Be the Referee: Volleyball Serve
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
October 22, 2024
Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.
Below is this week's segment – Volleyball Serve - Listen
We’ve got a volleyball question for you today.
At the moment of the serve, which statement is NOT true:
- All players, including the libero, shall be in the correct serving order.
- All players, including the libero, are not required to be in the correct serving order.
- No player, other than the server, may have any part of the body touching the floor outside of the boundary lines.
- All players, except the server, shall be within the team’s playing court and boundary lines.
If you said – all players, including the libero, are not required to be in the correct serving order – you are correct.
At the moment of serve – all players must in the correct serving order and only the server can be outside of the playing court and boundary lines.
Previous 2024-25 Editions
Oct. 15: "You Make the Call" - Soccer Offside - Listen
Oct. 8: Roughing the Passer - Listen
Oct. 1: Abnormal Course Condition - Listen
Sept. 25: Tennis Nets - Listen
Sept. 18: Libero - Listen
Sept. 10: Cross Country Uniforms - Listen
Sept. 3: Soccer Handling - Listen
Aug. 24: Football Holding - Listen
(Photo by Gary Shook.)
What's My Why: Official Stan Wright
May 27, 2026
Stan Wright, Warren
Wright was recognized this spring for his 30 years as an MHSAA-registered official. He started with basketball, added baseball his second year, and continues to officiate those and also football and softball. He also officiated volleyball for three years.
One, I love the competition. Two, I love giving these kids an opportunity to compete, be a part of them competing.
And also being a part of encouraging them to be the best person they can be as they matriculate from sport to sport and then as they matriculate in life. So, it's all about helping those kids become the best that they can be.
And that's the passion and the joy I get out of it.
“What’s My Why” is a weekly feature telling the stories of MHSAA-registered officials in their own words. If you’re an MHSAA official and would like to share your reason why, please submit a 15 to 45-second video, taken horizontally, to director of officials Sam Davis at [email protected].
Don't miss Officiate Michigan Day 2026, July 25 in Grand Rapids! Check out MHSAA.com/OMD to register and learn more.
What's My Why
May 26: Murray Rose, Zeeland - Watch
May 22: Mike VanLaan, Alto - Watch
May 18: Clint Abbott, Newaygo - Watch