In order to establish consistency in both officiating and team conduct throughout the SHSAA volleyball season the following reminders for both officials and teams involved with SHSAA competition.

 Rule Changes for 2013:

 1)  It is now the coach that will be asked to sign the score sheet at the end of each match rather than the team captain.

 2)  Misconduct and its Sanctions - please refer to Behaviour Policy at the end of this document (thank you to Dennis Pomeroy for the use of the document)

Minor misconduct offences are not subject to sanctions. It is the first referee's duty to prevent the teams from approaching the sanctioning level.

This is done in two stages:

Stage 1: by issuing a verbal warning through the game captain;

Stage 2: by use of a YELLOW CARD to a team member. This warning is not a sanction but a symbol that the team member (and by extension the team) has reached the sanctioning level for the match. It has no immediate consequences, but is recorded on the scoresheet.

SANCTION CARDS

SUMMARY OF MISCONDUCT AND CARDS USED

Warning:

Stage 1: No sanction – symbol verbal warning

Stage 2: No sanction – symbol Yellow card

Penalty: sanction – symbol Red card

Expulsion: sanction – symbol Red + Yellow cards jointly

Disqualification sanction – symbol Red + Yellow card separately

Under Spectator Conduct in the SHSAA Handbook it refers to it being "unacceptable for fans to make noise of any kind during situations such as a foul shot in basketball or during the serve in volleyball".  We have always held our student-athletes and coaches to the same or higher standards than our spectators; therefore as we do at all of our provincial championships we will remind everyone that team communication is appropriate but causing a distraction or attempting to intimidate is not acceptable during the serve in volleyball. 

Behavior Policy

This policy is meant to serve as a reminder of the Code of Ethics for Referees, the Code of Conduct for Participants, as well as guide the officials in the appropriate measures for applying sanctions (Rules 20, 21 and Misconduct Sanction Scale (2013 – 14 Rulebook).

 Participants (players and coaches)

Participants need to recognize that officials have differing perspectives on what is and is not considered an emotional reaction.  The following scenarios are examples of actions that must be dealt with appropriately.

•      The 1^st or 2^nd official hears foul language used by a participant that is loud enough to be heard by spectators, regardless of where the language is directed

•     A coach yelling across the court to question a referee’s decision 

•      Verbal comments or gestures by participants directed at an official (including line judges) in regards to a call made 

•      When a ball (or object) is thrown, kicked or deflected in anger by any participant 

The match official has the ability to determine the extent of the offence.   If considered minor, the 1^st referee may limit the sanctioning to a verbal warning. The official uses their whistle and makes an indication the conduct must stop. The official warning (yellow card) is given to the player/coach but also applies to the ENTIRE TEAM. Only one official warning is given to a team for the duration of the match.  Repetition of minor offences by the same team in the same match will be sanctioned progressively. 

If considered major, the 1^st referee shall consider the action in relation to the sanction scale and will apply the appropriate sanction.  Sanctions are applied based on the following:

•      Rude Conduct: actions contrary to good manners or moral principles, or expressing contempt

•   Offensive Conduct: defamatory or insulting words or gestures.  Repeated rude conduct

•              Aggression: physical attack or intended aggression

Note:  There does not have to be a warning to an individual or team before the official applies the appropriate sanction.