Defining what is a block?

Question
QUESTION: This is a pretty basic question, but I haven't been able to find a good technical answer online.  My question is: What is actually a block, in particular related to two scenarios which I will describe below?  I know the description (hands passed over the height of the net), but two situations confuse me.  If it matters, this concerns indoor 6's under standard USAV rules:

1. A set is very tight to the net, nobody goes for the ball and nobody can play it.  Legally, I can block the ball down, but I cannot attack it.  How do I rule if the player actually attacked versus blocked the ball down?  I know what a block "looks like" (two hands over the net, short motion pushing the ball down), versus an attack (single full-arm swing), but in more recreational leagues, often the two start looking similar.  Is there a rule that allows me to discriminate, "You did <this>, therefore it's a block and not an attack."

2. A lob goes over the net, a player in the front row was attempting to block and the lob kinda goes above his fingers.  While he's in the air and still above net height, he reaches a bit and is able to tip the ball forward a bit with one or both hands.  Is this still a block, or is it a first contact?

Thanks!



ANSWER: Good evening!!  Thank you visiting www.allexperts.com.

1.  Correct, you can "flush" the ball down, reaching over the net with a two-handed motion AS LONG AS you are correct that no one could have touched the ball.   As for swinging one-handed and hitting the ball, I'm not 100% sure if the call is the same or not.  If I were the R1, I would give the ball to the hitter's team, b/c I would have interpreted it like a block.  (The ball would have fallen anyway.)   Now, the discrimination is moot, if I'm right in my interpretation.  

In other words, Team A has a front row setter.  They team is running a 72-31 combo.  Setter forgets and sets a tight 14.  Team A plays stand and watch the screwed up play.......but, before the ball hits the floor, a player from Team B reaches over and flushes it.  100% legal.  If a player from Team B spikes that errant set, I'm not completely confident about my ruling, but again, I'd call it the same way.  

2.  "lob"......do you mean a tip or roll shot by the hitter?  I think you mean roll shot.  If I'm right, then the answer to your 2nd question:  What was the blocker trying to do?  Block it?  From your explanation, it doesn't appear so.  It appears he was taking a swipe at it, trying to keep the ball in play.  In my opinion, that's a first contact.  

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Have a wonderful weekend!
Coach Houser

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks, that makes a lot of sense to me.  As a small followup, I am still wondering what the technical difference is between a "block" and "spike" is, in terms of how to call one versus the other.  I've for example had players spike a ball into the net on an overset from the other team, and then claim they were blocking.  Nobody questions when I say, "No, that was an obvious attack", but I am wondering what technically constitutes the difference?  If someone challenges me and says "No that was a block, not an attack", I want to be able to say, "No, that was a block, because your motion was [blah] instead of [blah]."

Bear in mind that I don't play in a super competitive league, so sometimes the poorer players spike very similarly to how they block (e.g. a "spike" might be no-approach jumping straight up, patting down the ball with one hand).  

Answer
Good evening #2!  haha

At most levels, the difference is obvious.  When a player takes an "attacking" motion, then it's an attack.  One hand tip, two hand power tip, wrist snap, etc.  

What technically constitutes the difference?  I would say a "block" is when a person is at the net, jumping and trying to stop the ball -- through a rebound off his arms -- from crossing over the net.  Therefore, you won't see a tipping motion, a hitting motion, a flushing motion. When you see those motions ai listed, you just have a call the 1st contact a non-blocking contact.  I often say to myself, "What was the intent of the player?  To block?  or to hit?"  That will solve my uncertainty as a referee.

I'm having a small inner struggle answering this question, b/c throughout my life, if the set went outside and over the net (as we mentioned in the previous exchange), and my blocker flushed it, then I've always recorded that stat a spike kill on our stat sheet.  Why?  B/c there was no opponent hitting at my blocker, therefore she really didn't block anything; yet, she used blocking action to get the kill.  Huh.  You see how I'm being a little tied up here?  haha  

Thank you again for the questions.  They're GREAT!!