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I have said this at least once in another thread, but I believe the "bear hug" done in the right way is perfectly fine. The fouler is just wanting you, as the official, to know that he is trying to commit a foul and sometimes, especially at the HS level, for whatever reason, alot of us don't think that repetitive touching of a player is a foul so they then go to the bear hug. If we know what the team's objective is (to foul) then any amount of contact should be deemed as such. There is no need to referee with purity here. They want a foul, so just give them one as soon as contact occurs.
After saying that though, you also have to referee the way the boss wants you to. If he says that the bear hug is intentional, then the bear hug is intentional, no IFs ANDs or BUTs about it!
I also personally don't like the terminology used for an intentional foul, but if i could understand what the NFHS was saying i could apply it. What is an "ADVANTAGEOUS POSITION" anyway. Is a kid, curled up with the ball, in any more of an "advantageous position" than the defender? just a question for thought...
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"players must decide the outcome of the game with legal actions, not illegal actions which an official chooses to ignore."
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