You’ll occasionally spot them when watching a Heren 1 match. They don’t have a chair, they occasionally take a spin, walk from left to right and back again, and sometimes aren’t entirely sure how their whistle works: the second referee. From the Promotion Class (excluding women’s matches) and higher, they’re brought in to support the first referee. But what exactly are the duties of this extra referee?
Teamwork
First of all, it’s good to know that both referees form one team and therefore need to work well together. After all, they, along with the scorer, make up the match officials. Sometimes you’ll see that the referees even agree on signals with each other, such as whether a ball on the second referee’s side was in or out, or went behind the antenna.
Before the Match
Besides making pre-game arrangements, it’s also the second referee’s duty to organise the DWF. This means checking the present players along with the coaches. Together with the first referee, the net and court are inspected, ensuring the correct net height, proper antenna positioning, any obstacles in the free space, and the temperature in the hall. Yes, you read that correctly. Did you know the hall temperature must be between 16 and 25 degrees? Otherwise, the game cannot be played.
During the Match
During the match, each referee has their own responsibilities. For example, the first referee primarily focuses on in/out calls, ball touches during blocking, and the serving team’s position. The second referee mainly watches for net faults, foot faults, and positioning errors of the receiving team. Additionally, the second referee manages substitutions and time-outs (with the scorer’s help) and is also tasked with monitoring the coaches and substitute players. Any yellow and/or red cards are always issued by the first referee, though they may take the second referee’s advice on this.
After the Match
When the match is over, the second referee completes the DWF as necessary. The form is then checked by both team captains and the first referee before it’s submitted. Finished? Most referees enjoy discussing how the match and teamwork went. This gives you a chance to exchange tips and pointers, helping everyone improve as referees!
Quite handy, right, having a second referee? Want to know more? Check the official rules and the HIA (Referee Instruction Guide), or ask Tim, Matthijs, Gawein, or André. Interested in becoming a second referee? The VC will be organising a course soon. To attend, you’ll need to have a V4 certificate. Any questions or want to sign up? Email: vc@sovicos.nl!
