Performance of the Week: Notre Dame Prep's Josie Bloom
September 16, 2021
Josie Bloom ♦ Pontiac Notre Dame Prep
Volleyball ♦ Senior
The Sept. 8 match between host Pontiac Notre Dame Prep and Bloomfield Hills Marian featured two of the elite programs in Michigan – Marian is the reigning Division 1 champion and Notre Dame Prep made the Division 2 Semifinals last season, and both entered the evening undefeated. Four athletes took• the floor who three days later would be announced among the 10 finalists for the state’s Miss Volleyball Award.
Notre Dame Prep would win 25-20, 19-25, 25-15, with Bloom’s defense and ability to extend rallies playing a major part. The team’s libero and one of those Miss Volleyball finalists, Bloom finished the match with 25 digs and 17 serve receptions at a 2.45 rating (out of a possible 3.00) with zero errors. She also scored eight points with three aces and only one error in 15 serve attempts.
Bloom carries a 4.0 grade-point average and will continue her career next season at Virginia Tech.
@mhsaasportsPOW: Josie Bloom 🏐#performanceoftheweek #volleyball #highschoolsports #tiktalk #ndp #interview #fyp #firstpost #mistudentaid #mhsaa
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PHOTOS courtesy of Pontiac Notre Dame Prep's athletic department.
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