Just goes to show you what a committee can do if they really put
their heart into it. Who was asking for these changes and why? Can't
they just leave the game alone for a while?


http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=162613



The NCAA Women's Volleyball Rules Committee proposed a scoring format
that will change the winning score for games one through four from 30
points to 25 points, which will be more consistent with national and
international match formats.

All rules change proposals must be approved by the NCAA Playing Rules
Oversight Panel (PROP), which will review all recommendations at its
next meeting February 27. The 25-point format is used in all rule
codes, including the National Federation of State High Schools. The
fifth set, if necessary, will still be to 15 points.

"The 25-point sets will add an intensity and excitement level to our
matches that has been missing," said Marcia Alterman, the committee's
secretary-rules editor. "I believe that players, coaches and fans
will agree that the critical nature of every point will emphasize the
need for focus and consistency to every play."

In addition, the committee recommended changing the term game to set
and reducing substitutions from 15 to 12, primarily because of the
change to 25-point sets. The format for media timeouts will remain
the same.

Additionally, a new ball handling directive, which guides officials
to be less severe when judging second team contacts, was proposed.
The committee envisions that this directive will not only increase
consistency in officiating calls, but also assist the growth of the
game by no longer punishing extraordinary and highly athletic plays.

"There has been a demand for more consistency regarding the referees'
ball handling decisions for several years across all divisions as
well as regions of the country," said Kerry Carr, chair of the
committee and head women's volleyball coach at the University of
Pennsylvania. "I think the game will benefit from a decrease in the
whistles that stop a rally due to a marginal infraction on ball
handling, especially when there's been a great athletic attempt to
keep the ball alive."

The committee, comprised of Divisions I, II and III coaches and
administrators, gave the topic of event management and facility
expectations serious consideration. After much discussion, the group
recommended adding preferred facility specifications to the NCAA
WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL RULES AND INTERPRETATIONS. In addition, Rule 1.1
was changed to state that all playable areas must be visible to team
members and officials.

The committee also reviewed various types of net systems available,
which are becoming more diverse, as manufacturers seek alternatives
for facilities that cannot accommodate the traditional sleeve system.
The committee will continue to research minimal net and pole
requirements that maintain the integrity of the game while providing
choices for various facilities.

As technology continues to impact volleyball, the committee is
monitoring methods used to gather data during a match and broadcast
matches to the public. The committee began discussions on the use of
instant replay and its impact on volleyball.

A recommendation from the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball
Committee was reviewed to amend Rule 18 to include an option for
relocating the first referee to the bench side of the net for the
NCAA championships. ESPN has made this request to enhance the
television production of the championship. No action was taken on the
request at this time, but continued research and consideration are
planned in the near future.

The volleyball rules book was slated to move to a two-year cycle
starting with the 2009 publication. The committee is forwarding a
request to PROP to start its two-year cycle with the 2010 book. This
will provide a better cycle to consider those rule changes made by
Federation of International Volleyball (FIVB) after the 2008 Beijing
Olympics.