NEXT OFFICIAL WORD PUBLICATION DATE:OCTOBER 31, 2011

by Crystal LewisPresident

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGEStop Complaining

“OK … that’s enough!” Do you remember your Momsaying that to you growing up? Or “stop yourcomplaining!” Did you complain a lot as a child, eventhough you may have had everything in the world to behappy about?

Most of you know me and have read the quote writtenby Wayne Dyer that I include with my e-mail signature:“If you get up in the morning expecting to have a badd a y, you'll rarely disappoint yourself. S t o pcomplaining! Don't be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducksquack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd."

I really love this quote, because it helps me staypositive throughout the day. Yet lately it seems thatmore and more folks are complaining about everythingthat is in their path. I think the state of our economy hasa lot of us all tied up in knots and very stressed out. Oursituations at home and our finances seem to make usvery unhappy people. So how do we handle it? Do wejust keep complaining about everything in our way toanyone who will listen or do we do something about it?

I’ll be the mom right now and say “Stop complaining,”because I’m tired of hearing it and I will tell you that it’snot all that bad! Complaining is toxic. It gets most of usfelling like everything sucks. I hate it when people starttalking about someone else and degrading that person.I might not know that person, but do I have to hear it?Also ask yourself, does complaining really get anythingaccomplished? Are you doing it out of habit? It can’tmake you feel any better by complaining, because itsure doesn’t make us feel better to listen. Have youever caught yourself talking to someone and telling

stories about a colleague, and then the other persontells you a story just a little bit worse? This is nothealthy conversation.

I’m NOT saying that we should never point outinjustices at work, quite the contrary. If you see aproblem in your workplace, talk to whoever can dosomething about it. This is a constructive way todiscuss a solution and brainstorm to find a solution tothe problem.

I am a positive person and it doesn’t take much for anegative person to bring somebody down. It reallydoes take a lot more energy for a positive person tobring a negative person up! If people who complainwould spend less time grousing, imagine how muchmore people would come together and how specialour daily lives would be! Everyone would enjoy beingaround you and not run the other way. They wouldseek you out just to be with you and enjoy yourcompany.

I would hope if you start to complain you realize whatyou are doing and turn it around with a positivestatement. A common example is when officials aregiven post-season assignments. I’ve heard some

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officials say things like “I can’t believe so and so gotinvited to playoffs. I wonder how that happened. I’mjust as good. I should be doing playoffs.” Or thisexample that I heard after a recent OTP clinic, “I wishthey did more ball handling clips instead of all thescorekeeping stuff.”

Paralanguage is the vocal, but nonverbal aspect ofcommunication. Sometimes it is not what we say, buthow we say it. You might not think you are complainingand that it’s only a comment, but if there is a negativetone to it, you are complaining. Instead of murmuringabout somebody who got a plumb assignment,congratulate them, encourage them, and be thankfulfor the assignments you did get.

So I challenge you to start your season off with apositive step and challenge yourself to be optimistic.Be thankful and appreciative throughout the day.

Thank someone at work and pat them on the back givethem a big KUDOS for their hard work. When you dothis, don’t be sarcastic when you say it; be sincere andpositive with your words.

Oh my … I just realized I’ve been complaining aboutothers complaining, so I think I’ll STOP and say that Iam looking forward to a wonderful fall season withmany of my friends! I can’t wait to officiate and spendquality time with them every weekend. If I have a badmatch I’m going to say “It may not have been myfinest, and I will learn from this.”

I hope you’ll have some fun stories to tell at theconvention and hope all of you will enjoy your matchesthis year. Make an effort to stay positive, as it willamaze you at the end of the day how happy andunstressed you and others around you will feel!

President’s Messagecontinued from page 1

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The USAV National Championships are over andmany of us will have a few weeks to relax and enjoysummer before our collegiate seasons begin. Butthese championships did not occur without the help ofmany dedicated and hardworking individuals.

At each event, there was work room staff, raters,trainers, head officials, scorer monitors and theofficials themselves. Each person played an integralpart of the tournaments and many thanks must go toeach of you. Unfortunately, not every individualofficial can be mentioned here, but please know thatall of you are appreciated for the hard work andprofessionalism you showed at the tournaments.I would however, like to thank those who played rolesbehind the scenes. These tournaments could not runwithout their assistance and hard work.

For the Open Nationals: Head Referees - Steve Robb,Eric Hoffman, Kathy Ferraraccio; Head Scorers -Nancy Funk, Debbie Reed; Assignors - CornyGaldones, Paula Martin, Roger Ozima, Margie Ray,Craig Smith; Workroom Staff - Rory Arisumi, EarlCapps, Steve Franco, Gary Hesse; Open Courts HeadOfficials - Doug Wilson, Donna Wigton.

For the GJNC: Head Referees - Glenn Reid, LeisaJordan, Kathy Ferraraccio; Head Scorers - Barb

by Kathy FerraraccioAssociate Chair, Nat'l Indoor Referees

SPECIAL THANKS FOR MAKING THE CHAMPIONSHIPS RUN SMOOTHLY

Strome, Emi Vishoot; Assignors - Al Herbert, MariaHoros, Roger Ozima; Workroom Staff - Rory Arisumi,Brenda McIntosh, Ronnie Mutter, Tina Stanley; ScorerMonitors - Sherrene Benedict, Kelli Bryant, GerrettEdwards, Cynthia Ellis, Nancy LeFever, ColleenMadera, Greg Milam, Erin Peters, Charlie Purkiser,Cathy Rivera, Joyce Sanderson, Gwen Sanford,Karen Smith, Peggy White.

For the BJNC: Head Referees - Paul Albright, DonnieGoodwin, Michael O'Connor; Head Scorers - NancyFunk, Sue Wainio-Oato; Assignors - Margie Ray, TimHarlow, Isaac Wong; Workroom Staff - Dixie Collins,Debbie McLamb, Alyson Parry, Lynn Updegraff ;Scorer Monitors - Sally Anderson, Glo Bailey, RobBrecheisen, Jane Gisslen, Victoria Hinkle, MargoJuergens, Ryan MacDowell, Jacqueline Martin, MarcieSchaap, Jenita Vogt, Holly Walker, Peg Winters.

And a special thanks to all the officials who gave uptime away from work and family to make these eventsrun so smoothly. Please know that it could not havegone so well without each and every one of you. Yourhard work, dedication, and professionalism does notgo unnoticed or unappreciated.

Have a wonderful summer!

by Julie VoeckPresident-elect

DEADLINE APPROACHES FOR AWARD NOMINATIONSNominations sought for Honor, Excellence in Service Awards

PAVO is accepting nominations for its Honor Award,the organization's highest accolade. Candidates mustbe at least 30 years old and have worked to promoteofficiating through PAVO for at least 10 years.

Candidates should be persons of high moral characterand exhibit personal integrity, and by their leadershipand efforts, have made an outstanding contributionthrough officiating. Honor Award recipients areenshrined as members of PAVO's Hall of Fame.

Written nominations must be submitted via e-mail to

president.elect@pavo.org by Aug. 15. For moreinformation call Julie Voeck at 1-414-305-7454.

PAVO also is accepting nominations for it Excellencein Service Award. This honor is given annually to aPAVO member who has demonstrated dedication,commitment and service to PAVO and/or its members,on a local, regional or national level. Wr i t t e nsubmissions must be submitted to pavo@pavo.org byAug. 15. For more information call Miki Kennedy at 1-888-791-2074.

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awareness, you may choose to show your support ofthis effort by using a pink whistle or wearing a pinklapel pin while working a women’s collegiate match.This show of support is sanctioned by the PAVO Boardof Directors. PAVO guidelines ask that the officialscontinue to wear the official volleyball uniform for allcollegiate matches, even on a Dig Pink weekend.

So as you dust off your flags and make sure your redand yellow cards are ready to go, you can keep thatpink whistle or lanyard in your equipment bag handyfor the first Dig Pink weekend that you work thisseason!

As we turn our eyes toward the upcoming collegiateseason, we are attending an OTP clinic to ensure weare up to speed with rules and techniques; checking inour closets to ensure that our uniform is not faded andstill fits; and that we have the equipment needed forthat first match of the season!

Along with the requisite uniform and equipment, now isthe time to locate a pink whistle or lanyard, or maybea pink lapel pin or ribbon for the Dig Pink weekendsthat occur mostly in the month of October.

If a school or conference informs you that they arehosting an event focused on breast cancer

by Kathy FerraraccioBoard Delegate

THINK PINKShow your support for breast cancer research by wearing a pink whistle or lanyard

year term, from 2012-2015. The director is required toattend annual board meetings (usually held in March),solicit membership input and provide memberperspectives to the board of directors, communicateregularly with local board leadership, coordinateplanning for the annual PAVO convention, and providesupport to other PAVO programs as needed.

Please consider nominating yourself or a member youknow who would serve the organization well. Allnominations must be received by Aug. 15.

Address nominations to president.elect@pavo.org.For more information, contact Julie Voeck at 1-414-305-7454.

Have you been involved in PAVO leadership on alocal, regional or national or level? Are you a memberof the National Rating Team or an OTP camp staff orclinic clinician? Why not run for a board position onthe PAVO Board of Directors? Serving on the PAVOBoard of Directors offers a great opportunity toconnect with some of the game's outstanding leaders.

This fall PAVO members will be asked to elect adirector-at-large. This position is currently held byVerna Klubnikin. The director-at-large positionrequires that a candidate be a PAVO member in goodstanding. Holding a local board leadership position isnot required to qualify.

The director-at-large will be elected to serve a three

by Julie VoeckPresident-elect

NOMINATIONS FOR DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE POSITION DUE AUGUST 15The seat is for a three-year term

by Sport Weddel

STARLINGS NATIONAL TOURNAMENT

The Starlings program began with a single inner-citySan Diego team in 1996. Today, Starlings is thelargest junior volleyball club in the nation - servingsome 3,000 girls in 50-plus clubs across America. Theguiding concept has been to provide an opportunity forgirls (ages 10-18) to participate regardless of theirsocioeconomic background. Club dues, if any, are afraction of most junior club costs and no girl is turnedaway because of inability to pay. For moreinformation on the Starlings program, please visithttp://starlings.org/

It was my privilege, and I do mean privilege, to officiateat this year's Starlings National Tournament in the SanDiego area June 16-19. This year's tournament had122 teams competing in 4 age divisions.

From Thursday evening with a packed house for theopening ceremonies and continuing through Sundayafternoon with the championship matches, athletes,coaches, parents, tournament workers and officialsgave their weekend to the enjoyment of the game.Although the teams are competing for achampionship, this tournament is about much morethan just volleyball. In addition to the volleyballcompetition, there is also a Literary and Art Contesteach year.

I really had no idea the impact that this tournamentwould have on me as an official. I knew that this wasnot your typical National Volleyball To u r n a m e n t .Officials who commit to this tournament are madeaware that the match pay is not what you wouldnormally receive; there are no free rooms, no freemeals and no travel allowances. Why then wouldanyone want to work such a tournament?

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For me the answer to this question began to beanswered during the opening ceremonies when theteams were called to march around the floor of thegym and were cheered on by their peers. It wasexciting to see faces light up when the playersrecognized a friend from past competitions and hugswere exchanged. The officials were also called tomarch around the floor as a group and the players,coaches and parents cheered and waved as wewalked around. We were referees and officials, themen and women with the whistles and they werecheering for us? I found out during the next three daysthat this was a genuine outpouring of thanks to us.

As expected, the overall skill levels of the players arenot the same as at the GJNC or National Qualifiers,but what the kids lack in skill they definitely make upwith their enthusiasm and ability to just enjoy thegame. It was also refreshing to work with coaches whodon't worry so much about what you are calling or notcalling but are instead interested in teaching the gameto their players. The few parents who were inattendance were also focused on their kids and teams.

Match after match, players, coaches and parentswould come and shake my hand and thank me forbeing there and officiating their match. At first I thoughtit was protocol but it became apparent that these weregenuine "thank yous”.

This was my first time to officiate at this tournamentalthough it definitely won't be my last. I experienced alevel of respect from the participants that is not thenorm among today's young people. I think that for thefirst time in my officiating career, I really discovered thejoy of "facilitating" volleyball matches as opposed tojust "officiating."

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As most of you know, my term as the NCAA RulesInterpreter (technically the “Secretary/Rules-editor”)ends Aug. 31, 2011. While many people have askedwhat I will do with the increase in my discretionarytime, I would not be truthful if I didn’t say that thischange will be a very difficult one for me. This positionis one that I have had for so long; it has grown to be apart of me.

I took the position of NAGWS Rules Interpreter fromthe very capable hands of Sue Lemaire in 1993. Shewas a wonderful role model and mentor. The primarylesson she taught me was to never answer too quickly,as it was so easy to say something that you mighthave to retract later. Not only sage advice for a rulesinterpreter, but the first of many life lessons I’vebenefitted from through the years.

The NAGWS rules committee had an interestingmake-up, with as many officials as voting members asthere were coaches – certainly a different philosophythan that held by NCAA. In the next eight years, theNAGWS committee approved many significantchanges, including the seemingly endless battle ofrally scoring. And now, many of you have neverknown any other way to play the game!

In 2001, the NCAA decided that women’s volleyballrules should fall under the auspices of their own rulescommittee, and I was honored to be asked to developthe first NCAA W o m e n ’s Volleyball Rules andInterpretations. I found that writing a rule book from“scratch” was my biggest challenge to date, althoughpatterning as much as possible from the USAV rules ofthe time made sense. That started a symbioticrelationship that has benefitted both organizations andofficials in general. Similarly, a regular exchange ofinformation with National Federation of State HighSchool Associations (NFHS) became the norm aswell. Each year of the subsequent decade offered itsown unique opportunities and challenges – and a fewtopics that seemed to just continuously come back tohaunt us (libero uniforms!).

Through these 18 years, holding the position of rules

interpreter offered me the opportunity to hone mywriting skills, learn diplomacy, and improve my publicspeaking abilities. I learned to write and speakp r e c i s e l y, and was forced to practice the art ofcompromise. I was privileged to interact with coachesand administrators of all levels, and developed a muchgreater appreciation for their work and challenges. Atthe same time, I hopefully was able to humanize thecadre of officials to them, and perhaps destroy a fewof the “urban myths” about referees that new membersof the rules committee often came in with. Throughoutit all, I had two main goals – to help develop a set ofrules that enhanced and kept the integrity of the gameof women’s collegiate volleyball, and to represent theofficiating cadre well to the other members of thevolleyball community.

I owe a tremendous amount to innumerable peoplewho assisted in those efforts.USAV Rules Interpreterslike Steve Thorpe and Steve Robb provided counseland debate opportunities that ultimately improved thefinal product. Tom Blue was a constant source ofFIVB-wisdom and my source for what might be comingdown the road. The “inner circle” of reviewers whohelped me parse through language and strategies andendless “what ifs” as we developed the rulesthemselves included Kathy Ferraraccio, Joan Powell,Karen Gee and Brian Hemelgarn, among others.

I know that Anne Pufahl will do a great job in this role.I offer her my best wishes and support as thistransition is made – there is a changing horizon inNCAA volleyball officiating right now that may createnew challenges and a few obstacles for her. But Iknow she loves the game, and the role of officials inthe overall scheme, and from that starting point, shewill bring strong leadership and positive representationto the role of Secretary/Rules-editor.

Although I am done with this particular role, I lookforward to continuing work with PAVO and the NCAANational Coordinator as the new chapter takes shape.There are many positive new initiatives taking root atthis time, and I look forward to continued input onthose efforts.

by Marcia AltermanNCAA Secretary/Rules-editor

PASSING THE BATONPufahl takes over as rules interpreter

Technology continues to impact the game of volleyballand our officiating industry. Some of you may havealready been exposed to a computerizedscorekeeping protocol. Data Project, one vendor ofcomputerized scorekeeping software, has beentesting their product (“e-Scoresheet”) on both theUSAV and NCAA side for the past two years.

The NCAA rules committee has determined that thecurrent rules do not prevent the use of a computerizedscorekeeping process. However, any computerizedscorekeeping application that is used must cover allaspects of the written scoresheet and/or liberotracking sheet. It is recommended that scorekeepersreceive sufficient training before using a computerizedsystem, and that the computerized scorekeeping first

be used as a parallel system to the written scoresheetuntil a sufficient level of competence is achieved.

This information is being distributed to schools andconferences, so you may see this product in use asyou begin the 2011 season. PAVO will continue tointeract with the vendors to introduce their products tothe membership. Obviously, the more exposure thatreferees have to these new products, the greater thecomfort level will be when working at schools that arealready using them.

For example, PAVO is discussing how to access theData Project “e-Scoresheet” training materials in orderto make them available to PAVO members; stay tunedto the PAVO website for further information!

by Marcia AltermanNCAA Secretary/Rules-editor

COMPUTERIZED SCOREKEEPING ON THE HORIZONYou may see it at NCAA matches this season

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If you can't tell, this article offers “Kudos”! And the Kudos go to our new National and Junior National referees,as well as our National Rating Team. So let's get right to it…

Atlanta, GA, hosted the 2011 USAV Girls' Junior National Championships, as well as our National RatingTournament for this year's class of Junior National referee candidates and the USAV Premier Training Camp forreferees. After three days of ratings, the National Rating Team was excited to present the following 43 refereeswith Junior National referee certifications (an asterisk indicates participation in the Premier Training Camp):

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Aiu, Piimauna (Rocky Mountain)Aldridge, Dennis (Hoosier)*Atkinson, Mitch (Carolina)Barnes, David (Ohio Valley)Besal, Barb (Old Dominion)Bilius, Rob (Ohio Valley)Bishop, Vicki (Ohio Valley)Booker, Mark (Pioneer)*Buck, Robyn (Puget Sound)Bulquerin, Sally (Southern Cal)Chavers, Art (Western Empire)Craig, Russell (North Texas)*Dalton, John (Florida)Droesch, Zach (New England)DuBois, Wade (New England)

Eaton, Erin (Columbia Empire)Erickson, Joe (Ohio Valley)Evans, Ty (Rocky Mountain)Garrett, Ed (Arizona)*Gustafson, Joseph (Great Lakes)Halliday, Teresa (Florida)Herrick, Jeffrey (Florida)*Huntley, Josh (Iroquois Empire)Lacson, Ryan (Heart of America)Marshall, Anthony (Southern)*Martinez, Luis (Palmetto)Miceli, Curt (Western Empire)*Montoya, Yancy (Sun Country)*Motondo, Frank (Carolina)Neibauer, Nick (North Country)

Nelson, Drew (Gulf Coast)Pangborn, Mike (North Country)*Pettiway, Ruth (Great Lakes)Pleskac, Sheila (Great Plains)*Roberts, Lisa (Sun Country)Swartz, EJ (Hoosier)Teter, Joya (Florida)Thompson, Scott (Bayou)*Weissenburger, Suzanne (Palmetto)*Wiemken, Kevin (Southern)Wiles, DJ (Palmetto)Wilkerson, Kim (Southern)Zatchey, Matt (Ohio Valley)

Bernard, Kris (North Texas)Black, Mary (Ohio Valley)Brenay, Gigi (Arizona)Calton, George Jr (Oklahoma)Coltrin, Paul (Arizona)Day, Toby (Lone Star)Deason, Les (Chesapeake)Fiebich, Christina (North Country)

Goldenshtern, Mikhail (Ohio Valley)Kocour, Kent (Iowa)Lawrence, Linda (Pioneer)McNeil, Mike (Iroquois Empire)Momsen, Jim (Badger)Pedersen, John (Southern Cal)Plaisance, David (Lone Star)Richardson, Ed (North Country)

Singer, Jim (North Country)Skove, David (Florida)Sutherland, Perry (Lakeshore)Vesely, Ed (Great Lakes)Wagner, Dan (North Country)Zaldivar, Jack (Lone Star)

The 2011 USAV Boys' Junior National Championships in Minneapolis, MN, served as the National RatingTournament for our class of National referee candidates. Minneapolis was an excellent setting for the ratingprocess, and on July 5th, the National Rating Team awarded the following 22 referees with National refereecertifications:

by Brian Hemelgarn,Director, Nat'l Indoor Ref Eval & Cert

KUDOS AND CONGRATULATIONS!

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PAVO has named Ross Erickson as the newOPT/PAVO Camps Director. Erickson succeeds BobStanek, who held the position for one year.

“I am very excited to serve in this capacity for mycolleagues and PAVO,” said Erickson, of Edina, Minn.“I look forward to the many challenges ahead, andhope to continue the program's excellence Julie Voeckmaintained these past years.”

Erickson’s resume includes officiating, coaching andplaying. He is a national USAV and PAVO referee andhas served on PAVO camp staff. He also hascoordinated training for local referees in Minnesota.

Stanek took over as camp director for 2011, butstepped down after accepting a new position in themilitary. In his role as Command Sergeant Major forthe Army Reserves Engineer Command, Stanek willbe the senior enlisted soldier representing more than12,000 soldiers throughout the United States. With the

increased work load and travel commitments, he didnot have the time to dedicate to PAVO.

In his new position, Stanek, of Lino Lakes, Minn., willvisit soldiers at their home training station or whiletraining anywhere in the world, including the possiblyof trips to Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait.

Stanek also said he is retiring from volleyball as areferee and scorekeeper. While Stanek plans to worka couple matches this fall as a fill-in only, he willreserve the bulk of his time traveling and working withsoldiers whenever possible.

“This is my true enjoyment,” he said.

As much as Stanek enjoys the volleyball community,his new job, “will dramatically reduce the amount oftime I have for volleyball officiating. The rest of my freetime will be spent with my family and playing volleyball(trying to win that elusive gold medal!).”

by Julie VoeckPresident-Elect

ROSS ERICKSON APPOINTED AS NEW PAVO CAMP DIRECTORStanek steps down, is retiring from volleyball

I always feel honored and privileged to work with suchoutstanding crews on the two National Rating Teams.Their knowledge, communication skills and expertiseafforded everyone a great learning opportunity, and Ican't thank them enough for “giving back” to our cadreof referees: Denis Bergstedt, Wade Brence, DarinClark, Wayne Clark, Charles Ezigbo, Michael Hertz,Eric Hoffman, Thomas Hoy*, Steve Kenyon, KentKitade, Crystal Lewis, Ken Matz, Terry Miller, JungPark*, Michelle Prater*, Clark Radcliffe, CarlosRodriguez, Dave Spencer, Bill Thornburgh* andMichael Yo s h i k a w a joined us in Atlanta. S t e v eWebster and Marcia Costley, and those with anasterisk, served on the training camp staff. InMinneapolis, the rating team was comprised of: BradAaberg, Marcia Alterman, Scott Atkinson, Fred

Buehler, Mike Carter, Kevin Cull, Mike Hamilton,Tom Joseph, Todd Karolczak, Verna Klubnikin andSteve Owen.

On behalf of the USAV Officials' Commission, pleasejoin me with a “Kudos and Congratulations!” to ournew Junior National and National referees. We wishthem all the best as they move to the next level in theircareers. Now the real work begins for them! They willcontinue to fine-tune their skills and strive to positivelyenhance each and every match that they officiate.And they'll have opportunities to become the leaders intheir respective regions by “giving back” to officials,sharing their experiences, mentoring referees, andbeing great role models.

New National Refereescontinued from page 8

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by Julie VoeckPresident-Elect

MORE THAN 80 OFFICIALS ATTENDED 2011 PAVO CAMPS

More than 84 officials attended PAVO or jointPAV O / U S AV referee training camps, continuing atradition of helping referees improve their skills andgain knowledge.

This year PAVO hosted seven camps throughout thecountry at a variety of venues that off e r e dopportunities for referees of all levels of experience.The camps included classroom training sessions, on-court performance video-recording, and feedback fromstaff.

Two advanced camps were held again in 2011. Oneadvanced camp was held in conjunction with aDivision I spring tournament at the University ofCentral Florida in Orlando. The was held jointly withU S AV at the National Collegiate Club Vo l l e y b a l lChampionships (NCVF) in Houston, Texas.

Three collegiate referee training camps were held inconjunction with Division I spring tournaments atRutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J., theUniversity of Michigan in Ann Arbor and the Universityof San Francisco. Two referee training camps wereheld in conjunction with club tournaments; one campwas held at a women's college club tournament andthe other at a junior girls' tournament at Penn StateUniversity.

Each year several scholarships are offered to campparticipants. This year the scholarship winners were:

Lewis Development Scholarship: Sue Hoskins

Matt Manligius Memorial Scholarship Award: DawnRoberson

PAVO Scholarship Aw a r d: Zach Droesch, LindaLawrence, Scott Lowery, Ergys Myselimi, Bo (James)Schmidt, Brian Smith

Congratulations to all scholarship winners!

Participants and staff for the 2011 Spring Campprogram were:

College Referee Training Camp, March 11 - 1 2 ,Rutgers University:

Campers: Zach Droesch, Glenn Horton, FreemanLee, Paula McNerney, Patrick Mulkern, ErgysMyselimi, Elizabeth Smith, Ben So, Kathleen Sturges

Camp Staff: Mike Carter, Kathy Ferraraccio, CornyGaldones, Jung Park, Glen ReidTechnical Staff: Jerry Moews

Referee Training Camp, March 25-26, MarquetteUniversity, Milwaukee, Wis.

Campers: Josh Bagley, Jen Connell, Dan Conway,Timm Gyoerkoes, Dan Kirchhoff, Greg Liput, AndyMartin, Michael Ochs, Ruthella Pettiway, PhilipRendina, Madison Rolf, Mychajlo Sandulak, James(Bo) Schmidt, Joni Shealy, Ahmad Vossoughi, WilliamYoung

Camp Staff: Justin Basovsky, Dan Houser, MaryMalpede, Nancy Nester, Pati Rolf, Julie Voeck

Advanced Collegiate Training Camp, March 27-28,University of Central Florida, Orlando

Campers: Ann Esplin, Sue Hoskins, Chris Haworth,Jim Momsen, Karl Koopman, Kim Renquist, LindaLawrence, Rick Bolton, Scott Lowery, Lane Lawley

Staff: Marcia Alterman, Mary Blalock, Donna Carter,Wally Hendricks, Crystal Lewis, Michelle PraterTechnical Staff: Jerry Moews

Joint PAV O / U S AV Advanced Camp at NCVFChampionships, April 6-8, Houston, Texas

C a m p e r s: Regan Adams, Jane Belinfante, FredChase, Geoff Freeze, April Fricke, Danny Johnson,

Continued on page 11

Jackie Johnson, Jim Kirkpatrick, Tom Lands, TedLopez, Don Railsback, Hector Rivera, DawnRoberson, Melissa Robinson, Ralph Warner, StaciaWashington, Kevin Willett

S t a f f: Wally Hendricks, Verna Klubnikin, CarlosRodriguez, Bob Stanek, Julie Voeck, Steve WebsterTechnical Staff: Felix Madera

Collegiate Referee Training Camp, April 15-16,University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Campers: Isaac Chung, Mora Kanim, Larry Klimek,Scott Kurtz, Gary Merrill, Caroline Merritt, RandyRedding, Brian Smith, Rick Turner, Dana White

Staff: Fusako Hines, Ann Hutchins, Jerry Moews, BobStanek, Bill ThornburghTechnical Staff: Deanna Summers

Collegiate Referee Training Camp, April 29-30,University of San Francisco, San Francisco, Calif.

Campers: Terry Bush, Cathy Bradley, Theresa Carey,Deelee Dankenbring, Bernice Dere, David Dingell,John Freddie, Paul Lenae, Lev Zavalkov, EllenTownsend

Staff: Bill Forrester, Joan Powell, Margie Ray, LarrySchwartz, Julie Voeck

Happy Volley Referee Training Camp, May 27-29,Penn State University, State College, Penn.

Campers: Moti Benami, Artie Blouin, Carole Hancock,Erin Hanelt, Paul Kujawski, Talat Ladson, Artie Nord,John O'Brien, Mark Petrie, Bruce Pharis, MarcieSoltesz, Rodale Thompson

Staff: Wally Hendricks, Leisa Jordan, Don Miller,Peggy Schaefer

Head Referee: Mike Carter

A “BIG THANK YOU” goes out to all of the staff whohelped to make the camps a success again this year.

Another thank you goes out to all of you, includinglocal boards and conference coordinators, whosupport the PAVO camp program. For furtherinformation about the camp program, please contactJulie Voeck at 1-414-305-7454 orOTP.camp.director@pavo.org.

We added 16 new National Scorers to the cadre in Minneapolis at the 2011 Boys' Junior NationalChampionships. This was our first year at the Junior Boys' event and as I told each of the candidates they weremy 'guinea pigs' for this new rating process with the move from the adult Open Championships. Overall we feltthe process went very well and we received a number of positive comments from the candidates and the raters.

When you see any of the group please congratulate them on their new certification.

by Nancy FunkDirector, Nat'l Indoor Scorer Cert & Eval

NEW USAV NATIONAL SCORERS

Gigi Brenay ArizonaGeorge Calton OklahomaMichael Chandler Ohio ValleyGail Dubisar Columbia EmpireChristina Fiebich North CountryTerry Fry North TexasJohn Havens Lone StarMegan Henry Delta

Diana Johnson So. CaliforniaMichael Olsen ArizonaAdam Pike North CountryMark Prater SouthernPerry Sutherland LakeshoreAl Tarara North CountryKathie Toth LakeshoreJack Zaldivar Lone Star

I want to thank the raters who worked so hard…Jeff Hoppen, Kim Williams, Becky Brockney and AmberFulk. We could not do this without each of you.

PAVO Campscontinued from page 10

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We are all heading into the remainder of our summer,and hopefully, some down time before starting thecollegiate season. I would like to take a few momentsto remind us all about why we continue to work so hardas volleyball officials and why we all strive forprofessionalism and perfect techniques andmechanics in every match we work throughout theyear.

During the GJNC, I personally noted camaraderieamong the officials in the midst of many challenges.The tournament lost a total of 8 officials over the 10days of the event. Two officials ended up in theemergency room, one official received notice hismother had passed away suddenly, another officialreceived notice that her sister had died in anautomobile accident, two officials became quite illduring the tournament, and two officials were releasedto drive home the officials who so suddenly lost familymembers.

During all of this difficulty, I saw officials step up to theplate and offer their assistance in whatever waypossible. Matches were filled quickly as the officialsand work room staff teamed together to make itpossible for those who needed to leave thetournament to do so. I saw officials buy whistles, refbags, and other equipment for their fellow refereeswhen bags were stolen from the courts. I witnessedofficials stepping up to assist their fellow referees ingetting back to their hotel rooms when they felt too illto do so.

These acts of kindness kept me in good spirits at thetournament, even when dealing with officials who did

not always see eye-to-eye with their partner; or withcoaches who felt that the officials had stolen the matchfrom the players; or with the parents who felt theirchildren had been robbed of a win by the officials.These acts of kindness remind me every day why Icontinue to work with volleyball officials and travel tomany different cities and countries to interact with ourcadre.

Each of us should take the next few weeks and reflectupon what we have learned this past season. Not onlyhave we learned new rules and techniques; we havelearned how to work hard for so many days in a rowand still maintain a positive attitude; we have struggledand many times overcome the difficulties of workingon little sleep, working with partners we don’t alwaysget along with, being away from families and home formany days in a row, and remaining consistent on eachmatch we work. We have learned from our mistakes,and we’ll use that learning to grow as a person and anofficial.

We have met new friends, renewed old friendships,forgiven someone for a perceived injustice, and grownas individuals. It is now time to sit back, think on allwe’ve learned, and come back refreshed for anotherseason of learning. We should walk away from thisseason with the things that went right, not those thatwent wrong; we should grow stronger in our positiveapproach to officiating and the growth of our sport.Only this way will we truly come back stronger, as botha person and an official, in the seasons to come.

We truly are one big family.

by Kathy FerraraccioAssociate Chair, Nat'l Indoor Referees

GJNC WRAP-UP

Do you have a question on a USAV rule?Do you want to know a correct USAV technique?

Are you wondering if you handled the situation in your last match correctly?Do you wonder what USAV tournaments there are to work?

Visit theVolleyball Referee Blog

http://volleyballreftraining.com/usavreftrainingblog/?page_id=2We'll do our best to answer your questions and address your concerns.

See you there!!!!

13

In case you have not readyour last two Official Wo r dissues, or you simply forgot,

“Remember the Alamo!” T h ePAVO Convention will be held Dec. 15-17, inconjunction with the NCAA Division I NationalChampionships, in San Antonio, Texas. The PAVOConvention committee is working diligently to makethis the best convention ever, one balanced withsessions for all levels of officials.

Highlights of this year’s convention will include:

• Joan Powell – The newly appointed NCAANational Coordinator will speak about the newfeatures on the training website and other NCAApolicies which will affect all collegiate officials.

• Anne Pufahl – The newly appointed NCAA RuleInterpreter will do a presentation on unusual situationsthat have crossed her desk this fall, plus otherchallenging interpretations.

• Coaches panel – Listen to observations ofvolleyball coaches at different levels of the game, andenhance your understanding of the coach-refereerelationship.

• Semifinal analysis – Watch highlights of theChampionship semi-final matches, with video replayand slow motion of officiating volleyball at its highestlevel.

• Reception and Awards Banquet – Network andshare in the successes of many of our fellow referees,and find out who the next PAVO Honor Award recipientwill be.

• Network, networking and more networking –The convention offers a multitude of opportunities foryou to network with officials of all levels, members ofthe PAVO board, assignors, coaches, sportsmarketing and manufacturing representatives, andother volleyball enthusiasts. There will be plenty oftime for interaction, both structured and spontaneous.

We’re working on a golf outing on We d n e s d a yafternoon – if you heard about the Tampa outing in2009, you can appreciate the friendly but intensecompetition, yet realize that little golf skill is actuallyrequired. A great chance to meet and greet will be ata social hosted by the Lone Star Region onWednesday night. It will probably be off-site, but weare making sure transportation will be available soeveryone who wants to attend may do so. And ofcourse, the Friday night reception and awards banquetis an opportunity to share in the successes of many ofour fellow referees as well as the semi-final analysis.

San Antonio is one of the top tourist cities in thecountry, and the downtown area has a myriad ofopportunities for group or individual outings such as:

• The Alamo – Set right in downtown San Antonio;go for a visit and re-live history.

• The King William Historic District - Less than amile from the convention center, the District is a 25-block area of 1800s-era homes that was the state’sfirst historic district. Great examples of Europeanarchitecture abound.

• El Mercado – Approximately 1 mile west of theconvention center, this market area offers shops andrestaurants, including the famous 24-hour Mi Tierrabakery and restaurant, and La Margarita, whichnormally wins most surveys for the best (and biggest)margaritas and fajitas in town.

• The Riverwalk and river cruises are a very uniquesetting of restaurants, shops and nightlife right next tothe CC and will be adorned with a colorful array oflights for Christmas. It’s worth the visit.

The headquarters hotel is the Grand Hyatt SanAntonio, with a convention rate of $129 a night. It ison the Riverwalk and adjacent to the conventioncenter. The overflow hotel is the Hilton Palacio Del Rioat $109/night. Watch the PAVO website for detailsand registration information.

by Donna CarterBoard Delegate

REMEMBER THE ALAMO, AND THE 2011 PAVO CONVENTIONThe annual gathering of officials will be held in San Antonio

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The USAV Premier Referee Camp at the GJNC inAtlanta, Georgia, was a popular choice for many of theJunior National Candidates this year. The camp washeld July 26-29, 2011, in conjunction with the USAVGirls Junior National Championships, with over 20registrants. Many thanks go out to the Trainers,including Michelle Prater, Marcia Costley, Jung Park,Steve Webster, Thomas Hoy and Bill Thornburgh.These Trainers spent many hours in the conventioncenter working with the campers.

The success of the camp is largely due to the personalrelationships that are bridged during the training.Campers work together, get to know each other andbuild a trust with each other before ratings begin. TheTrainers work closely with the Campers and can givethem the insight and adjustments needed to hopefullymove forward in their officiating careers. Theserelationships are not always formed on the court;

many times it is the group debriefings, discussionsover special referee and scorer exams, or the talkabout rules that goes on with Trainers and Campers atround tables in the workroom.

The evaluations were especially supportive of theGJNC Camp, with over 98% of the items marked withfavorable responses by the Campers. Commentssuch as “it was well worth it” and “this was great” werecommon, and the Campers were very appreciative ofthe Trainers who became their colleagues.

USAV camps are now being planned and scheduledfor the 2011-2012 season, and we invite those incharge of the regions, tournaments and officials tostart thinking about the next steps they want to take tohelp the upcoming officials in their area (whether usingthe USAV National Camps Program or just gettinginformation to better run local training programs).

by Thomas HoyDirector, Nat'l Indoor Ref Camps & Training

USAV REFEREE CAMPSCampers Came Away Full, And A Little Bit More

PAVO RefSchool – Better Than Ever!

“It’s the best preparation tool I’ve ever used” – a direct quote from a grateful memberwho enrolled in RefSchool last year and did better than ever on the examination.

Once again, all 2011 examination questions have been included in the bank ofRefSchool questions.

Select brief study quizzes that cover specific NCAA rules, or take a complete25-question practice examination. Get immediate feedback and rule references.

Subscription fees: PAVO members - $10, non-members - $15.

A subscription allows unlimited access from now until April 1, 2012.

Subscribe now, so you don't forget! Look for the link on the PAVO home page tonavigate to RefSchool!

15

As changes continue to take place with the newN C A A initiatives (appointing the new nationalcoordinator, start of the new Volleyball OfficiatingProgram and other initiatives), the PAVO Board ofDirectors (BOD) continues to work hard to ensure itis spending its money carefully while continuing toincrease the quality of services the board provides tothe PAVO membership.

The BOD ended fiscal year 2010 (March 1, 2010 toFeb. 28, 2011) with a $29,000 deficit, down from theprojected deficit of $63,000. The BOD dipped into itscash reserve to close the shortfall and balanced thebudget. PAVO program directors (OTP clinics, OTPcamps, NRT programs) and our national office staffcontinued their diligent effort to contain costs andincrease revenue.

On the income side, line judge and scorekeepingvideos were a big hit despite the fact that the boardmade them available for our members online. Thesales of the videos boosted overall merchandisesales and brought in more than 75 percent morethan originally projected. Membership dues broughtin 10 percent more than projected as PAV Omembership continues grow. Overall, total incomewas up more than 6.4 percent than projected.

On the expense side, major spending items includedmembership insurance, membership programs(camps, clinics, rating teams, scholarships, etc.),merchandise, newsletters, the PAVO convention andprofessional services. It is still a tough challenge tokeep costs down while trying to provide more qualityservices.

PAVO investments turned in a modest return of 5.25percent. At $195,000, the board's cash reservescontinue to be in good shape. It currently comprises72.6 percent of the board's financial holdingscompared with 79.5 percent last year. While thisgives PAVO a decent cushion to continue operationsfor the immediate future, the board is taking a hardlook at programs and their associated costs asexpenses continue to rise at much faster pace thanit is able to generate income.

At the March BOD meeting, the board approved theadjusted budget, projecting a deficit of $93,000 for

fiscal 2011. The board spent days and months trying tocome up with better numbers, but decided this wasnecessary if it is to continue providing all currentservices without making any big increases in our duesor individual program fees.

By using money from current cash reserves, the BODadopted a balanced budget. Be assured that BOD isdoing its best to ensure the financial stability of PAVO.In the future, some increase in dues and fees will beinevitable, but “I'm confident that all of us will see thevalue in all the services PAVO provides to us,” saidJung Park, finance director.

Below are the current numbers for your review. If youhave any questions, feel free to contact me or PAVOExecutive Director Marcia Alterman.

by Jung ParkFinance Director

PAVO TAPS CASH RESERVES TO BALANCE BUDGETAn increase in dues and program fees may be needed

PAVO BUDGET

REVENUE FY 2010 FY 2011Convention 47,098 45,063NCAA Grant 60,000 40,000Membership Dues 132,214 132,035NRT 14,742 20,984OTP Camps 21,020 24,088OTP Clinics 52,800 40,000Merchandise Sales 23,586 1,500Interest and Dividends 3,000 3,000Other Income 10,338 11,895Total Income $364,798 $318,565

EXPENSEBoard of Directors meeting 9,529 11,505President's expense 7,408 9,645Convention 36,132 46,760Examinations 2,100 2,100Executive Director (salary & expense) 59,361 54,800Merchandise Expense 22,043 2,000Newsletter (Officials Word) 8,740 4,125NRT 18,804 19,855OTP Camps 33,269 42,648OTP Clinics 40,412 42,935Operations 156,206 173,572Rules Interpretation Newsletter 0 400Capital Expenditures 397 2,000Total Expense $394,401 $412,345

NET INCOME/(LOSS) ($29,603) ($93,780)NET INCOME/(LOSS)after cash reserve adjustment $0 $0

16

As you finish up this season, in addition to re-reviewing the USAV regulations, it istime to take the next step and use the USAV Referee Training Site. This is a freesite that has information, modules, and a place you can register that providesupdates. Please use this training and improve your referee skills.

http://volleyballreftraining.com/

work to maintain identical interpretations wheneverthe rules are the same. Both NCAA and USAV invite arepresentative from the other organization to theirrules meeting each year. These representatives offerinput on rules in an attempt to keep rules consistentwhenever possible.

Reciprocity for all levels of officials’ ratings is stillrecognized by both USAV and PAVO.

PAVO and USAV both offer the same insurance for allofficials. When officials buy insurance through PAVO,they are covered for the entire year, no matter whichorganization they work for.

The uniform we wear as officials is approved by bothPAVO and USAV.

There are several individuals who are involved in theleadership structures of both PAVO and USAV, helpingthe organizations work together continuously duringthe year in collaboration on issues that impact allfacets of officiating.

Although there may not be an Interface Committeemeeting each year, when either the leadership ofUSAV or PAVO discuss an item that will impact theother organization, open communication between theorganizations help to continue the great relationshipthat has grown over the years. Rest assured, theInterface Committee is striving to maintain theinteraction between USAV and PAVO for thebetterment of all volleyball officials.

Many volleyball officials make the transition from oneset of rules and techniques to another at least onceover the course of a year. At times it feels like thedifferent organizations grow further apart as refereesstruggle to give the correct ready signal, or rememberwhich net contact should be whistled.

But there are still a number of items that both PAVOand USAV work closely on for the benefit of volleyballofficials across the country.

The exam is still a joint venture. Although somequestions on the exam may vary between the twoorganizations, members of a joint PAVO/USAV examcommittee work hard to ensure the exams aredeveloped in a parallel manner with shared questionswhenever possible.

PAVO and USAV also work closely on at least onetraining camp during the course of the year, and theorganizations are open to opportunities for any othercamps that might possibly be used for joint trainingduring the spring months.

The PAVO Director of the OTP clinic program and theUSAV Director of National level Ratings and Evaluationwork closely together to maintain consistent techniquesand mechanics as much as possible.

The rules interpreters for both USAV and the NCAA

by Kathy FerraraccioBoard Delegate

I N T E R FACE COMMITTEE FOSTERS COLLABORATION BETWEEN PAVO AND USAVJoint ventures include testing, training and techniques

DATE SITE HOST HOST EMAIL

13-Aug Chicago, IL Jen Mahler jmahler@bigten.org13-Aug Rochester, NY Jeff Mckinney jeff.mckinney@gmail.com13-Aug Atlanta, GA Bob Hume bhume@charter.net14-Aug Denver, CO Alan Suzuki asuzuki@wac.org14-Aug Lorain, OH Diane Plas jplas@prodigy.net14-Aug Boston, MA Laura Nelson laura@bssc.com14-Aug Dallas, TX Carlos Rodriquez losref@aol.com

20-Aug Baltimore, MD Arlene Geppi ageppi@aol.com20-Aug Tacoma, WA Marc Blau blaumarc@qwest.net20-Aug Tulsa, OK Tracey Harrison harrisonvbref@yahoo.com20-Aug Philadelphia, PA Michael Albright michaelwalbright54@gmail.com21-Aug East Lansing, MI Ann Hutchins annhutchins@hotmail.com21-Aug Spokane, WA Dale Goodwin goodwin@gonzaga.edu21-Aug St. Louis, MO Julie Voeck jvoeck@attglobal.net21-Aug Albany, NY Mara Wager mara_97@hotmail.com

17

by Anne PufahlOTP-Clinic Director

PAVO-OTP CLINIC SCHEDULE-2011

The final two weekends for OTP clinics are Aug 13-14and Aug 20-21. The remaining clinic sites and hostcontact information are listed below. You may contactthe site host directly to get clinic start times. The clinicschedule is posted on the PAVO website as well, andclinic details may be obtained there, www.pavo.org.

As in previous years, clinic registration will be handled

online. Online registration is available on the PAVO E-store now. The registration fees for 2011 have notbeen increased, and are listed below.

Thanks for your support and we look forward to seeingyou at a clinic!

PRE-REGISTERED, WALK-IN** CATEGORY PRE-PAID ONLINE (Payable at the door)

Current PAVO Member $25 + local charges $50 + local chargesNon-PAVO member, non-collegiate referee $30 + local charges $55+ local chargesNon-PAVO member, women's

collegiate referee $75 + local charges $100 + local charges

** Pre-registration is highly recommended. Clinics are not required to accommodate attendees who arenot pre-registered, and will do so on a space-available basis only.

Continued on page 19

18

We arrived on the U.S.S. Hancock aircraft carrier, partof the Seventh Fleet, which was docked in the SouthChina Sea. From there we made our way to Guamthen flew to Hawaii, then Fort Chaffee, Arkansas andfinally to Texas City, Texas where some former U.S.c o l l e a g u e s and their families "sponsored" theNguyen family.

Q: Were there any language barriers or were youfluent in English when you arrived?A: Only knowing Vietnamese and French upon arrival,I did not speak English, but I learned in public schooland by watching “Sesame Street” and “The ElectricCompany” on PBS.

Q: Have you always resided in the Houston area? A: I have been a resident of Galveston County, Texasfor the past 35 years after emigrating from my nativecountry, and now I live in Friendswood, Texas which isabout 25 minutes south of Houston.

Q: What an amazing adventure to get to the US.What got you involved with volleyball?A: My first experience in volleyball officiating was inthe fall of 1995 when a local junior college coach fromGalveston College asked me to come out and “keepscore” for a tournament. I showed up courtside andthe coach put the score sheets in front of me. Ithought keeping score was just flipping numbers orworking the scoreboard. I had no idea as to what ascore sheet was or how to use one either. With thehelp Rich Richardson, of one of the referees assignedto the match, I was given a "crash" course inscorekeeping and had on-the-job training for theremainder of the tournament, and I've been keepingscore ever since.

Q: Were you born in the United States? If not,where were you born and when did you come tothe USA?A: I was born in Vietnam. With the North VietnameseArmy tanks barreling into Saigon, they had alreadyshelled the airport cutting off the main air exit out of thecountry. Large numbers of fleeing civilians found theyhad no way out. The American radio station madeannouncements saying if you heard the song "WhiteChristmas", it was the signal to begin evacuating.Since my dad was a civilian employee/diplomaticliaison for the U.S. Government at the U.S. Embassy,a car was suppose to come and get us, but it nevershowed and we had to make our way on foot to theembassy compound through all the chaos and unrestas others scrambled to leave as well. We were to bepart of Operation Frequent Wind, the largest helicopterevacuation in history. The U.S. Marines who guardedthe embassy knew my dad so we were lucky enoughto get inside from a secret entrance while othersswarmed around the perimeter, clambering the frontgates, scaling the walls and razor wire trying to getinside to vie for the limited seats. We made our wayinside and up to the embassy roof then walked up thehistoric staircase that led to helicopter pad andboarded our helicopter. It was then that we becamer e f u g e e s . My family was evacuated from S a i g o n ,South Vietnam on April 29, 1975. Saigon and SouthVietnam fell to the communist North Vi e t n a m e s eregime on April 30, and the Vietnam War ended withthe withdrawal of the U.S. military forces.

Q: So where did your journey lead your family afteryou left Vietnam?A: After flying off the embassy roof by Chinookhelicopter (CH-46 Sea Knight), we had to fly in themidst of gunfire and dodge a barrage of rocket fire.

by Carlos RodriguezDirector-at-Large

Member profileFrom Saigon, to Texas to national referee and scorer, a Q and A with Thang Nguyen

19

Thang Nguyencontinued from page 18

Q: What other involvement have you had withvolleyball? Are you a player and an official?A: I joined the Lone Star Region of USVBA in 1995.I've played on several men’s teams from BB and A;most recently finishing ninth in Men's A division at the2010 Opens in Phoenix. I also have a gold medalfrom the U-Volley division a few years ago.

Q: What made you become a certified official?A: I became USAV certified to fulfill a Lone StarRegion requirement that every region team have atleast one certified referee and one certifiedscorekeeper. I was keeping score at a junior collegearound late 1996 when a referee unknown to me at thetime came up and said, "So when are you going tocome to one of my clinics to get certified?" I repliedby saying, "Certify? I already know how to keepscore." The referee turned out to be Steve Crane,Lone Star Region Scorekeeper Chairman. This putthings in motion as I received my Provisionalscorekeeper rating in 1997, Regional Scorekeeperrating in 1998, and Junior National Scorekeeper ratingin 1998 in Dallas. In 1999, I was asked to go get myU S A National Scorekeeper rating at the OpenChampionships in San Jose, Calif. I was qualified asan International Indoor Scorekeeper in 2001 at theOpen Championships in Milwaukee. Along mys c o r e k e e p i n g , I've also picked up some refereeratings. I was certified as a USA Junior NationalReferee in 2001 in Denver, USA Certified BeachReferee at the USA Open Beach Championships in2001 in Virginia Beach, Va, PAVO National Referee in2002, and USA National Referee in 2004. There aremany National referees in the Lone Star region that Iowe for their guidance and support: Thomas Hoy, JoeCampbell, Gloria Cox, Fred Buehler, Mary Blalock, TedLopez, Gordon Morrison, Ronnie Kaase, LindaFletcher, Steve Crane, and Will Vick. In addition, I'mvery grateful in having such experienced scorekeeperraters, including Dixie Collins, Jeff Hoppen, Dee Yoe,and JoAnn Peters. Also my raters and mentors formy National rating: Dixie Collins, Cathy Hoy, TerryLawton, Sue Mailhot and Kim Williams.

Q: What other activities have you been involved inwith volleyball?A: I am involved with several boys and girls clubs inthe local Houston area. They have included ClubTexas Boys, South Shore VBC, GCVA, and currentlyAbsolute Volleyball Academy of Texas.

I have served the Lone Star Region as a mentor,t r a i n e r, clinician and rater. I've served as atournament director, head referee, and off i c i a l ' sassignor for many local junior events. I did somelocal junior college assigning for two years. I currentlyam the assignor for the Houston SPC private schoolboys’ volleyball league. I've been active in every USAOpen Championships since 1999 as a scorekeeperand 2004 as a referee. I've been on event staff for theVolleyball Festival and USAV Boys Championships.

Q: What other interests do you have besidesvolleyball?A: Being an avid traveler, I've gone to many placesaround the globe. I have been to all but 10 of the 50states along with Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Chilein South America; Mexico and places throughout theCaribbean: Grand Cayman, Canada, Canary Islands,France, Spain, Greece, Egypt, Australia, Fiji; theBahamas, Puerto Rico, Suez Canal, Jordan, andDubai. In addition, I given an opportunity to go to Israelfor the World Maccabi games as a coach. I am takinga Jewish junior girls volleyball team from the HoustonJewish Community Center to Israel from July 24-August 4 to participate in the World Maccabi Games. Iwas asked by them and I wasn't going to say no to anall expenses paid trip (trip of a lifetime, bucket list) ofvolleyball, tours, hikes, and seeing the sights in theHoly Land!”

Having experienced a lot of foreign lands, andnarrowly escaping from his homeland, Thang says,"So having a coach yell at me while I'm officiating isnothing compared to what I've experienced."

The Official WordP.O. Box 780Oxford, KS 67119

Address Service Requested

P R S RT S T DU.S Postage

P A I DWichita, KS

Permit No. 84

Crystal Lewis, President Marcia Alterman, Rules Director Donna Carter, Board DelegateRoss Erickson, OTP-Camp Director Kathy Ferraraccio, Board Delegate Brian Hemelgarn, Examinations DirectorVerna Klubnikin, Director-at-Large Jung Park, Finance Director Anne Pufahl, OTP-Clinic DirectorCarlos Rodriguez, Director-at-Large Julie Voeck, President Elect Mara Wager, National Rating Team Director

StaffMarcia Alterman, Executive Director Miki Kennedy, Membership Services

PAVO Board of Director/Staffwww.pavo.org 1-888-791-2074

USAV Officials Commission/Assembly www.usavolleyball.org

Glenn Sapp, Chair, National Indoor Officials CommTom Blue, Chair, Int'l Indoor Officials CommDonna Wigton, Director, Int'l Indoor ScorersKathy Ferraraccio, Associate Chair, Nat'l Indoor RefereesMichelle Prater, Director, RVA Nat'l Indoor Ref DevelopmentThomas Hoy, Director, Nat'l Indoor Ref Camps & TrainingMichael McPoyle, Director, Nat'l Indoor Ref Clinic DevelopmentBrian Hemelgarn, Director, Nat'l Indoor Ref Eval & CertMichael O'Connor, D i re c t o r, RVA Nat'l Indoor Jr Official DevelopmentDonnie Goodwin, RVA At-Large Ref Representative

Larry Dolvig, Chair, Officials AssemblyEmi Vishoot, Associate Chair, Nat'l Indoor ScorersNancy Funk, Director, Nat'l Indoor Scorer Cert & EvalSteve Crane, Director, RVA Indoor Scorer DevelopmentLynne Updegraff, RVA At-Large Scorer RepresentativeSteve Owen, Chair, Int'l/Nat'l Beach Officials CommKeith Murlless, Director, Beach Ref Cert and EvalSteve Kenyon, Director, RVA Beach Officials DevelopmentTBD, RVA At-Large Beach RepresentativeMarcia Alterman, Member Organization Liaison