Referee mode
Tennis Referee App — Score as a Neutral
Refereeing a tennis match in a club tournament is hard without the right tools. Volley's referee mode lets a steward claim any match, lock players out of scoring, score the match neutrally, and get a clean captain sign-off at the end. The only social sports scoring app with built-in referee mode.
The contested score problem
Self-scored matches work fine until they don't. The moment they don't — usually a contested 30-30 or set point — you need a third party. That's what referee mode is for.
In Volley, a club steward can claim any active match as the referee. Once claimed, both players are locked out of scoring on their own devices — only the referee can score the match. The score updates live on every screen. At the end, the referee submits the result and both team captains can sign off (or contest in writing).
Refereeing tennis matches with Volley
Hand-back is one tap: if you're no longer needed for a match, hand it back to the players to score themselves. The lockout lifts immediately.
Referee mode is the difference between a tournament that runs smoothly and one that hangs on every disputed point. If you've ever organised a club event, you've had this exact problem. This is the fix.
Get it for your next tournament
Referee mode ships free in Volley. Download on iOS or Android and use it on your next tournament day.
Frequently asked questions
Does referee mode work with Apple Watch scoring?
Yes. A referee can score from their Apple Watch — same scoring engine, same lockout for the players, same haptic confirmation per point. Perfect for tournament day when you're moving between courts.
What happens if a captain doesn't sign off on the result?
The auto-approve timer kicks in (configurable per tournament, e.g. 15 minutes). Unapproved results auto-promote unless explicitly contested. Disputes go to the tournament organiser for review.
How does referee mode work in Volley?
A club steward claims an active match as referee, which locks players out of scoring on their devices. The referee scores the match (from phone or Apple Watch), submits the result, and both team captains can sign off or contest. Audit log captures everything.
Can I hand back a match to the players after refereeing it?
Yes. One tap to hand it back; the player lockout lifts immediately and they can resume self-scoring. Useful when a referee gets pulled to a more important match.