Fun At The Volleyball

Volleyball is a game of protocols. Everywhere you look there are protocols.  How and where the players, coaches and officials must stand. What they can wear and when. How to make substitutions, take timeouts, talk to your team. Protocols, protocols, protocols.

And where there are protocols there are anarchists who will do anything to subvert them.  For example, volleyball rules state that players must play with their shirts tucked in. And referees, as the high priests of protocol, must control all players before the start of the match. Many players do not like to play with their shirts tucked in and most others are just anarchists.

The ‘Checking The Players’ Shirts’ protocol fits into the ‘Teams Lining Up’ protocol before the start of the match. The players line up on the sideline of their respective sides.  The referees check that the captain and liberos are standing where they must (captain first, first libero second, second libero last; another protocol) and that the players’ shirts are tucked in.

Many / most players, even those who have played hundreds of professional matches know that the referee will check their shirt, yet they will not tuck it in until after the referee asks them too. And to confirm their anarchist credentials they will all untuck their shirts again the moment they move to the middle of the court.  If you are bored before a match you can watch this predictable, yet highly entertaining dance.

And if you are especially lucky, you might catch the player whose superstition it is to be the last in the line.  Watch the lengths he will go to to circumvent the protocols.  It is hilarious.