To be clear… FIVB rules still outlaw blockers and hitters touching the top tape. they were just trying to stop all the insignificant calls from slowing down the game hoping for better TV coverage. Here in Canada, the only really controversial rule change enacted by Volleyball Canada has been to essentially outlaw receiving serves with an overhand pass at 13U – 16U. You can still do it but it better be ‘perfect’ or they are calling double hits. This is encouraging coaches of the younger teams to teach better forearm passing techniques. The idea is that our National team lose points because they are poor forearm passers and so they are trying to create a better foundation of forearm passing starting very young. I get the idea but it’s taken a few seasons to get the referees to agree on a common definition of a ‘perfect’ overhand pass. In the first season there were refs blowing the play down before the kid even touched the ball with an overhand pass but now we are seeing a more consistent application.

They have talked about allowing full violations of the center line (as long as there was no interference) but I think most rational people understand that this will lead to more roll-over ankle injuries which are already too common.

But I’ve officiated about 5 tournaments and coached in 3 so far this year, and it’s not so bad. My concern originally was about letting nets go. I was expecting a lot more ankle injuries from players landing on each other at the net. So far, I don’t think it’s so bad. I think most players are staying out of the net on purpose just out of habit. And when players do get in the net, we just let it go and keep playing. I have had to call a few replays because of R2′s calling nets when the setter brushes up against the net and clearly wasn’t making contact with the top of the net. But other than that, it hasn’t been too bad.

It will be interesting to say the least. Talk about a major adjustment.

Although, touching the net and going under are both terrible rules for youths. Understandable at the professional level because players have body control, but no teenage girl can control what direction she’s going once she’s started going. Those are terrible additions.