[zebraman]

Originally posted by Back In The Saddle
here's what the NFHS manual says:

242, 352. For all free throws, the Lead official shall:
e. Bounce the ball to the thrower, and back out of the lane. The position of the lead offical should be approximately 4 feet from the nearer lane line well off the endline.

Personally I prefer to be up by the bottom player along the lane if there will be additional shots. It gives me a chance to talk to this guy, gives a visual cue that there will be more shots, puts me in a position to answer the occassional "How many shots was that, Ref?" question, and makes it easier to catch the first free throw before it hits the ground (which, IMHO, just looks sharp. Not sure how that plays with zebraman's opinion that it looks lazy, what say ye?)

Didn't mean to hit a nerve guys. Maybe the reason I thought "lazy" was because somewhere in my tiny brain I read in the official's manual that we're supposed to be off the lane and off the line. I think it looks sharp to catch the first of two out of the net as well and I generally run in and grab it before it hits the floor. In the huge spectrum of things, where you stand is probably not at the top of the big deal list.

Z