Volleyball Advisory Committee

Minutes
November 27, 2007 • 10 a.m.
Robert W. Hughes FHSAA Building
Gainesville, Florida


1. Introductions, purpose, e-mail addresses
The meeting was called to order at 10:08 a.m. by Tamara Forrester. Mrs. Forrester noted the purpose of the meeting and those in attendance proceeded with a brief introduction of themselves. In attendance were: Elise Bush, Bolles (Jacksonville); Joy Becker, Leon HS (Tallahassee); Heidi Castelamare, River Ridge HS (New Port Richey); Chad Long, Oviedo HS; Rob Brashear, Sickles HS (Tampa); Louise Crocco, Cardinal Gibbons HS (Fort Lauderdale); Kelly Wilson, Sarasota HS; and Michele Faulk, Santa Fe HS (Alachua). FHSAA staff members in attendance were John Stewart, Executive Director; M. Denarvise Thornton, Associate Executive Director; Paul McLaughlin, Assistant Executive Director; Tamara Forrester, Director of Athletics; and Kyle Gerberding, UF Intern.

2. Committee members completed their travel expense vouchers. Mr. McLaughlin thanked the committee for their work with him over the past five years and shared with the committee his new duties with coaches education. Additionally, he shared calendar issues that came up with the volleyball community over the past year with regard to school start dates being adjusted and the bracket changes.

3. The committee selected Joy Becker as the Chairperson.

4. The minutes from the previous meeting and the agenda were reviewed and adopted. One modification to the agenda was made, the addition of VCAC Recommendation #5 on the rotation of district tournament sites among counties.

5. Review of the 2007-08 FHSAA Volleyball Manual included:
1. Review of the manual dates and how and when they were corrected and published.
2. Warm-up for teams who are playing after another team are still not being afforded any time to stretch/pepper, even after the FHSAA clarification for officials this year. The pre-match meetings are starting in some areas after the 6-6-3 has started and are taking too long.
3. There are concerns about court use prior to the 6-6-3 at state series events, especially region games. Some officials are not permitting teams to be on the court after 3-4 hour bus rides until the 6-6-3. The FHSAA will clarify for next season.
4. The official ball of the FHSAA State Series, Spalding TF5000, under section 207.03 will clarify penalties for noncompliance next year.
5. The FHSAA will also clarify travel party restrictions for the state series. This is clarified for the FHSAA Finals, but not for district and region games.

6. Review of the 2007 State Tournament in Lakeland included the following discussion items:
1. The overall feeling was that the tournament was great and that each day ran smoothly. Ms. Crocco thanked the FHSAA staff for developing a relaxed atmosphere at the state finals tournament for coaches and participants over the past few years.
2. Many committee members and families who could not travel to the tournament enjoyed the opportunity to follow the online stats program. The FHSAA staff did a great job.

7. Old Business
2006 VCAC Recommendation #1
Submit rule change to NFHS to modify existing rule 12-2-6 to allow a head coach to stand in the libero replacement zone to coach at any time.
Motion to Accept as Modified by Faulk/ 2nd Wilson (8-0 Approve)

The committee also decided to submit to the NFHS as a request to experiment with the coaching area.
Motion to Accept by Long/ 2nd Faulk (8-0 Approve)
Motion to FAST TRACK by Bush/ 2nd Crocco (8-0 Approve)

8. New Business
2007 FACA Recommendation #1 (Effective 2009-10)
Create a two division play-off system with private vs. private and public vs. public.
Motion to Deny by Brashear/ 2nd Long (7-1 Deny)
The committee felt that this issue is larger than their scope and that the wording was not written in a form that could be passed. It was also noted that this may also be a rural vs. urban issue too.

2007 FACA Recommendation #2 (Effective 2009-10)
Monitor travel fees and have and officials evaluation committee.
Motion to Amend by Faulk/ 2nd Castelamare (8-0 Approve)
Amended to read: The officials evaluation committee would include an evaluation card for each match and each head coach to complete for use in training and post season recommendations.
Motion to Approve as Amended by Castelamare/ 2nd Brashear (8-0 Approve)
The committee also noted that the FHSAA may want to look at a pay scale based on an official’s ranking and for the current ranking system be revamped to allow the better trained officials to be rewarded.

2007 VCAC Recommendation #1 (Effective 2009-10)
Number of coaches sitting on bench.
Motion to Deny by Crocco/ 2nd Long (8-0 Deny)
The committee felt that this is not the job of the FHSAA and it is micromanaging what schools are doing with regard to hiring of coaches and volunteer coaches.

2007 VCAC Recommendation #2 (Effective 2009-10)
Pre-match warm-up procedures similar to college 4-4-5-5.
Motion to Amend by Wilson/ 2nd Faulk (8-0 Approve)
Amended to read: Prior to each match 18 minutes will be placed on the clock. The warm-up will feature a 4-6-6-2 format. The clock will not start until the completion of the coaches/captains meeting with the officials.
Motion to Approve as Amended by Bush/ 2nd Brashear (8-0 Approve)
Motion to FAST TRACK by Brashear/ 2nd Castelamare (8-0 Approve)

2007 VCAC Recommendation #3 (Effective 2009-10)
Return to bracket system of 2006-07.
Motion to Approve by Faulk/ 2nd Brashear (8-0 Approve)

2007 VCAC Recommendation #4 (Effective 2009-10)
Compression shirts should not match the uniform color.
Motion to Table by Faulk/ 2nd Castelamare (8-0 Table)
The committee will return to this next year. Currently, this is not a major problem throughout the state.

2007 VCAC Recommendation #5 (Effective 2009-10)
Rotation of district tournament sites among counties.
Motion to Amend by Wilson/ 2nd Faulk (8-0 Approve)
Amended to read: To rotate the placement of the district tournament: Allow each county in the district the opportunity to host at least once during a classification cycle.
Motion to Approve as Amended by Faulk/ 2nd Wilson (8-0 Approve)

9. Sportsmanship Update
The number of ejections were down this year, all seven were coaches. Overall volleyball had a great year, especially the student-athletes.

10. Roundtable/Discussion
a. Reviewed parent email regarding district seeding and Astronaut High School. The committee feels that the seeding formula to date is sufficient. In the future, the committee might look at number of games won instead of match winner. Their might be a negative impact on player time in certain matches.
b. Reviewed concerns with warm-up shirts without numbers on them for roster purposes. The committee believes that this is a local issue and if there are 15 names on the roster and 15 bodies on the court, this is sufficient. If there are any issues with players checking in that are not reflected on the roster, then the coach/team will have to take the penalty under NFHS rule 7-1-1.
c. The committee members are not in favor of the new NFHS noisemaker rule (1-8). Clarification is need from the NFHS on exactly what is and isn’t allowed, for many of the traditions of volleyball are being silenced and some officials are misinterpreting the rule.
d. This year, Kathy DeBoer of the American Volleyball Coaches Association contacted the FHSAA in an effort to help educate Florida’s coaches. This information was noted for the committee and Ms. Faulk will follow-up with Ms. DeBoer to see if she is interested in attending the FACA clinic as well as to see what Florida can do to help develop a relationship.

Ms. Becker adjourned the meeting at 1:10 p.m.