[BillyMac]

This thread reminds me about some of the "relaxed" mechanics that we are allowed to use, that is, allowed by our assigner to use, in the Catholic middle school league that I work when I'm available in the winter.

Multiple games, with six, or seven, minute periods are scheduled on the hour, and our assigner encourages us (all two person games) to keep the game moving.

1) Don't switch on every foul. Switch when "convenient", or only on shooting fouls.

2) Lead doesn't have to report fouls to the table from the reporting area. The Lead may report fouls to the table from near the free throw line (not from the endline).

3) As the Lead, don't make your partner, the trail, rotate on front court endline throwins where the designated spot is along the lane lines. The Lead is allowed to toss the ball to the inbounder across the lane, or hand the ball to the inbounder and back off across the lane, in such situations. The ball must still be put in play at the closest spot.

4) We're allowed to "bump up" the timeouts.

If I'm working with a rookie who wants to work on his, or her, mechanics, then I'll be glad to play along and go with 100% "by the book" mechanics.

No matter how many games we're working that day, we are always expected to hustle.

In regard to these "bad habits" carrying over to our high school games, they don't. We've got college officials, state tournament officials, and other top notch high school varsity officials working these Catholic middle school games, and they have no problem figuring out when "relaxed" mechanics are allowed, and when they're not allowed.