HOW DO I BECOME A USAV
OFFICIAL?
Following are steps required to become
certified as an adult non-playing official in the Florida region of
USA Volleyball. Please review these steps and if you have
additional questions, please contact:
Procedure for becoming certified as
a USA Volleyball Official:
1.
Review training materials
at
http://www.volleyballreftraining.com/powerpoints.php
These materials introduce the rules,
interpretations, mechanics, best practices and professionalism that
are all part of being successful as a USAV official.
2.
Register as a member of
the Florida Region, USAV through the region website,
http://www.FloridaVolleyball.org/. Please note that an annual
background screening, at an additional fee, is required for all
officials working Juniors events. This screening must be current for
all officials before they take the court at a Juniors event. Note
that screening must be done through this process. Background screens
done through other government or private organizations are not
accepted. All certified officials must be a member in good standing
of the Florida Region, USA Volleyball.
3.
Attend a regional
training clinic. Sites and dates are listed at
http://www.FloridaVolleyball.org/OfficialsFP.htm. Bring a brief
resume or written outline of your volleyball officiating experience.
If you received certification in another USAV region, or if you are
a PAVO certified official, bring the contact information from the
Referee Chair or Board Chair from your past association.
4.
Take the online referee
and scorekeeper tests found at
http://www.FloridaVolleyball.org/OfficialsFP.htm.
5.
Once you have attended a
regional clinic and passed the test, you will be invited via email
to join the NOVA officials assigning system. Register on the system.
6.
On-court practical
training and evaluation will take place at a sanctioned tournament.
In order to prepare, review the training materials in step 1 above.
Also it is recommended that you volunteer your time to practice at a
club practice or as an R2 at a local tournament. New officials must
be evaluated and receive a passing rating on at least two matches as
a referee and must also complete requirements to become a certified
scorekeeper. For training and evaluation matches, prospective
officials are not required to have the official uniform, but are
requested to wear clothing similar to that of professional referees.
This includes navy pants or slacks (no jeans), a plain white polo
shirt, solid white athletic shoes and white socks. Since the
evaluations are pass/fail, prospective officials are not required to
purchase new uniform clothing until they have successfully completed
the process.
7.
Once a candidate has
completed the certification process, they will be certified as a
Provisional USAV referee, and must recertify annually. After a
minimum of two seasons as a Provisional referee, they may apply for
Regional certification status.
8.
Certified officials are
required to wear the official USAV uniform for officials when
working at sanctioned events. The uniform consists of: white
"Certified Volleyball Official" polo shirt (short- or long-sleeved)
or the official sweater or vest, dark navy blue slacks, black or
blue belt, and solid white socks and tennis shoes. You must purchase
your own dark navy blue slacks. They should be polyester or a
polyester-cotton blend. Avoid slacks that are 100% cotton, as they
fade quickly, and consequently, they do not look professional. The
shoes must be solid white (no colored logos), as well as the socks.
It is best to purchase a pair that you will use exclusively for
officiating.
9.
Assignments for all USAV
sanctioned events in the Florida region are made through the NOVA
assigning system. Volleyball officials are independent contractors
and are not guaranteed assignments. Each sanctioned event has a
Tournament Director and/or Head Referee who is responsible for
requesting referees for their event. Each Tournament Director and/or
Head Referee provides a list of requested officials to the region
Officials’ Coordinator. Those listed receive first priority for
assignment to that event. If there are additional officials required
after the requested officials are assigned, the Officials’
Coordinator will assign referees available in the NOVA system based
on geography and experience level commensurate with the event. THERE
IS NO GUARANTEE THAT ANY OFFICIAL WILL BE ASSIGNED MATCHES DURING
THE SEASON. Due to the number of assignments available vs. the
number of officials, opportunities to work events will be very
limited. Officials with prior experience and higher rankings will be
given first priority for events.
10. For
those wishing to pursue certification, advancement and assignment to
Florida region events, the following activities are encouraged.
-Be a student of the game: know the rules and keep up to date with
current interpretations.
-Be professional: look your best and behave according to the
standards outlined in USAV training materials.
-Look for opportunities to practice your officiating. Officials
improve through working matches. Since assigned matches are limited,
look for volunteer opportunities with local club scrimmages and as
an R2 at local sanctioned events. These activities will increase
your experience as a referee and your exposure with officials and
tournament/event management.
-Seek feedback and be open to receiving it. Work with other more
experienced officials and ask for tips for improving your game. Be
receptive when the feedback is given, even if you don’t agree. Take
in the comments and reflect on them. Being able to use that
information to improve is an important part of being a certified
referee.
-Apply for additional formal evaluations at region events when the
opportunity is available. Again, it is important to be receptive to
all feedback from ratings and evaluations.
-Attend any and all training opportunities that are offered in the
region and make use of the excellent online training from USA
Volleyball.
Good luck in pursuing volleyball
referee certification. The process requires dedication, time,
expense and hard work, but can be very rewarding for those who
choose to invest their time and energy in the process.
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