2009 Referee Emeritus Award - Mario Treibit

MARIO A. TREIBIT
2009 WILBUR H. PECK REFEREE - EMERITUS AWARD

Mario A. Treibit has been selected as an honoree and recipient of the 2009 Wilbur H. Peck Referee - Emeritus Award for his long and contributory service as a volleyball referee and leader in the sport of volleyball.

Treibit is a resident of Flushing, N.Y., and an active member of the Garden Empire Regional Volleyball Association. He and his wife, Tatiana, have two sons, Alexander and Ronald.  Although retired as a USA National Volleyball Referee, Treibit continues with his volleyball leadership as the associate head coach of the St. John's University women's volleyball team, which captured Big East titles in 2006 and 2007. They won the Conference Championship, and in 2007 were ranked in the Top 10 of the NCAA Division I rankings.

A native of the Soviet Union, Treibit immigrated to the United States in 1974 after earning two master's degrees in his homeland.  Ironically, he was introduced to volleyball in the United States by Wilbur Peck, who was president of USA Volleyball at the time and staff member of the Grand Central YMCA in New York City.

Region 2 Officials' Chairman Heinz Schaal, also a recipient of this award, first certified Treibit as a regional referee in 1975 shortly after his arrival into the United States. He certified as a national referee in 1978 at the USA Open Tournament in El Paso, Texas. He served as a national referee at USA Volleyball National Championships through 2003 when he retired. In 1991, he was the head referee at the USOC Sports Festival in San Diego.

Highlights of Treibit's refereeing career include the following:

  • 2000, 2001: USA Women's Open Tournament Finals
  • Officiated the finals of all levels at USAV National Championship events.
  • Officiated the Finals in all USOC Sports Festivals attended
  • 1990, 1994: NCAA Women's Regional Finals
  • 1995, 1999 and 2003 Special Olympic World Summer Games
  • 1997: America East finals
  • 1998: NCAA Men's Championships in Honolulu, Hawaii
  • 1998: Women's Big East Finals in Pittsburgh, Pa.
  • 2002: NCAA Men's Division III Finals in New York City
  • Many years of officiating in the NCAA Volleyball playoffs.

• Many finals of the Men's Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association

 

Treibit first certified as a FIVB Arbiter in 1983, retiring in 2003 because of the age requirement. His international officiating included the Pan Am Games, NORCECA, NORCECA Juniors, Central American Games, World Military Games, Special Olympics World Summer Games and other top International events.

At the Special Olympics World Summer Games in 1999 and 2003, he was a referee rater and a key language interpreter for the GOC/SOC. Treibit is multilingual and speaks five languages fluently, making him a valuable team member in the international arena.

Since his initial certification in 1975, he either conducted or assisted with the development of volleyball referees and players at numerous camps and clinics throughout the country, but mostly on the East Coast. Treibit retired from active officiating in 2002. Over the years, Treibit has been involved with other volleyball aspects within the Garden Empire Region and nationally as a clinician, coach and referee.

As a coach, Treibit was on staff of four national level teams as either the head or assistant coach, including women's teams for both the United States and Puerto Rico; and for men's teams from Israel and Holland. He has coached at World Championships, the Pan Am Games, Junior World Championships, NORCECA and European Championships. Specifically, he was an assistant coach with the 1980 and 1984 USA Women's Olympic Teams. He was the coach of Holland's Silver Medal winning Men's Team in the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain, and a World League Finalist.

Treibit has also served as the head coach for the Rutgers University men's volleyball team in the late 1970s. In 1977 and 1980, Rutgers won the Eastern Conference Championships and was a participant in the NCAA Championship. In 1980 he was the recipient of the "Coach of the Year" award. In 2006 he was inducted into the Rutgers University Hall of Fame.

Treibit has been a volunteer coach in New York City, coaching teams in the Empire State Games, winning five gold and two silver medals. Since 2000, he co-developed the Catholic High School Boys' Volleyball Athletic Association of New York, and is currently serving as the chairman of this League as well as the assignor for officials.

An interesting aside from Mario's many volleyball activities, he coached an "All-World" All-Star team in 2000, in San Paolo, Brazil, against a Brazilian All-Star Team in "Foot Volley". The game is played on a Beach court and the net height is 6' 7". The ball may be contacted with any part of the body except the hands.