Wisconsin Volleyball Coaches Association

Hi WVCA Members and Coaches,

Just want to bring you up to date on the changes for the 2004 high school volleyball season.

Summer contact of 5 days has been approved by the WIAA.  The 5 days can start after the last day of school and have to be completed July 31.  There will be no school year contract except during your season.  The WIAA is developing rules and regulations on the summer contact rule.  It will be some time in April when the WIAA will have an official release of information on summer contact.

The format of rally scored matches in volleyball to be effective in 2004. All varsity conference matches (duals, triangulars, quads) must be best-out-of-five games and played to 25 points with the fifth game scored to 15 points with all games having no scoring caps. The only exceptions to this format are invitationals and season-ending conference tournaments that may use a best-of-three games format to be included in a team's season record.

The libero has been approved by the WIAA and the NFHS.  Here are the basic rules for using the libero position.   We will still be using 18 substitutions.

LIBERO BASICS:

* Libero & 18 substitutions allowed. Libero replacement not counted as a substitution.
* Designate a libero for each game on the line-up sheet.
* Libero can be the floor captain. New floor captain designated.
* Libero can replace any back row player & the must be replaced by that same player.
* Exchange must take place between the end line and the attack line. No umpire signal for exchange.
* Replacement must be completed before the start of the next rally.
* Libero may be used as an exceptional sub for an injured player if no other legal subs are available.
* Libero may not be used as a sub for a disqualified player.
* If libero is disqualified, she must be replaced by the player whom she replaced.

LIBERO PLAYING ACTIONS:
* Libero cannot compete an attack hit from anywhere, if at the moment of contact the ball is completely above the height of the net.
* Libero cannot serve, block, or attempt to block.
* Libero cannot hand set a ball in front of the attack line to a teammate who completes an attack while the ball is completely above the height of the net.
* Libero must sit out a rally/loss of rally before replacing another player.

LIBERO UNIFORM:
* Jersey must be a contrasting color. Can be a different style.
* Uniform must have a legal number.
* Shorts must be identical to teammates.

LIBERO INJURY:
If the libero cannot play due to an injury:
* Must first be replaced by the player whom she replaced.
* New libero can be redesignated at any time.
* When redesignation occurs, it is with any substitute that is on the bench at the time of redesignation.
* Redesignated libero must follow libero uniform rule.
* New libero is libero for the rest of the game.
* Injured libero cannot re-enter that game at all.

Coaches being able to stand up during "dead ball situations" was approved by the WIAA but denied by the NFHS.  The WIAA will be addressing this with
the NFHS again after the 2004 season.  Hopefully, we can get permission to experiment with this rule in the 2005 season.

The WIAA has approved having the higher seeded team hosting in the quarterfinals and semifinals of Regionals.  In the past if a low seeded team upset a higher seed in the first round of playoffs, the higher seed had to travel to the lower seeds gym.  We felt the higher seed should always host in these rounds because they earned the higher seed and deserve to host.  Regional Finals and Sectionals will be predetermined locations as is now.

Mark your Calendars!!  The WVCA Coaches Clinic will be in Wisconsin Dells this summer.  On the night of Friday, August 13th there will be a social for all members.  We are working with the Chula Vista Resort ( http://www.chulavistaresort.com )on rooming packages.  The clinic will be on Saturday, August 14th.  More information will be available in late May.

Let me know if you have any questions?

Thanks,
Matt Schoultz
WVCA President