“In an effort to provide a safer environment for student-athletes during OFSAA volleyball championships, qualifying teams will be required to follow new protocol during warm-up.  Adopted and developed by Volleyball Canada, OFSAA will also adopt these warm-up procedures for the 2019 boys’ championships and 2020 girls’ championships.

WARM-UP PROTOCOL: In an effort to reduce the incidence of injuries and concussions during match play, Volleyball Canada has developed the following warm-up protocol. This protocol is to be followed by all teams during the hitting portion of the team warm-up:

1. Athletes are not permitted to cross under the net and into the receiving court after completing their attack.

2. Athletes must remain on their side of the net immediately following an attack and only move to the opposite side of the net from outside of the court.

3. Balls being entered to the attacking side of the net from the receiving side of the court must be entered from outside of the court at a minimum distance of six meters from the net.

4. Retrieved balls must be returned along the sidelines of the court and not through the receiving court.

5. For teams that do not follow the warm-up protocol, the referees will note on the score sheet the non-compliance of the warm-up protocol. The league, PTA, or Volleyball Canada (depending on the event), will determine the appropriate sanction for not following the warm-up protocol.