NCAA LiveStats for Volleyball - FAQ
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If you wish to practice with NCAA LiveStats (which we recommend!) please set the game up manually or follow the procedures outlined here.
Contents
Calling and inputting
What are best practices for communication between the caller and the inputter?
- Most touches are called out loud, but the caller can assist the inputter by knowing which touches are not entered and not calling them.
- Generally, the caller should call the team color or team name when the ball crosses the net to them, and then jersey numbers when players make contact.
- Callers can also call "Dig" "Set" and "Attack" if they wish if it helps them to maintain consistency and organization.
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Using terms like "Over" and "Continue" is recommended, even though those calls are not entered into the software.
- Callers should also know when to call “Skip” to bypass a setting attempt, such as when a player attacks on the second touch.
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Examples…
- Rally ending with a kill: 7 Red serving; Blue 10, 4, 16; Red 5, 11, 15; Point Red - Watch instructional video HERE
- Rally ending with an attack error: 7 Red serving; Blue 10, 4, 16; Red 5, 11, 15; Point Blue - Watch instructional video HERE
- Block Assist: 7 Red serving; Blue 10, 4, 16; Block Red 11, 5; Point Red - Watch Instructional video HERE
- Service Ace: 7 Red serving; Blue 12; Point Red - Watch instructional video HERE
- Service Error: 7 Red serving; Point Blue - Watch instructional video HERE
- Setter attacks for a kill on second touch: 7 Red serving; Blue 16, Skip Set, 4; Point Blue - Watch instructional video HERE
- “Over” and then an attack error by the serving team: 7 Red serving; Blue 10, 4, Over; Red (ignore Over reception), 11, 15; Point Blue - Watch instructional video HERE
- Attack with a continuation that is kept up for a kill: 7 Red serving; Blue 10, 4, 16, Continue, 4, 12; Point Blue - Watch instructional video HERE
- Errant pass over the net which results in an unassisted kill: 7 Red serving; Blue 14; Red Skip Set, 9; Point Red - Watch instructional video HERE
In general, we are calling and entering every touch, but which touches should be ignored and not entered?
- Touches by blocking players, unless they result in a Block.
- “Covers” following a continuation, when an offensive player keeps the ball in play after it is blocked back into their court, unless they are setting or attacking.
- A player who is playing an “over” or a free ball with no intention of attacking.
- The first touch by a player receiving an “over” or a free ball, unless they are setting or attacking.
Should I use a mouse or a touchscreen?
- Either method works well. It’s really a matter of personal preference.
Setting up games
How do I set up a regular season match in NCAA LiveStats?
- By retrieving a Game Key from the NCAA School & Conference Manager (NSCM). Sign-in to the NSCM and use the Games List to locate the match you wish to set-up. Click on the match, and the Game Key will be visible. Copy the Game Key to your computer's clipboard. On the Create a New Game menu in NCAA LiveStats, choose “Enter Game Key”. Paste the Game Key into the space to create the match.
- If you wish to set up a practice or exhibition game that is not in the NSCM, you are always able to create a game manually in NCAA LiveStats on the opening screen, but that game cannot be made an official NCAA game.
- Remember: Using a Game Key will make the match official and send the data to the NCAA Statistics Database and the NSCM. If you don't wish to use NCAA LiveStats in an official capacity, create the match manually.
How do I set up a regular season match against a non-NCAA member school?
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Check the NSCM to see if the non-NCAA member team is listed. If they have played an NCAA opponent earlier in the season and NCAA LiveStats was used to score the match, the roster will be visible when clicking their entry.
- If the non-NCAA opponent has a roster in the NSCM, find the match in the Games List, choose platform "LiveStats", click on the game and copy the Game Key to your clipboard. Create the match in NCAA LiveStats as usual. As always, verify the accuracy of the rosters before stating the game.
- If the non-NCAA opponent does not have a roster in the NSCM, find the match in the Games List, choose platform "LiveStats", click on the match and copy the Game Key to your clipboard. Create the match in NCAA LiveStats as usual. When you reach the "Players" tab in the match setup progress, you will need to enter the roster of the non-NCAA opponent manually. Upon completing the match, the roster you entered will be stored in the NSCM for the next school who might play that opponent.
What's the difference between "Full Subs Off" and "Full Subs On"? How do I change it?
- Watch instructional video HERE
- Help Document: Full Subs Off vs. Full Subs On
- Full Subs Off requires the user to record when each player enters a set for the first time. In this mode, all players who have participated in the set will be shown on the playing floor. Set starters will be shown on the court, the libero(s) will be shown on the top sideline, and all subs will be shown on the bottom sideline.
- Full Subs On requires the user to record every substitution and libero switch. In this mode, only the six players actually on the playing floor will be shown. This is the preferred mode if you have scoreboards or stats displays that only list the exact six players on the floor.
What is the difference between Name, Short Name, Short Team Code, and Long Team Code?
- Name – The full name of the school, for example, “Middle Tennessee State University”
- Short Name – An abbreviated version or nickname, for example, “Middle Tennessee St.” or "Blue Raiders"
- Short Team Code – This must be exactly 3 characters, for example, “MTS”. The Short Team Code will not appear on any reports if you also enter a Long Team Code.
- Long Team Code – A school’s most common acronym, using 1-6 characters, that will be used on reports, for example “MTSU”. If you put in a Long Team Code it will override the Short Team Code as that team’s primary abbreviation in reports.
How do I enter...?
- Watch instructional video HERE
- After going through the pre-match setup, click “Line Up Set 1”.
- Choose the six starters and libero(s) for each team. Click “Confirm”.
- Choose which team will serve first.
- You will repeat this process to indicate starters for each subsequent set. In subsequent sets you can choose the “Reselect Starters” button to put the original match starters back in.
How do I enter the server and start a point?
- Watch instructional video HERE
- Select the player who will be serving. Click the "Serve" button.
- Your next entry will be the player from the opposing team who received the serve.
- If the serving team scores the point, NCAA LiveStats will automatically select the same server again. If that is accurate, click Serve. If not, choose a different player from the serving team and then click Serve.
How do I enter a kill or an attack error?
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Watch instructional video HERE
- Click the player who is making the attack.
- If the attack results in a successful kill, choose “Point” for the attacking team. A kill will be credited to the attacker. The assist (if any) will be credited to the previous teammate who touched the ball.
- If the attack results in an attack error, choose “Point” for the defending team. An attack error will be credited to the attacker.
How do I enter a service ace or a service error?
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Watch instructional video HERE
- Click the player who will be serving. Click the “Serve” button which will appear.
- If it’s a service error, click “Point” for the receiving team. An error will be charged to the server.
- If it’s a service ace, choose the defensive player responsible for the reception error, then click “Point” for the serving team. If it is a Team Reception Error, do not indicate a player and simply click “Point” for the serving team.
How do I enter an “over” or a free ball?
- Watch instructional video HERE
- There’s nothing you need to enter for an over or a free ball. Simply ignore the final contact by the team sending the ball over the net.
- On the other side, ignore the first touch after the free ball (unless the first touch is a set or an attack) and begin entering again with the player making the set.
- In the case of a Over-Over, where two overs are played in succession without a statistical touch in-between, use the Skip Set button to align NCAA LiveStats to the proper action, as shown in this instructional video.
How do I enter a “continue” when a ball is blocked back to the offense and kept in play (zero block)?
- Watch instructional video HERE
- There’s nothing you need to enter for a continue. After clicking the player for the attack, and the ball comes back into the attacking team’s court, ignore the first touch (the “cover”) and continue entering with the set.
- If the first touch after the continue results in a set or attack, then do record that touch.
How do I enter a Block Solo, Block Assist or a Blocking Error?
- Watch instructional video HERE
- After clicking the player for the attack, choose Block in the center of the court.
- If it’s a Block Solo, choose the player to credit and then click “Point” for the defending team.
- If it’s a Block Assist, choose the two or three players to credit, and then choose “Point” for the defending team.
- If it’s a Block Error, choose the player to charge, and then choose “Point” for the attacking team.
How do I enter a Setting Error or a Ball Handling Error?
- Watch instructional video HERE
- For a Setting Error, click a player for the set, and then click “Point” for the opposing team.
- For a Ball Handling Error, click a player for the set, and then click “BHE” on the same side of the court.
The offense attacked on the next touch following a serve reception or a dig (an attack on two). How do I enter that?
- Watch instructional video HERE
- Use the Skip Set button instead of crediting a set to a player. After the reception or dig, click “Skip Set” and then click the icon of the player who attacked.
- If the attack results in a kill, NCAA LiveStats will prompt for an assist. The user can either credit the assist to the proper player, or choose "Skip Ast" if there is no assist to be credited.
The opposing player attacked directly off an overpass from the defense which cleared the net. How do I enter that?
- Watch instructional video HERE
- After entering the reception or dig from the defense, click “Skip Set” on the other side of the court. Click the icon for the player making the attack, and choose “Point” for that player’s team.
- If the attack results in a kill, NCAA LiveStats will prompt for an assist. If there is no assist to be credited, click "Skip Ast" to finish the point.
A dig or a set cleared the net and landed for a point. How do I change that action to a kill?
- Watch instructional video HERE
- After the dig or the set, credit the point to the appropriate team.
- NCAA LiveStats will confirm if you would like to change this action to a kill.
- If necessary, NCAA LiveStats will then prompt for the player who should get credit for the assist.
How do I enter a rotation error?
- By rule, a rotation error is charged as a service ace or a service error depending on which team committed the violation.
- If the receiving team is out of rotation, credit the server with a service ace, and the offending player or team with a receiving error.
- If the server themselves is out of rotation, charge a service error to the player who should have been serving.
- If another player on the serving team is out of rotation, charge a service error to the server.
How do I enter a coach’s challenge?
- Click the "Challenge" button above the court layout.
- Choose the team who has requested the challenge.
- Indicate whether the challenge was successful, unsuccessful, or if the video was inconclusive.
- Choose a result based on the decision. Either Invert the score from the last point, replay the point, or maintain the same score by clicking confirm score.
- Click "Confirm" to return to main input screen.
- Click the “Timeout” button in the middle of the screen.
- Choose the team that took the timeout, or choose Media for a media timeout.
How do I enter a substitution? How do I indicate which players are actually on the court?
- Watch instructional video HERE
- In "Full Subs Off" mode, simply click the player's number from the bench area and their player icon will appear on the bottom sideline of the court. In this mode there is no need to record libero switches, no need to record a player who re-enters a set they were already in, and the display will not show exactly which players are on the court.
- In "Full Subs On" mode, click the player's number from the bench area, then click the player who they are replacing. The two players will switch positions. If you are putting the libero into the game, the player who the libero replaced will be marked with the libero's jersey number. When that player returns, just click their icon from the bench area to swap them back in for the libero. In this mode the user is required to record every substitution and every libero switch.
How do I enter a yellow card or a red card?
- Click the "Cards" button above the court layout.
- Choose a player or a coaching staff to receive the card.
- Choose the type of card received, either a yellow card, a red card, or a second yellow card which then results in a red card.
- If a red card is charged, NCAA LiveStats will automatically credit a penalty point to the opposing team.
Editing plays
How do I use the Step Back button?
- Watch instructional video HERE
- Any action can be immediately deleted with the Step Back button. You can continue using the Step Back button to go back as many actions as necessary.
I credited an action to the wrong player. How can I change it?
- Watch instructional video HERE
- On the Action Log, click the action you wish to change. Choose the correct player from the player list to credit the action.
I accidentally credited a point to the wrong team (or the referee changed a call) and now the point and the next serving team are both incorrect. What do I do?
- Watch instructional video HERE
- Click the Step Back button, then click Point for the other team. Now the score is corrected and you have to proper serving team in place so you can continue with the next point.
- Alternatively, you can click the Reverse Score arrows that are located on the most recent play in the Action Log column.
- If the play requires further editing, make a note of the play and return to it later.
How do I delete an action?
- Watch instructional video HERE
- On the Action Log, click the action you wish to delete. Then choose the Delete icon and confirm.
I entered a kill and NCAA LiveStats is prompting me for an assist. What's do I need to do?
- Watch instructional video HERE
- If you enter a kill that was not preceded by a set, NCAA LiveStats will prompt you to add an assist, or give you the opportunity to skip the assist.
- This happens most commonly when a player attacks on the second touch, and the user has used the Skip Set button. Because the previous touch was a dig, NCAA LiveStats will confirm that you want to credit the assist to the player who made the dig, or another player.
- If there is no assist to be credited, such as an attack on the first touch, then click the "Skip Ast" button.
I entered a dig, but the player’s dig attempt was not controlled and now it should be a kill. How do I change it?
- Watch instructional video HERE
- There’s no need to do any editing. After you click the player for the dig, click “Point” for the attacking team.
- NCAA LiveStats volleyball will change the dig to a dig error, credit a kill to the original attacker, and an assist to the setter.
I forget to enter a substitution and the player I missed has recorded an action. What do I do?
- You can record actions for players who are not currently in the match by clicking the player's jersey number directly from the bench area of the input screen. Their action will be recorded and they will be marked for participation for that set.
My score was incorrect, and NCAA LiveStats incorrectly indicates that the set or match is over. What do I do?
- On the End Set pop-up screen click “Undo Last Point” and you can return to the entry screen to correct the mistake.
- If this occurs and the NCAA LiveStats believes the match is over, click Step Back to return to the entry screen to correct the mistake.
How do I switch teams to the other side of the court?
- If you discover that the teams are not playing on the expected side of the net, go to the Game tab on the top of the screen. Choose Switch Team Sides.
- Between sets, NCAA LiveStats will automatically switch sides of the court for you. The sides will also switch automatically when the first team reaches 8 points in the fifth set.
- You can Flag any play by clicking the gray flag icon directly in the Action Log, without needing to open the play in the editor. This will mark the play with a red flag to indicate that something may be wrong with it, or it needs attention. This will allow you to quickly bookmark a potential mistake so you can find it later. NCAA LiveStats may also Flag plays itself, if it suspects some kind of input error (such as crediting stats to a player not currently in the game). When you return to edit the play click the red Review flag in the upper left corner to read the error message.
- You can also click on any play in the Action Log you will have the option to Flag & Proceed that play. If you placed the Flag yourself, it will be cleared once you return to edit the play (even if you ultimately don’t make any changes). When you reach the end of the period NCAA LiveStats will prompt you to check all flagged plays.
How do I use the filters in the Action Log to locate a play?
- By clicking on the Arrows icon above the Action Log, you can open the Action Log Editing window full screen. In the left-hand column are a number of filters that you can use to locate a particular play. Choose a filter and the play list will display only those plays that match the selection. You can choose multiple filters to further narrow down the set of plays you are searching. You will see which filters are applied, and can turn off any filter you choose.
Other questions
How do I end a set? What is the End Set button?
- When a team reaches at least 25 points with the required 2-point margin of victory, the End Set pop-up window will appear.
- Verify the end time of the set and the length of the set, in minutes. Change times if necessary.
- Click “OK” to confirm the end of the set.
- If the score on your computer was incorrect and it is not actually the end of the set, you can click “Undo Last Point” to return to the entry screen.
- A set can also be forced to end by clicking the End Set button. The user will be prompted to choose the winner of the set, so that they can continue the match. Note that the set will have to be properly corrected and fixed before the user will be able to Finalize the match. Use of the End Set button is designed for critical situations that cannot be fixed before the next set begins. Watch instructional video HERE.
The referee has declared a replay. What do I do?
- Simply click the “Replay” button in the middle of the screen. NCAA LiveStats will confirm that you wish to delete all the actions from the previous rally. Choose “Yes” and you are ready to enter in the new rally.
Do the player icons on the court diagram indicate their rotation positions?
- No. Rotation information is not used. The player icons are arranged numerically and will not relocate for the entirety of the set in Full Subs Off mode. This is to create a consistent location for each player icon to aid the inputter in speed and accuracy.
I entered a libero in the starting lineup but they did not actually participate in the set or match. How can I remove them so that they are not charged with a set played or a match played?
- A libero who is included in the starting lineup for a set will be charged with a set played and a match played. If the libero ultimately does not participate in the set, use the Action Log, find the Lineup command, and edit the lineup to remove the non-participating libero.
Why do we not indicate who subbed out and why do substitutions appear on the sideline instead of on the court?
- Watch instructional video HERE
- This is the proper functionality in Full Subs Off mode. Many users only track which player enter the set, and do not track which players leave.
- Keeping the set starters on the court and the substitutes on the sideline creates a consistent location for each player icon to aid the inputter in speed and accuracy.
- Users that wish to indicate exactly which six players are on the court at any given time (usually for scoreboard stat panel purposes), can use Full Subs On mode which will require the user to record each substitution and libero switch.
To get my scoreboard stat panels to appear correctly, I need to show exactly which six players are on the court. How do I do that?
- Watch instructional video HERE
- Users that wish to indicate exactly which six players are on the court at any given time (usually for scoreboard stat panel purposes), can use Full Subs On mode. In this mode, users will be required to record each substitution and libero switch.
Why do I need to enter in libero switches in Full Subs On mode?
- Most scoreboard systems display six players at a time, so most users wish to have their scoreboards represent exactly which six players are on the court at any given moment. To do that the inputter will have to account for libero switches.
Why do I need to enter every touch? Can I turn off entering sets or other statistics?
- One of the long term goals on the NCAA LiveStats project is to create consistent data collection for all NCAA schools. So with rare exceptions, users are not permitted to turn on or off different statistics. This helps insure that all NCAA schools are collecting the same set of data for each game or match.
Where do I find the NCAA Game ID number for my game?
- Open the game in NCAA LiveStats
- Under the Help menu, choose Game Information.
- The ID number is listed as "Game ID" or "NCAA Game ID"
What do the participation symbols on the Box Score report mean?
- A black square indicates that player started the set.
- A white square indicates that player entered that set as a substitution.
- A letter “L” indicates that player was a libero for that set.
- A circle around the set number indicates that team served first in that set.
What is the difference between a Setting Error and a Ball Handling Error?
- Watch instructional video HERE
- A Setting Error is a judgment call and is not whistled by the referee. It is charged to a player for a set which is errant and does not permit a teammate to make a reasonable attack attempt.
- A Ball Handling Error is a violation called by the referee for a double hit, lift or thrown ball. A Ball Handling Error is not charged if the violation occurs during a serve reception (then it would be a reception error), during an attack (then it would be an attack error) or during a block (then it would be a block error).
The program seems to lag at the end of matches. What can I do?
- Reduce the size of your database, by deleting old matches from the Home menu. Older matches can always be restored using the Load Past Game function, so there is no reason to keep a large number of matches on your computer. Deleting them will improve the applications performace. It is also dependent on the quailty of your computer and processor.
Do I need to update my team's records at the end of the game?
- No. NCAA LiveStats knows who won the game and who lost the game, so it will do that for you once you click Finalize Game.
How do I upload schedules and rosters to the NSCM?
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All schedules and rosters migrate from the NCAA Statistics database. So by submitting your pre-season schedules and rosters to the NCAA the same way you have always done, that information will get pushed to the NSCM.
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If you need to change a roster in mid-season, log-in to the NCAA Statistics database and make the changes there. That information will be pushed to the NSCM.
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If you need to change a schedule in mid-season, contact the NCAA Statistics office representative for your sport and division.
In the Pregame check I received a "System Clock Difference Detected" message. What does this mean?
- In order for NCAA LiveStats to properly connect to the Genius Sports servers, the clock on your computer must be in sync to the world clock. This message appears when the clock on your computer does not match the world clock. Without proper synchronization you will not be able to connect to the servers which will prevent the creation of Game Books, Pack files and XML files.
- Use http://time.is to see the current world time and learn how far off your computer is.
- In your computer Settings go to "Change Date & Time"
- Set "Set time automatically" to On.
- If necessary, use "Change Date & Time" to manually set you computer clock to match the world clock.
- If your organization's restrictions prevent you from changing clock settings, please contact your IT department.
My game was postponed. What do I need to do?
- As you have always done, your first step when a game is postponed is to notify the NCAA Statistics office representative for your sport and division.
- As of 2020, NCAA members can edit and update their own schedules in the NCAA Statistics database at stats.ncaa.org.
- Once the NCAA database is updated the new date will be reflected in the NSCM.
- However, if the new date is not showing in the NSCM, there's no reason to worry. Use the same Game Key for that game, and on the Game Information tab adjust the date and time accordingly.
- Game Keys are unique identification numbers assigned to each game in the NCAA School and Conference Manager (NSCM). To set-up a game with a Game Key, copy the Game Key from NSCM to your computer’s clipboard. On the Create a New Game menu in NCAA LiveStats, choose “Enter a Game Key”. Paste the Game Key into the space to create the game. Watch instructional video HERE.
- IMPORTANT - Using a Game Key will trigger the beginning of the game in the database and begin sending official stats to the NCAA Statistics Database and the NSCM. Do NOT use a Game Key for unofficial games, and do NOT enter test plays into a game created with a Game Key.
I'm seeing unusual letters and characters on some of the menus and buttons. What do I need to do?
- Please refer to this article for help: Strange Letters on NCAA LiveStats for Volleyball
Is there a keystroke entry option?
- No, there is not a keystroke option. With NCAA LiveStats we have replaced multiple keystrokes with a single click and eliminated as many unnecessary keystrokes as possible to make a fast, efficient system.
If I am using NCAA LiveStats, what happens when I play on the road and the opponent uses StatCrew/Presto?
- The opponent will upload their post-game information to the NCAA Database, and the data will migrate into the NSCM. With that data, users can run any available reports.
What do I put in the Competition field in Game Information?
- The Competition field is required on the Game Information tab. This information will appear in the header on most reports. If this is a tournament, enter the name of the tournament. If it’s an ordinary regular season match, we recommend using “NCAA Men’s Volleyball” or “NCAA Women’s Volleyball”.
Error Messages
Application Error: Couldn't open the game. The RPC server is unavailable.
- This is a rather common Windows error that occurs in a wide variety of situations, most of them involving communications between two machines across a network. The solution is to close all programs and restart your machine. For more information, click here.