NFHS Rule Changes Being Implemented for 2018 OHSBVA Season

Description / Rule/Signal / Commentary and Recommendation
New penalty related to unnecessary delay / Rule 10-2 / After a team is charged with unnecessary delay, no further substitutions may be requested by that team until the next completed rally. This change eliminates further delay of the set by removing the option of requesting additional substitutions after a team is charged with an unnecessary delay.
Change in signal related to unnecessary delay / Signal No. 21 / New mechanics call for official to raise hand on side of offending team, beside head with palm facing shoulder and hold appropriate card on the wrist of raised hand.
New procedure for warming up between sets that minimizes risk of injury / 11-5-3 / Between sets, teams may warm up in their playing area; however, volleyballs may not be hit over the net.
Clarification that no team member may legally assist a player who is making an attempt to play the ball / 2-4-1b / Wording was simply changed from “another player” to “team member” to clarify that no one on the team bench can assist a player who is making an attempt to play the ball.
Clarification of change in responsibilities and mechanics of R2 during a time-out from 2017 / 5-8-3a / Note added stating “when multiple courts are in use, the second referee may end a time-out or interval between sets with a whistle.” While rule calls for timer to sound horn at 60 seconds as defining end of a time-out, this could be confusing and distracting when multiple courts are being used.
Exception to last year’s revision to replay rule / 9-8-2, 11-4-1b / Once a replay is signaled by the first referee, no requests may be recognized until after the replay. An exception will now be allowed for an injured or ill player. If the injured or ill player cannot continue, Rule 11-4-1b now permits the coach the option of requesting a substitution, completing a legal libero replacement or taking a time-out if the team has time-outs remaining.
The OHSBVA chose to interpret this rule the same way for the 2017 season. Where an injury occurs and a replay is issued on that play, after everything related to the injury or illness is attended to, the referees may facilitate a lineup check for either team. Injuries are inherently stressful situations, and there is no inherent advantage in the second referee offering a lineup check.
Additional responsibility for second referee / 5-5-3b(10) / Now included formally in rule, change states R2 shall ensure that head coach remains in replacement zone no closer than 6 feet to the sideline, when standing during play.For OHSBVA, the standing coach may be outside the libero replacement zone, standing with the players who are allowed to be standing outside the benches/chairs. The R2 should ensure that the coach maintains distance from the bench sideline when the ball is in play and may have difficulty having a time-out or substitution re4quest or a lineup check request be seen or heard by the R2 simply because of being positioned at such a distance from the R2