Quote:
Originally Posted by zeedonk
Having said that, it appears to me that this is being made out to be so much more than it is. If I give a kid a tap on the shoulder, back or behind to get him to come to the spot where he needs to be for a throw in, I see no problem with that. To me, it's better than saying "Over here" 2-3 times while he's trying to listen to me, teammates and coaches setting up a play (and yes, I will let him get all his instructions before putting the ball on the ground and counting).
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I agree completely with your points (not quoted) about the kid overreacting. But I would encourage you to look at the definition of assault: in most states, it includes unwanted physical contact (sometimes called "offensive touching"). Your defense of "keeping the game moving" is not a sound legal defense against an allegation of assault, an allegation which all by itself might end your officiating career.
Perhaps you live in a region where you know all of the players and their families, or where people are not at all litigious, or where such touching is the norm. I know that I would never try it around here.
I don't care if I have to say "over here" 5 times: the game won't start until I put the ball in play.
