The sport of volleyball is gaining in popularity with 63 Mississippi high schools now sponsoring it as a girls’ varsity sport.

That growth seems to have hit a barricade somewhere around the boundary of southwest Mississippi. McComb and South Pike are the only southwest Mississippi high schools currently fielding volleyball teams.

Five schools, including McComb, participated in a round robin event Saturday at Madison St. Joseph. McComb is coached by Mike Jensen, who started the program there nine years ago, and is assisted by Sue Ellen Codding, one of Jensen’s former players.

Mike’s volleyball experience was gained by playing intramural volleyball at Mississippi State. Others at the event, Daisey Acosta of St. Joseph, Tim Kornrumpf of Wingfield, Betty Collins of St. Andrews and Carol Hill from Yazoo City, were all limited to gaining their expertise by playing high school sports.

Several years ago the MHSAA sanctioned girls’ volleyball as a sport, which qualified to have a state champion, and at that time required the use of certified officials.

Frank Wilson from Jackson is coordinator of volleyball officials for central Mississippi. He also coordinates volleyball officiating for SWAC and remains an active basketball and football official in SWAC.

He had four veteran officials and three rookies working Saturday’s round robin and was constantly giving them pointers and correcting mistakes. He emphasized the importance of not only knowing the rules but of selling the calls you make as an official.

All of the volleyball officials who officiated in the tournament Saturday also officiate in at least one additional sport.

Two of the veteran officials Saturday are well-known in Mississippi officiating circles. Cliff Cotten officiates high school football, basketball, baseball, volleyball and softball. He also officiates college-level basketball, volleyball and softball. He had the distinction of officiating both the Mississippi-Alabama all-star football and basketball games the same year.

Mike Tolzman has also been around a long time. A veteran high school football official, Mike now also calls football in the SWAC. He was a member of the chain crew at Mississippi Memorial Stadium when Ole Miss and State both scheduled games there every year.

Volleyball officiating is much like officiating any other sport in that you must have a complete knowledge not only of the written rules but of the spirit of the rules as well. The game requires constant concentration.

Officiating volleyball is not physically demanding because the officials remain in one spot the entire game. The official in the chair at one end of the net is the referee, while the one at the other end of the net is the umpire. For more important games, a linesman will be assigned to work each end of the court.

I have also found the official scorekeeper must be certified. Normally this person is a staff member at the host school, but must be certified nonetheless.

And that’s official.

Al Graning is a former SEC official and former Natchez resident. Reach him at

AlanWard39157@aol.com

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