Re: Rules Question - Blocking Outdoors

[Todd <tdh@vbref.org>]

lsturt99@aol.com (Lsturt99) writes:

> 
> Just a question to clarify the blocking rules outdoors.  Indoors
> when blocking it seems that you can redirect the ball to an open
> area of the court.

Yes...provided the ball is not held carried or thrown.

> 
> Playing outdoors is there any change to this rule.  I have seen
> people block the ball in a basketball dunking motion.  Is there a
> restriction to what type of contact you can make with the ball.

The  interpretation on this issue is no different indoors and out.
The rules wording is nearly identical as well.  The main question is
"Was the ball held, carried or thrown?"  In many instances of the
"dunking" you describe, the ball is held, and a fault has occurred.  


USAV Beach 1997-98
13.4 Characteristics of the Contact
13.4.1 A player may touch the ball with any part of the body.
13.4.2 A player may have successive contact with the ball during a
       single attempt to make the team's first contact provided the
       fingers are not used to direct the ball.
13.4.3 The ball must be contacted cleanly and not held, lifted,
       pushed, caught, carried or thrown.  The ball cannot roll or
       come to rest on any part of the player's body.  It can rebound
       in any direction.
13.4.3.1 An exception shall be allowed during the defensive play of a
         hard-driven ball (an attack-hit or blocked ball traveling at
         a high rate of speed), as judged by the referee.  In that
         case, the ball may be momentarily lifted or pushed, provided
         the attempt is one continuous motion.
13.4.4 A contact of the ball using the fingers of one or two hand to
       direct hte ball toward a teammate is a set.  A player may set
       the ball in any direction toward his/her team's court.
13.4.4.1 Rotation of a set ball may indicate a held ball or multiple
         contacts during the set but in itself is not a faul.
13.4.5 For doubles and triples competition only:  If the ball is
       intentionally set into the opponent's court, the player must
       contact the ball with two hands above his/her shoulders and set
       it directly forward or directly backward with relation to
       his/her body.
13.4.5 Commentary:  A legal set directed toward a teammate that
       crosses the net because of elements is not a fault, regardless
       of the player's body position.
13.4.6 For Doubles, Triples and Four-Player Competition only:  When
       contacting the ball with one hand, other than for setting the
       ball toward a teammate, the ball must be cleanly hit with the
       heel or palm of the hand (a roll shot), with straight, locked
       fingertips (a cobra), knurled fingers (a camel toe) or with the
       back of the hand from the wrist to the knuckles. One handed
       placement or redirectio of the ball with the fingers (a dink or
       open-hand tip) is a fault.

--
                  Todd H.   tdh@vbref.org
USAV Regional Referee, Great Lakes Region, Palatine, IL
Todd's Volleyball Referee Page http://www.io.com/~tdh/vball/
"So you're a Ref and an engineer? Oh that explains it...."