"Imaginary" 3 foot restraining line? NFHS Throw Ins
 

Please forgive me if this is an easy one and I am just not looking in the right place in the rule book.

If the player throwing the ball in bounds, has limited room to move backwards, do we have the authority to implement an imaginary restraining line?

And if so then now this imaginary line falls under all of the normal restrictions/penalties/enforcements for reaching through the plane, etc.

If so could someone direct me to this in the rule book?

Thanks.



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I've been doing this, but I'm starting to question whether or not I have rules backing to do so.

I think the answer is to not back them up but to STRICTLY enforce the "reaching through the plane" rule.

Does Rule 1-2-2 help you: "If, on an unofficial court, there is less than 3 feet of unobstructed space outside any sideline or end line, a narrow broken line shall be marked on the court parallel with and 3 feet inside that boundary. This restraining line becomes the boundary line during a throw-in on that side or end, as in 7-6. It continues to be the boundary until the ball crosses the line."
Also 7-6-4: ART. 4

The opponent(s) of the thrower shall not have any part of his/her person through the inbounds side of the throw-in boundary plane until the ball has been released on a throw-in pass. See 9-2-10 Penalty.

NOTE: The thrower shall have a minimum of 3 feet horizontally as in 1-2-2. If the court is not marked accordingly, an imaginary restraining line shall be imposed by the *administering *official.

Thanks Jimmie and I will go take a look. I guess it is the "note" that is the most helpful. Usually find this as an issue in front of the benches, etc. And really just makes me think it should be something that is pre gamed with coaches, etc. instead of waiting until crunch time to all of a sudden start implementing and enforcing it.

Thanks.

7.6.4c

That broken line in a tiny gym brings back memories of a couple of old junior high gyms of my youth . . . and the one that had two division lines -- is that rule still in the books? (They had never even repainted that floor to replace the key shaped key . . . )

Yes, it is still there for courts shorter than 74'


RULE 1, SECTION 3, ART. 2 . . . A division line 2 inches wide, shall divide the court into two equal parts. If the court is less than 74 feet long, it should be divided by two lines, each parallel to and 40 feet from the farther end line.

Until about 4 years ago, we still had one junior high gym that had the split division lines and 3 foot boundary on the endline.

Always confused new visiting coaches even after it was explained...and some officials. Many IW's.

We used to play in a gym where our feet, when sitting on the bench, was on the playing court. I remember that gym did have a restraining line.

You have rules justification in high school but not college (M)

jpgc99:

Are you referring to the narrow dashed line three feet inside and parallel to the boundary line?

MTD, Sr.

No, I'm saying that the high school rules allow for the official to move a player back up to 3 feet to give space to the thrower-in. It was quoted above, I believe 1-2-2 note.

NCAA-M rules give no such guidance or directive.

No you are incorrect. By rule if there is less than three feet space outside the boundary line there is to be a marked dashed line parallel to the boundary line. And if there is no such line the officials are to administer the throw-in and the throw-in rules as if the line was really on the court. That is what the NOTE says in NFHS R1-S2-A2.

MTD, Sr.

Ah, so you move the thrower-in up, not the defender back? After re-reading the rule, this does appear to be the proper action. I don't work in gyms that have this issue anymore, but I seem to recall the common practice being for the calling official to move the defender back rather than move the thrower-in forward...

Regardless, In NCAA-m, you don't do either. You just strictly enforce the boundary plane provisions.

You don't move the thrower anywhere since they can be as far away from the line as they like. I tell them they "may" move up to the designated line but I don't tell them to move. I do move the defender ball and tell them they can't cross the designated line until the ball crosses it.

Except if
 

I seem to recall an exception to this 'imaginary restraining line', If players(s) of the inbounding team penetrate this 3 foot area that the defense is released from its limitation and can move to guard the player, with no penalty.
I am further torturing myself to recall if this leniency applied to 'spot' throwins or only to 'run the endline' situations.

Or it could be just a figment of my overhyped imagination.

Help me out Billy Mac, MTD Sr., Nevada!!!

If teammates of the inbounding team cross the line on a spot throwin, it is a violation just like the boundary of a typical throwin.

If the teammates of the inbounding team cross the line (temporary or not) on a throwin after a score, the defensive team may not follow or they have violated.

Cam, my swiss cheese memory pushes me to doubt your assertion. Maybe revelation lies in the casebook, which I am too lazy to peruse. Chapter 7 or thereabouts.

Got motivated and searched. In CB from 2010-2011 in 7.6.4 sit D. 2016-2017 ymmv.

Kudos to Bigcat for earlier post re 7.6.4C

7.6.4 SITUATION D: The sideline is very near the spectators leaving little space
out of bounds for A1 to make a throw-in. As a result, the administering official
has directed B1 to move back a step to give the thrower some room: (a) as soon
as the ball is handed or bounced to A1, B1 moves right back to the boundary line
in front of A1; or (b) A1 attempts to complete the throw-in just inside the bound-
ary line and B1 moves to his/her original position in order to defend. RULING: In
(a), it is a violation by B1 and will also result in a warning for Team B which is
reported to the scorer and to the head coach. Any subsequent delay-of-game sit-
uation or noncompliance with the verbal order will result in a technical foul
charged to Team B. In (b), B1 is expected to stay back one step unless the throw-
in is attempted between this area and the boundary line. No violation in this case
as B1 is allowed to defend the area if the throw-in is attempted there. (10-1-5c)

Not sure why the rules on the offensive team are suspended when the rule declaring the line indicates it is the boundary line until the ball crosses it and doesn't otherwise treat it any differently than a normal boundary line.

Is (b) referring to the original boundary line or the temporary line. It seems, in context, to be referring to the original lines.

Inconsistent at best.

This play doesn't involve a restraining line that is actually on the floor. It is just a regular sideline. If there isn't much room we can move back the defender. Tell him get back two feet.

If there was actually a visible restraining line that is when the rule you cite comes in to play. The offense would not be allowed to catch within the restraining line. it is the boundary for all until ball crosses it.