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Becoming a referee is a great way to earn money, make friends and be a part of the volleyball community.
Great referees demonstrate fairness, good judgement, leadership and a love for the game. If this sounds like you, you’ve got a bright future as a volleyball referee!
Starting in the 2023 season, at select events USA Volleyball referees will award #refvolleyball pins to athletes who demonstrate these qualities and show excellent potential for becoming a referee.
Getting started as a new official (referee or scorer) begins locally, within your region. Scroll to learn more about the experience and benefits of being a referee and take the first step on your officiating journey today.
“I got started reffing volleyball right out of high school because it seemed like a great way to stay active in the sport, set my own schedule in college and make some good money on the side. I stayed with it because it turned out to be a lot of fun to be active and involved with the sport, meet all kinds of people, travel the country, and have that new team that I get to serve on with the officials team.”
Whether it’s your first job or side hustle to a full-time career, officiating volleyball matches is a great way to earn money. Entry-level referees at the regional level earn an average of $20-35 per match and work multiple matches over the course of a tournament.
You get to choose your availability and pick when and where you work. Depending on the season, there are opportunities to referee volleyball matches all over the country.
Get access to training to prepare you to make the right call and improve your knowledge about how to apply the rules of the game. You’ll have support from mentors that will help you to refine your decision-making skills and handle any scenario with confidence.
As a referee, you will gain lifelong friends that want to see you succeed. They will help you learn the ropes, back you up in tough situations, and set you up for long term success on the stand.
“I started to ref when I was 14 and continued to ref throughout my high school and college career. As soon as I retired from my professional playing career, I started to make officiating my full-time job. I love it because I get to make my own schedule; I get to choose where I get to travel; and I also love it because of the camaraderie that happens between officials, coaches and players. It’s something I hope I get to do for the rest of my life.”
National Referee Antonio King talks about his top perks of officiating, including:
One of the best aspects of becoming a referee is the community. Fellow referees are there to guide and mentor you, cheer you on, and support your success.
Want to hear more? Listen to Episodes 51 and 52 of the USA Volleyball Show podcast.
Episode 51: Jenn Kay Vander Meer
Episode 52: Shawn Davis
You can listen to the USA Volleyball Show wherever you get your podcasts, or visit the show’s home page.
We see a pattern here! Ali Garwood (CEVA) shares her favorite parts of being a referee:
By: Elliot Blake, Manager, Sitting Volleyball and USAV National Referee and Scorer Editor’s Note: the latest Rules Interpretations addresses service animals in the bench area. This article provides background information for that ruling. My dog Diesel is a butthead, but boy do I love him. He has a strange addiction to tennis balls, and I...
By Kirsten Boessneck, Magdalena Gleaves and Troy Gravett Early in the afternoon on Nov. 19, 2019, we emerged from the airport in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. While the Caribbean nation is known for its warm beach resorts, the three of us had more serious interests at hand. We were representing the United States’ growing pool...
Pati Rolf, USAV's Director of Officials Development, has some thoughts on 2020 and urges us all to be kind and generous to others and ourselves.
By: Michelle Prater I had the pleasure of officiating the NORCECA Men’s and Women’s Champions Cup in Colorado Springs, Colo., last August, working alongside Americans Hansen Leong and Jung Park in addition to international officials Matt van Raalte , Lourdes Perez, Jaime Maldonado, Serge Theriault, Denny Cespedes and Edgar la Forest. Our matches ran smoothly,...
My first year as part of the High Performance Officials Pipeline (HPOP) at the 2019 High Performance Championships was amazing. From the coaches to the atmosphere to the cadre, it’s an experience I’ll never forget. I will never forget stopping my first match on the first day with a score of 2-3 in the second...
2020 didn't happen as expected, but there still was a beach volleyball season. Keith Murlless, Director of Beach Referee Training and Certification, recaps the season and congratulates the officials who "earned their flip-flops," as he says.
By: Keith Murlless Looking back at the 2019 beach season and beach referee training program, a few questions come to mind. Did we offer enough training opportunities? How many new officials did we bring to the sand? Did we serve the major tournaments well? Are we providing fun and profitable opportunities for our beach referees?...
By: Jennifer Vander Meer My first year at High Performance Championships was amazing and one I will always remember, from the coaches to the atmosphere to the cadre. I will never forget stopping my first match on the first day with a score of 2-3 in the second set due to a water main break...
