Referees have to train ahead of the PVL season too.
It started with the video challenge. Now the country's first and only pro volleyball league is improving its group of referees before the All-Filipino Conference in February.
Organizer Sports Vision will be conducting a joint refresher course for the Premier Volleyball League, with the guidance of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation this Thursday and Friday, January 19-20, at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
"After rolling out the video challenge system last year, we’re kickstarting the new season with this Referees Refresher Course, which will now be a regular fare preparatory to the PVL having its own group of referees culled from the PNVF Licensed Referees," said Sports Vision and PVL president Ricky Palou.
Even the chairman of the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Committee, Songsak Chareonpong, will attend the event aimed to improve and update the knowledge of local referees in the PVL and in the Spikers' Turf, as well as to bring them up to international standards.
Day one of the event will focus on theory, going back to the rules of the game, new rule modifications, and reviewing volleyball highlights. Day two will be all about practical lessons, which feature demonstrations teams, the utilization of the PVL video challenge, and the AVC video challenge regulations.
Fans had lauded the much-awaited implementation of the video challenge during the 2022 Reinforced Conference and had been vocal about the performance of referees during the previous seasons.
See how this was utilized to win a key set for Choco Mucho.
"The Referees Refresher Course aims to fuse in the interpretation of rules, correct adoption of system with emphasis on mechanics and continue to promote the sport and develop and produce a new breed of volley referees," said PNVF president Ramon "Tats" Suzara.
The Spikers' Turf will kick off this Sunday, January 22, as the National University-Archipelago Builders will aim to defend their Open Conference title.
The new PVL season, starting with the rebranded All-Filipino Conference, starts early next month with revamped squads as Coach Oliver Almadro takes over the Reinforced Conference champs Petro Gazz Angels, while their previous coach Rald Ricafort flies to the PLDT High Speed Hitters. Former NU coach Regine Diego will helm the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers, while Dante Alinsunurin Jr. will lead the Choco Mucho Flying Titans.