Estonian Federation delivers additional courses for young referees to-be

As they continue their extensive work to grow the game at the grassroots level, the Estonian Volleyball Federation recently hosted three refereeing seminars for young players and other youngsters interested in advancing their knowledge of the rules and of volleyball refereeing.

This past December 3, such a seminar with 13 participants was held in Keila together with Keila Volleyball Club. A week later, a second seminar with 15 participants was held in Rakvere in partnership with the local Volleyball School. Finally, on December 11, as many as 25 people interested in becoming a volleyball referee gathered at the Paide E-Piima sports hall with the help of a local youth club.

Everyone went through the training required to perform the tasks of a volleyball referee. Kadri Toom, coach of the Paide volleyball club, said that the participants were sent learning materials in advance, which they had to work through independently with different case descriptions. “For some two hours of training, referees Erko Varblane and Meelis Pikkpõld talked about the role of referees in Volleyball in general and gave a brief overview of the rules and the materials regulating the referee’s activities,” Toom noted.

Practical work was also carried out for the participants, which, according to Toom, included the use of correct hand signals, the rhythm of the referee’s actions and whistling. Procedures were also discussed when it comes to the interaction with the participants of the game, which the referees must pay special attention to. The training organised by the Estonian Volleyball Federation was addressed to all those interested in embarking in a career as a volleyball referee.  

Paide volleyball club coach Piret Reinfeld said that among those who completed the training, she hopes to find successors to current referees as well as kids just understanding the game better. “We do not have much choice in terms of volleyball referees in Järva County, and sometimes we are in trouble with that,” she said. Reinfeld added that the training did not go astray for any volleyball fans, because there have been many innovations in volleyball rules and, as a result, in the interpretation of the referees’ actions in recent years, but most members of the older generation of coaches do not know much about it.

The Estonian Volleyball Federation is planning the delivery of similar courses again at the beginning of the year 2023 in additional sections of the Baltic country.