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.)

Be the Referee: Out of Bounds, In Play

By Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator

January 14, 2025

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 – Out of Bounds, In Play - Listen

We’re on the basketball court today for a “You Make the Call.”

Players from Team A and Team B are running down the sideline, chasing after a loose ball. While trying to get around his opponent, Player A’s momentum takes him out of bounds for two or three steps. He then steps back inbounds and grabs the ball. Is this legal?

Yes, it is legal – provided the player establishes position inbounds before touching the ball. A player may step out of bounds, but as long as they establish themselves inbounds before touching the ball, they can legally play the ball.

If the player were to touch the ball while still out of bounds, however, the play would be whistled dead, and possession would be awarded to the opposing team.

Previous 2024-25 Editions

Jan. 7: Wrestling Scoring - Listen
Dec. 17: Bowling Ball Rules - Listen
Dec. 10: Neck Laceration Protector - Listen
Dec. 3: Basketball Goaltending - Listen
Nov. 26: 11-Player Finals Replay - Listen
Nov. 19: 8-Player vs. 11-Player Football - Listen
Nov. 12: Back Row Setter - Listen
Nov. 5: Football OT - Listen
Oct. 29: Officials Registration - Listen
Oct. 22: Volleyball Serve - Listen
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 John Johnson.)