Be the Referee: Switching Sides
By
Sam Davis
MHSAA Director of Officials
September 6, 2022
Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.
Below is this week's segment – Switching Sides - Listen
In volleyball, a rules modification that came about during COVID has been instated as a permanent change - with overwhelming support from coaches and officials.
Previously, teams would switch sides after each set, sometimes creating a traffic jam as players and coaches move benches from side to side. Unless there is a clear competitive advantage, there is no switching now. Coaches like having a dedicated home bench and the improved pace of the match.
Things that would necessitate teams switching would be less serving room on one end of the court, a window on one side with the sun shining in, or an overhead obstruction on one end.
It’s up to the official to determine if an advantage exists and if teams will switch at the end of each set – or stay on the same side for the entirety of the match.
Previous Editions:
Aug. 30: Play Clock - Listen
Aug. 23: Intentional Grounding Change - Listen
Flashback 100: Leland Career Helps Set Stage for Glass' International Stardom
November 15, 2024
Alisha Glass has accomplished nearly everything there is to achieve on the volleyball court.
A standout at Leland High School, she graduated in 2006 as a four-time first-team all-state selection and set MHSAA records for career kills (3,584) and aces (937). She also recorded 680 blocks, a national record at the time. Glass was the driving force behind Leland's 2006 Class D championship team, and her remarkable list of achievements continued to grow after high school.
At Penn State, Glass helped lead the Nittany Lions to three consecutive NCAA championships from 2007 to 2009. During her four years, Penn State posted an incredible 142-5 record, with an astonishing 102-match winning streak. Glass earned three All-America honors during her time with the team.
Her success didn’t stop at the collegiate level. Glass went on to win a gold medal at the 2014 World Championships and a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she was named the tournament's "Best Setter." She has been named USA Volleyball's Female Indoor Athlete of the Year twice (2013, 2014).
After coaching two seasons at Stanford, Glass now plays professionally for the Vegas Thrill in the Pro Volleyball Federation, continuing her legacy of excellence in the sport.
Previous "Flashback 100" Features
Nov. 8: Future Baseball Pro Led Escanaba's Legendary Football Title Run - Read
Nov. 1: Michigan High School Baseball Trio Provide World Series Voices - Read
Oct. 25: Before Leading Free World, Ford Starred for Champion GR South - Read
Oct. 18: Mercy Links Legend Becomes World Golf Hall of Famer - Read
Oct. 11: Fisher Races to Finals Stardom on Way to U.S. Olympic First - Read
Oct. 4: Lalas Leaves High School Legacies on Ice & Pitch - Read
Sept. 27: Tamer's History-Making Run Starts in Dexter, Continues to Paris - Read
Sept. 20: Todd Martin’s Road to Greatness Starts at East Lansing - Read
Sept. 13: James Earl Jones, Dickson High Hoops to Hollywood Legend - Read
Sept. 6: Pioneers' Unstoppable Streak Stretches 9 Seasons - Read
Aug. 30: Detroit dePorres Rushes to 1995 Class CC Football Championship - Read
PHOTOS (Top) At left, Leland's Alisha Glass celebrates with her teammates during the 2006 MHSAA Finals; at right, Glass speaks during the MHSAA Women In Sports Leadership Conference in 2018. (MHSAA archives.)