A NCAA rule changes means big things for Pacific volleyball
Last February, the NCAA announced a severe rule change for the sport of volleyball. Starting this academic year, double touches will be allowed, along with two liberos dressing out for games. This change is historic for the sport as a whole, and Pacific volleyball is ready to embrace it.
Head Coach Kip Yoshimura explained the double rule as an opportunity to keep the game flowing throughout longer points. “Typically the second ball is taken by the setter… they have historically called doubles if it comes out of the setter’s hands too tight to the net, or with too much spin on the ball. It was really always a judgment call.”
Essentially, the rule change potentially allows for the game to be played with fewer interruptions. An average game would tend to feature the call two or three times total, so eliminating it is a way to raise the stakes and give more value to each point. The only caveat to the rule is it is still illegal to double a ball over the net. The only time double contacts are allowed will be on the first and second contacts—a ball sent to teammates on the same side of the net.
Yoshimura is embracing the updated regulations as an opportunity to push the program’s limits and develop a new stamina for long points. “Hopefully this allows us to get some longer, better rallies and take some of the judgment calls away from the officials…Every official at all levels was calling it differently, and I think the coaches wanted some uniformity, so the NCAA decided to just let it all go…Even internationally, which is at the highest standard of volleyball, they have been calling double contact on the second ball very rarely for years now.”
Though he is open to the change, he doesn’t see it as the extreme thing some other coaches might. “I don’t think it will change that much for us, I think the technique that has worked will still work…It won’t change our tactics, it will just open an opportunity to play longer and less interrupted.”
Junior setter Maya Deferme sees the rule as a positive, explaining it will take a tough decision away from the referees. “I’m for it because of the discrepancies there have been within the ref’s calls. There have been times when I set the same ball twice and got called on one of them but not the other. If anything, it takes some pressure off and allows me to just focus on playing the game without that one technicality.”
Deferme went on to explain that her form will stay consistent despite the rule change, because ultimately a doubled ball is never the goal. She views the rule as a means to keep the scoring more consistent, not a reason to begin trying to double on her sets. This view is somewhat controversial, as the change has sparked debate throughout the volleyball community. As for Pacific volleyball, the program is starting the season split on the issue.
Senior setter Sarah Hon views the rule as a negative change, arguing it lowers the standard athletes have spent entire careers training to achieve. She argues the NCAA should have sought to make parameters of what constitutes a double contact more clearly defined, rather than doing away with them all together. “It seems like years of working towards precision are going down the drain for so many players. Overall, it’s just not beneficial to the game. There’s a reason doubles were illegal – it wasn’t just a random pointless rule. Now, unpredictable sloppy sets will become more and more common without the risk of losing the point to stop setters from doubling each set.”
The NCAA also ruled that two liberos could be designated per set, a rule usually only seen in high school and club volleyball. Historically, a team’s libero has spent the entire game on the court, excluding the one rotation where a middle blocker serves and plays back row defense.
Yoshimura isn’t as sure how the rule would mold the team, as he hasn’t coached with two liberos in the past. “Liberos have very strict positions on the court – they can only play back row, and they can go in as many times as they need to without substitution limits…We might use the opportunity to give a libero a breather and keep her fresh, but I don’t think this program is so specialized we would have designated serve receive and defense liberos. We still need to see who develops throughout the year.”
He compared the liberos to soccer goalies: maybe you can use three goalies in a game, but you typically only want to use one. Switching out liberos mid-set would be a strategic move he wants to experiment with going forward.
Senior libero Danica Nelson shared that sentiment, explaining that while the new rule is an exciting change to the game, she worries it will take some level of strategy and difficulty away from the sport. “Having a DS, someone who uses up a substitution, makes the game a little bit more competitive and challenging since coaches need to weigh their options and decide how they want to use their substitutions. Especially considering that we have a set and limited amount, it just adds more strategy to both sides. While I am for having a two libero rule in those moments it can benefit the team, it just concerns me for the sport strategically.”
She went on to share that she feels the rule was created to give the primary libero some grace, and potentially some rest time. Since liberos spend almost entire games on the court in the same position, the switch would give them a chance to catch their breath and collect their thoughts during tough matches.
It would also potentially keep the level of play at a higher level, because liberos could stay fresh longer, specialize in more specific roles, and get specific, in-depth coaching during games where they previously just got comments yelled from the sidelines between serves.
Overall, Pacific volleyball is expecting games to be more competitive this season—specifically in long rallies. Going forward, Yoshimura feels the libero change will have a much bigger impact on how the program recruits and operates on a larger scale, while the doubles rule will affect everyday gameplay. “If we have a year with two liberos who are pretty even, it could be an asset to the program down the road…but a good setter is someone who can set consistently without doubles, regardless of if they’re allowed to or not.”
Women’s volleyball hosts Linfield on Tuesday, September 17 at 7 pm.
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