Closed Poll – 4 hits or touch?
The Poll:
You are the R2… In a tightly contested match, Black blocks an attack by Gold. You clearly see the ball blocked. R1 whistles and calls 4 hits. Gold’s bench explodes. What do you do?
THOMAS HOY RESPONDS:
For anyone who has worked as a referee for a while, this has probably come up. In the end referees want to get the call right. What this scenario asks, “Do we need to make it right, and if so, how?”
In most situations the 64% of the 140 respondents who would step to the sideline to get an invitation to speak with the R1 are generally correct, depending on other variables that might influence the situation. This gives the R2 an opportunity to go over and give input/assurance that a touch occurred and get the call right.
With that in mind, the 5% that chose “accept the call from the R1” display an understanding that there are a limited number of situations in a match when partners disagree…..I saw it one way, my partner has it the other. In those situations, R1 does make the final decision.
Walking across the court without authorization from the R1 (selected by 4%) is a technique that really should be discussed in the pre-match conference and reserved for particularly volatile situations. Use this approach very judiciously.
That leaves us with the last choice — stepping out and signaling touch (preferred by 26%). This is not a recommended technique as it shows up your partner and openly questions your R1’s judgment.
A couple of thoughts– This situation requires strong R1/R2 teamwork. First, discuss during pre-match what you are going to do when close four-hit situations occur… i.e., the R1 will take a quick peek at the R2 to see a head nod or know there is a problem, the R2 will automatically give a discreet signal and then start across, the R2 will stand at the sideline to request a conference, and so on. Second, what needs to happen is that you have confidence in each other, that the R2’s body language does not say something that undermines the R1’s final decision, and that the level of certainty about whether the ball was touched by the block or not is concluded. This teamwork approach will reduce the frequency when the R1 and R2 are at odds with one another. Keep in mind, the R1 has the final call.
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