The Women’s Volleyball Rules Committee proposed allowing the use of artificial noisemakers during matches at its annual meeting January 24-27 in Key West, Florida.

That action represents a change of pace from previous rules limiting the use of such devices, but the rules committee cited the change as an alternative way to create an exciting atmosphere for the student-athletes and fans.

While the rules proposal still would prohibit the use of electronic noisemakers, air horns and whistles, the committee believes allowing other types of noisemakers gives fans an avenue for positive expression rather than using chants with questionable language or other derisive cheers, which in the past may have been their way of getting involved.

“The rule change is intended to give institutions and conferences more flexibility to promote the game and enhance excitement at matches,” said Suzie Fritz, committee chair and head coach at Kansas State University.

That and other rules-change proposals the committee made must be approved by the Playing Rules Oversight Panel before being implemented into the rules book. The complete list of rules changes will be sent to all coaches and commissioners for comment before being submitted to PROP for review in March.

In other actions, the rules committee proposed that by 2010, net poles must be located at least one meter from the sideline. The change would apply to all facilities built or refurbished after 2006. The one-meter standard currently is a recommendation, not a requirement.

“Because of the financial impact, we have built in a significant grace period to implement the change,” Fritz said. “Our desire would be to have it done immediately, though. We are seeing more and more players make contact with the net pole during slides. A consistent distance from court to court would help.”

The committee also again will recommend to PROP that a minimum overhead clearance height of 25 feet be added to the rules. A minimum currently is not listed, and 25 feet is the requirement for basketball. The committee proposed the change last year, but PROP did not approve it. The rules committee is proposing that the rule be considered an administrative rule, which allows institutions to mutually consent to playing on a court without the minimum clearance height.           

Committee members also agreed that the attack line must be extended beyond the court boundary line, with five 15-centimeter lines spaced 20 centimeters apart to 1.75 meters. The new specification was approved and listed in the 2005 rules book as notice that it would be required for the 2006 season.

Also, because instances of teams not being ready to play at the start of a game have increased, the consequences have been clarified. A team delay will be assessed to the team that is late at game time. If the delay continues, a team-delay penalty will be assessed to the late team and a point will be awarded to the team that is ready to play every 30 seconds for a maximum of five minutes. After five minutes, the game will be forfeited. The previous rule called for forfeit of the game after one minute, but the committee believed that penalty was too harsh.

Other highlights

Women’s Volleyball Rules Committee

January 24-27/Key West, Florida

* Ruled that any secondary-court surface may be up to a half inch lower than the primary surface. The current rule would allow the secondary surface to be a half inch higher or lower. The committee was concerned about a student-athlete tripping in pursuit of a ball.

* Agreed that any non-playable area should be available equally to both teams during a warm-up period.

* Specified that only one designated coach from each team may speak to the referee at a time during competition.

* Voted that when a coach is disqualified and prohibited from participating in the subsequent match, he or she must leave the court when the referees take control of the match on their arrival at that match.

* Ruled that an exceptional substitute will not count as a team substitution.

* Voted that a player who contacts the net is guilty of a net fault only if the player is reasonably close enough to the ball for the action to be considered “playing the ball.”  Faking an attack or blocking a faked attack is no longer automatically considered as playing the ball.