How to Become a Certified Volleyball Referee in the Ohio Valley Region and Vicinity

USA VOLLEYBALL OFFICIATING

USA Volleyball Referees (formerly USVBA): Certification is through the USAV Region under the supervision of the Regional Referees’ Chairperson. In the Ohio Valley Region (OVR), required pre-season clinics are held at various sites within the region. You must attend one of these clinics and pass the online rules and scorer exams. You must also pass an evaluation as 1st referee, 2nd referee, and scorer. You will be observed during a sanctioned tournament in January or February. If not already a member, you will need to join USAV ($47/year in the OVR), plus submit to a required background screening ($14 every year).

Detailed information for prospective referees can be found here.

Contact OVR New Official Development Coordinators Jared Malott ([email protected]) or Katie Wagner ([email protected]).

HIGH SCHOOL OFFICIATING

Certification for High School Referees: High schools and junior high schools use the rulebook published by the National Federation of State School Athletic Associates (see Resources below). There are many significant differences between Federation and USAV rules. Contact the appropriate State Association for additional information.

Ohio: Contact the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA), 4080 Roselea Pl., Columbus, OH 43214, (614) 267-2502 (bus), website www.ohsaa.org.

Pennsylvania: Contact the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) at: 550 Gettysburg Rd., PO Box 2008, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-0708, (800) 382-1392 or (717) 697-0374, website is: www.piaa.org.

West Virginia: Contact the West Virginia High Secondary School Activities Commission at: Route 9, Box 76, Parkersburg, WV 26101-9158, (304) 485-5494, website is: www.wvssac.org.

WOMEN’S COLLEGIATE OFFICIATING

Women’s College Referees -The Professional Association of Volleyball Officials (www.pavo.org) provides training, education, and certification for officiating women’s collegiate volleyball. The rulebook is published by the NCAA. There are some significant differences between NCAA and USAV rules.

ReSources

USA Volleyball National Office, 4065 Sinton Rd., Ste. 200, Colorado Springs, CO 80907. Website: www.usavolleyball.org. The USAV website offers information about USA Men’s and Women’s National Teams, indoor and beach events, National Championships for adults and juniors, and coaching education materials.

USAV’s Officials Academy – The Academy is accessible to currently registered USAV-OVR members and is accessible only through each member’s SportsEngine account. The Official’s Academy includes an extensive library of video training modules for professional referees and junior player officials. Certain modules are required for certification each season. The USAV website offers “Resources for Officials” (Resources for Officials – USA Volleyball), which includes scoring instructions and documents, beach officiating and certifications, officiating opportunities and training camps, and rules interpretations. The USAV rules casebook and rules books are available as free downloads. Video training modules are accessible only to current USAV members.

NCAA, PO Box 6222, Indianapolis, IN 46206: current season NCAA Rule Book, or available as free PDF download at www.ncaapublications.com.

National Federation of State High School Associations (NFSHSA), 5804 Churchman By-Pass, Indianapolis, IN 46203-6109, (800) 776-3462, website is www.nfhs.org. The current season Volleyball Rule Book and Volleyball Case Book & Manual may be purchased online at www.nfhs.com.

Ohio Valley Region website – www.ovr.org: listing of referees, tournaments, clinics, etc.

Regional Referees’ Chair, Ohio Valley Region – USAV, Brian Hemelgarn, 2715 W. Stein Road, La Salle, MI 48145, 419-410-2291 /m, [email protected].

NCAA Rules Interpretations: Anne Pufahl, NCAA Volleyball Secretary-Rules Editor, [email protected].

USA Volleyball Rules Interpreter: Bill Stanley, Please direct initial questions to the OVR Referees’ Chair for assistance.

USA Volleyball Rules Commission: Julie Voeck, Chair, [email protected].