Rules book production and future rules changes were the two major issues facing the newly created NCAA Women's Volleyball Rules Committee at its inaugural meeting August 3-4 in Indianapolis. The meeting was an opportunity for the committee members to familiarize themselves with their charge, identify the hot topics in the volleyball community and develop a process for researching and implementing rules changes in all facets of the sport.

The committee has a representation of four Division I members, two Division II members and two Division III members. The Division I members are Cynthia Gannon of Southeast Missouri State University; Nina Matthies of Pepperdine University; Terry Pettit of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln; and Brenda Weare of Conference USA. Debbie Hendricks of Metropolitan State College of Denver and Theresa Garlacy of Bryant College represent Division II, while Tim Cowie of New York University and Kristin Russell of the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater, are the Division III representatives.

Before the meeting, the committee members nominated Pettit to chair the committee. Pettit is an administrator at Nebraska who previously coached the Cornhuskers' wo- men's volleyball team for 23 seasons. In 1995, Nebraska claimed its first Division I championship. Pettit retired at the end of the 1999 season, one year before Nebraska claimed the title again.

A primary task for the committee in the coming months is to produce a rules book for the 2002 season. In one of its first official actions, the committee voted to adopt the National Association of Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS) Volleyball Rules book as the framework for the NCAA book. The committee felt the membership was already familiar with the format and language of the NAGWS book and wanted to ease the rules transition for the membership.

Working relationships

The subcommittees' work with outside parties reflects a commitment to communicate with other volleyball organizations. In the past, the NCAA has had representation on USA Volleyball, American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and NAGWS committees.

"Our mission is to produce a clear and comprehensive rule book for NCAA volleyball, but it will also be to our benefit to maintain good working relationships with other organizations that have a vital interest in the sport of volleyball," said Pettit.

Keeping with that theme, the committee currently is working with the AVCA to schedule several meetings with the AVCA membership at the AVCA convention. The convention is held in conjunction with the Division I Women's Volleyball Championship.

"We hope to have the opportunity to make a brief presentation at the divisional meetings so that we can inform coaches about the mission of the NCAA Women's Volleyball Rules Committee, as well as interact with people about proposals that we will consider in the spring," Pettit said.

The committee also plans to communicate with the NCAA women's volleyball championships committees. The committee appointed Gannon, Hendricks and Russell to serve as liaisons with their respective divisions on behalf of the rules committee.

Plans to survey the membership during the 2001 season also are being solidified. Some of the topics anticipated for the survey are use of the libero player, substitutions and scoring formats. The committee will work with the AVCA and championships committees to notify the membership of the survey's distribution and return dates.

Other topics undergoing preliminary discussion are the current officiating program as administered by the Professional Association of Volleyball Officials (PAVO), the committee's role in reviewing equipment submitted by manufacturers, and the production of supplementary rules materials. The membership can contact Keri A. Potts at the national office (317/917-6222) for rules committee inquiries.