direction of
Service. .
Time out
Place the palm
of one hand over
the fingers of
the other, held
vertically (forming
a “T”) and then
indicate the
requesting team
Change of Courts
Raise the forearms
front and back and
twist them around
the body.
Substitution
Circular motion
of the forearms
around each other.
Misconduct Penalty
Show a yellow card
for penalty.

26. Disqualification
Show both yellow and red cards jointly for
disqualification.
Expulsion
Show a red card for expulsion.
Ball not Tossed/Released at Service Hit
Lift the extended
arm, the palm
of the hand
facing upwards.
End of set or Match
Cross the forearms
in front of the chest,
hands open.
Delay in Service
Raise eight fingers,
spread open.
Blocking Fault or Screening
Raise both arms
vertically, palms
forward.

27. Positional/Rotation Fault
Make a circular
motion with the
forefinger.
Ball “In”
Point the arm and fingers toward the floor.
Ball “Out”
Raise the forearms
vertically, hands
open, palms toward
the body.
Catch
Slowly lift the
forearm, palm of
the hand facing
upwards.
Four Hits
Raise four fingers,
spread open.
Double Contact
Raise two fingers,
spread open.

28. Attack Hit Fault
Make a downward
motion with the
forearm, hand open.
Net Touched by Player/Net Serve
Indicate the
respective side of
the net.
Reaching Beyond Net
Place a hand above
the net, palm facing
downwards.
Penetration into Opponent Court/
Ball Crossing Under Net/Server Touches End Line/Player Steps Outside Court on Service Hit
Point to the center
line.
Double Fault/Replay
Raise both thumbs
vertically.

29. Ball Touched
Brush with the
palm of one hand
the fingers of the
other, held vertically.
Delay Warning/Delay Penalty
Cover wrist with open hand, palm facing referee (warning) or point to wrist with yellow card (penalty).