Quote:
Originally Posted by phansen
If the kids and coaches figure out that you are not going to call holding away from the ball, what do you think will happen? Every kid who is away from the ball will hold and be taught bytheir coach to hold. Are you sure the defender couldn't make the tackle on a cutback run or a reverse? What will you tell the kid being held?
I would guess that the defender being held would want to inflict some sort of vigilate justice if you tell him you're not calling holding away from the ball.
If your reasoning for not calling holding away from the play is that "he couldn't make the play anyway" then why does the blocker have to hold? The defender can't make the play, right?
IF he's holding away from the ball, sure, talk to him the first time. If he continues, call it like you're suppose to. Nowhere in the rulebook does it say to only call holding at the point of attack.
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I see your concern, but I don't think any of us would tell the kid "we are not calling holding away from the ball."
It is, as Mbyron, says a matter of good judgement to do some preventive officiating and to throw flags that affect the play (i.e. give advantage or cause disadvantage).
One of the things we use to consider on my old college crew was "does the hold take away the feet of the opponent?" Once again just because a grab occurs does not mean it warrants a flag, even though a coach is screaming in your ear.
No doubt officiating takes a good knowledge of the rules and a good sense of judgement and what really is and is not affecting the play.
It may be easier to simply throw a flag every time we see something but it certainly takes the game away from the kids.