Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

General

What is NSWVRA?

The New South Wales Volleyball Referees Association (NSWVRA) supports volleyball referees across NSW through education, development, appointments, mentoring, resources and referee pathway opportunities.

NSWVRA works with Volleyball NSW, Volleyball Australia, schools, clubs and community organisations to help provide qualified referees for volleyball events across the state.

Who can join NSWVRA?

Anyone interested in volleyball refereeing can join NSWVRA, including:

New referees
Current referees
Players wanting to learn officiating
Coaches wanting to improve their rules knowledge
Parents or volunteers supporting school and club volleyball
Experienced referees looking for appointments and development opportunities

Do I need to be a NSWVRA member to referee?

Yes. Referees should hold a valid NSWVRA membership to be eligible for appointments, development opportunities and payment processing.

Your NSWVRA membership is separate from your Volleyball NSW player, coach or technical membership.

Membership & Registration

How much does NSWVRA membership cost?

The NSWVRA membership fee is:

NSWVRA Fee: $20.00
Total including RevSport processing fee: $22.04

This applies across all NSWVRA membership types.

Is the NSWVRA fee included in my Volleyball NSW membership?

No. The NSWVRA fee is separate and excluded from the Volleyball NSW membership fees shown in the registration diagram.

Even if you already hold a Volleyball NSW membership as a player, coach or technical member, you still need to register with NSWVRA separately.

What membership type should I select when registering?

Please select the same membership type you currently hold.

If you played SVL / PLV, you should already have a Full Membership. Select this option and RevSport should deduct the difference, meaning you only pay the NSWVRA registration fee.

If you do not currently hold any Volleyball NSW membership, please select Technical as the minimum membership type.

I already have a Volleyball NSW membership. Will I be charged again?

If you already hold a valid Volleyball NSW membership, RevSport should only charge the difference required for the NSWVRA registration fee.

Please ensure you select the same membership type you currently hold to avoid unnecessary duplicate charges.

What should I do if my registration fee looks incorrect?

Before paying, please check that you have selected the correct membership type.

If the amount still appears incorrect, contact NSWVRA or Volleyball NSW before completing the payment so the issue can be reviewed.

Becoming a Referee

How do I become a volleyball referee in NSW?

To become a volleyball referee in NSW:

Register as a NSWVRA member
Complete the Volleyball Australia Level 1 online referee course
Attend a Level 2 Associate course when available
Gain experience through school, club, community and competition appointments
Continue developing through mentoring, feedback and further accreditation

Do I need experience to become a referee?

No. New referees are welcome.

NSWVRA supports beginner referees through education, practical appointments, mentoring and development opportunities.

What is the first referee course I should complete?

New referees should start with the Volleyball Australia Level 1 online referee course.

After this, referees are encouraged to attend a Level 2 Associate practical course when available.

What is a Level 2 Associate referee?

A Level 2 Associate referee is a developing referee who has completed further practical education and is working towards officiating more formal competitions, school events, tournaments and higher-level matches.

How do I know when referee courses are available?

Upcoming referee courses will be promoted through NSWVRA, Volleyball NSW, RevSport event listings and official communication channels.

Members should regularly check the NSWVRA website, emails and event calendar for upcoming course opportunities.

Appointments

How do I get appointed to referee games?

Referee appointments may be offered through NSWVRA, Volleyball NSW, schools, clubs or community event organisers.

To be considered for appointments, please ensure:

Your NSWVRA membership is active
Your accreditation is up to date
Your contact details are correct
Your bank details are completed in RevSport
You respond promptly to appointment requests

What type of events can NSWVRA referees be appointed to?

NSWVRA referees may be appointed to:

School volleyball events
Community competitions
Club tournaments
SVL / YSVL matches
PLV matches
State events
National pathway events
Private school fixtures
Charity or community tournaments

Appointments depend on referee level, availability, experience and event requirements.

Can junior referees receive appointments?

Yes. Junior referees can be appointed to suitable matches depending on their age, experience, confidence and accreditation level.

NSWVRA encourages junior referee development and aims to provide safe and appropriate opportunities for young officials.

Do under 18 referees need a WWCC?

Generally, referees under 18 are not required to hold a Working With Children Check.

However, event organisers may still request referee details and may have specific requirements. NSWVRA will advise referees where necessary.

Do adult referees need a WWCC?

Yes. Adult referees may be required to provide a valid Working With Children Check for school, junior and community appointments.

Referees should ensure their WWCC details are current and available when accepting relevant appointments.

Schools, Clubs & Community Requests

How do I request referees for a school or community event?

Schools, clubs and community organisations can request referees by completing the official NSWVRA referee request form.

School and Community Referee Request Form:
Form Request - Schools and Communities

When submitting the form, please include as much detail as possible, including:

Event name
Date
Venue and address
Start and finish time
Number of courts
Number of referees required
Game format
Rate of pay
WWCC requirement
Contact person on the day

Please provide as much notice as possible, as referee availability can be limited during busy school, SVL, YSVL, PLV and tournament periods.

How much notice should be given when requesting referees?

Please provide as much notice as possible.

Referee availability can be limited, especially during peak competition periods. Early requests give NSWVRA the best chance of allocating suitable referees.

Can NSWVRA guarantee referees for every event?

NSWVRA will make every effort to assist, but referee availability is not always guaranteed.

Availability depends on the date, location, number of referees required, accreditation needs and existing competition commitments.

What information should schools provide for referee appointments?

Schools should provide:

School name
Competition name
Date and time
Venue address
Game format
Number of games
Number of referees required
WWCC requirement
Staff contact person
Arrival time
Rate of pay

This helps NSWVRA allocate referees efficiently and avoid delays.

Payments & Timeline

How do I get paid for refereeing?

To be paid for refereeing, you must:

Hold a valid NSWVRA membership
Have your bank details completed in your RevSport profile
Complete your refereeing appointment
Ensure the appointment has been confirmed and verified

The NSWVRA payment timeline page also notes that referees must have their bank details filled out in RevSport, complete their refereeing appointments, and that NSWVRA membership is separate from Volleyball NSW membership.

Who manages referee payments?

Referee payments are managed by the NSWVRA Treasurer after appointments have been confirmed, verified and approved for payment.

Payments cannot be processed until the required appointment details have been finalised.

When are referee payments processed?

Referee payments are generally processed in payment runs after completed appointments have been confirmed.

Please allow reasonable processing time, as payments may depend on:

Event organiser confirmation
Appointment verification
Correct bank details in RevSport
Valid NSWVRA membership
Treasurer payment processing timelines

Why have I not been paid yet?

Common reasons include:

Your NSWVRA membership is not active
Your bank details are missing or incorrect in RevSport
The appointment has not yet been confirmed
The event organiser has not finalised payment information
Your name was not listed correctly on the appointment record
The payment run has not yet been completed

If all details are correct and payment is still outstanding, contact NSWVRA with the event name, date and appointment details.

Where do I add my bank details?

Bank details should be added to your RevSport profile.

Please ensure your details are correct before accepting appointments, as missing or incorrect bank details may delay payment.

What do I need to do to avoid payment delays?

To avoid payment delays, please ensure:

You have a valid NSWVRA membership
Your bank details are completed in RevSport
Your contact details are up to date
You completed the appointment as allocated
You have advised NSWVRA of any changes to your appointment

Who do I contact about missing or delayed referee payments?

For payment-related enquiries, please contact the NSWVRA Treasurer.

Treasurer Email:
treasurer@nswvbrefs.org.au

When emailing about a payment, please include:

Full name
Event name
Date of appointment
Venue
Games completed
Referee role
Any relevant confirmation or appointment details

This helps the Treasurer review and resolve the enquiry faster.

Should I message social media about payments?

No. Please do not use social media DMs for payment enquiries.

All payment enquiries should be sent by email so they can be tracked and reviewed properly.

Match Day Expectations

What should referees bring to appointments?

Referees should bring:

Whistle
Yellow and red cards
Pen or pencil
Toss coin
Watch or timer if required
Rule knowledge
Water bottle
Any required WWCC or appointment details
Professional attitude

Optional but recommended:

Referee bag
Backup whistle
Pressure gauge
Net chain or net height measure
Referee jacket

What should referees wear?

Referees should wear professional, neutral and appropriate referee attire when attending appointments.

For formal competitions and higher-level appointments, referees should aim to wear:

Volleyball Australia referee polo shirt
Navy blue dress pants
Black belt
Majority white shoes
Appropriate referee jacket if required

Referees should avoid wearing club colours, playing jerseys, casual shorts, jeans, slides or clothing that may look unprofessional or conflict with the teams playing.

What should I wear while waiting for my referee uniform to arrive?

If you have recently received your accreditation or are waiting for your official referee uniform to arrive, please still present professionally.

Temporary referee attire should include:

Plain white shirt or plain white polo
Navy blue dress pants
Black belt
Majority white shoes
Whistle, cards, pen and any required referee equipment

Please avoid wearing club uniforms, playing jerseys, casual sports shorts, jeans, slides or heavily branded clothing while refereeing.

Once your official referee uniform arrives, referees are encouraged to wear the proper Volleyball Australia referee polo for appointments.

Where can I buy a Volleyball Australia referee shirt?

Volleyball Australia referee shirts and referee accessories can be purchased through Australian Volleyball Warehouse.

They stock items such as:

Volleyball Australia short sleeve referee polo
Volleyball Australia long sleeve referee polo
Volleyball Australia referee jacket
Referee bags
Referee badges
Referee accessories

Referee Accessories:
https://www.avw.net.au/list.mibiznez?id=170&name=Referee%20Accessories

What pants should referees wear?

Referees should wear navy blue dress pants.

These do not need to be expensive, but they should look clean, professional and suitable for officiating.

Common places to buy suitable navy dress pants include:

Lowes
Kmart
Big W
Target
Best & Less
Myer
Uniqlo
Connor
Tarocash

Please ensure the pants are comfortable enough for movement while still looking professional.

Do referees need to wear a belt?

Yes. A black belt is strongly recommended and should be worn with referee dress pants.

This helps maintain a professional and consistent referee appearance.

What shoes should referees wear?

Referees should wear majority white shoes where possible.

Shoes should be:

Clean
Safe for indoor courts
Comfortable for standing and movement
Non-marking where required by the venue

Avoid brightly coloured shoes, casual slides, sandals or footwear that may damage indoor flooring.

What should duty referees or developing referees wear?

For duty or developing referees, official VA referee uniform may not always be available. However, referees should still aim to wear neutral and professional attire.

Recommended minimum standard:

Plain white shirt or plain white polo
Navy blue dress pants
Black belt
Clean majority white or neutral shoes
No club playing jersey while refereeing
No clothing that matches either team’s playing uniform

Where possible, referees should work towards purchasing the proper Volleyball Australia referee polo and official referee attire.

Why is referee uniform important?

Referee uniform helps build professionalism, neutrality and confidence.

A clean and consistent referee appearance shows respect to players, coaches, schools, clubs and event organisers, and helps referees present themselves appropriately at all levels of competition.

What time should referees arrive?

Referees should arrive early enough to:

Meet the organiser
Sign in if required
Check the court and equipment
Brief duty teams if needed
Confirm match format
Prepare for the first game

For school and community appointments, referees are usually requested to arrive 15–30 minutes before the first game.

What should I do if I am running late?

Contact the organiser or NSWVRA appointment contact immediately.

Late communication can impact matches, schools, teams and other referees.

What should I do if I can no longer attend an appointment?

Notify NSWVRA or the appointment organiser as soon as possible.

Please do not cancel last minute unless unavoidable. Referee withdrawals can significantly impact events.

Development & Pathways

How can I improve as a referee?

You can improve by:

Accepting suitable appointments
Asking for feedback
Watching experienced referees
Learning correct signals and procedures
Practising scoresheet and rotation checking
Attending courses and workshops
Staying updated with rules and competition regulations

Can I progress to higher-level competitions?

Yes. Referees can progress through experience, education, mentoring and accreditation.

The general pathway is:

Beginner / Community Referee
↓
Level 1 Referee
↓
Level 2 Associate
↓
Level 2 State
↓
Level 3
↓
National and higher-level opportunities

How do I receive feedback or mentoring?

NSWVRA may provide feedback through senior referees, supervisors, courses and event-based mentoring.

Referees are encouraged to ask questions and seek feedback after matches where appropriate.

Contact

Who do I contact for referee appointments?

For competition and appointment enquiries, contact:

appointments@nswvbrefs.org.au

Who do I contact for school or community referee requests?

For school and community referee requests, contact:

community@nswvbrefs.org.au

You can also submit a request using the official school and community referee request form: