Throw-In Issue
 

8th Grade Girls Travel, I am administering a throw-in. A1 with the ball, B1 guarding her, as close as they can be to eachother while being legal. There is 6 feet from the endline to the wall. B1 starts out with arms vertical, then clearly crosses the line. I blow the play dead to report the delay of game warning.

Partner comes running over to me, and demonstratively shows me what I "should have done". By indicating to the girls the endline, and that I should have backed each girl off the endline, and don't I know that the penalty for B1 touching the ball is a T (I do), and we don't want to have that, do we?, etc..... It took 15 seconds, very awkward.

I know he is wrong by rule to say we should move each player back...but what about from a game management perspective?

Do I know this guy? Maybe he features prominently in a YouTube video?

It can be an effective tool -- depending on the age and the game.

Six feet? Plenty of space. I'm not moving anyone.

I am always amazed that even in HS there seem to be so many players who don't know (or perhaps appreciate) that they can move back farther.

Don't Move ...
 

Mostly caused by poor coaching.

Things Officials Should Probably Not Be Saying In A Game

"Don't move”, said to an inbounding player, by an official, before a designated spot throw-in, is another statement that should probably go unsaid. According to the rules, that player can move laterally within a three foot wide area, can jump up, and can move as far back as time, and space, will allow. Better statement: “Designated spot”, while pointing to the spot.

I don't instruct players any more than necessary.

Hand the guy the ball, while telling him this is now his shit show, and go take the other position.

Last night we had a team call a timeout while bringing up the ball - up 10 with about 45 seconds to go.

The designated throw-in spot was at the end of the team's bench. I moved it about a foot forward, so the thrower wouldn't be pinned at the bench area, which is a standard practice where I work.

The coach decided to make this his island to die on and I pretty much ignored him, but it amused me cause I knew that the only reason he cared was because he thought the girl would be awkwardly pinned in at the bench. He promised to send me the film, I told him to go for it, and we all know I'll never hear from anyone.

As I was about to bounce the ball, I told the inbounder that she could go as far back as she liked. Yes, it was within earshot of that coach.

Throw-In Issue
 

Rich, you crack me up. [emoji3]

As for my 2¢, if a defender is close to the line I will usually, as a preventative measure, say, "Don't reach over, (color)." Of course half the time they do anyway, but if it's very minor and doesn't affect the TI pass, I'll save my whistle for another time. But if I do need to make a DOG call (or worse), no one can claim I didn't do what I could to prevent it.


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About 65-70 percent of the time, at any level (boys varsity included), if I see there's any sort of pressure being applied on the thrower-in, I instruct the thrower-in that he/she can move back as far as they want. If I see the defender is already overzealous and doing jumping jacks before the ball is even live, I also remind them to treat the throw-in plane as a wall they can't reach through until the pass is released. They don't always listen or understand, but I've tried to help them and avoid a mess, just as we do when we talk players out of the lane or tell them to stop holding/pushing.

I think it's good game management.

As for the OP, your partner had no business doing what he did. That's for the locker room, or during a timeout, if at all. Sounds like you handled the situation perfectly/normally before he came in to give his zero cents.

Build The Wall ...
 

Back when I was working Catholic middle school games, I would tell the overzealous defensive player that this was a "glass wall".

Is this not one of these things that we should not tell players? After all they can cross the line under certain circumstances. :D

Peace

It's A Good Thing That I Don't Work Catholic Middle School Games Anymore ...
 

Good point. Minor point, but nevertheless, a good point.

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

Any other circumstances that I missed?

We have a MS gym here (also hosts JV games for a preseason tournament) that has non-retracting baskets that overhand about 2-3 feet onto the court. If we have a throw in anywhere near them, we move them one way or the other, and just say something along the lines of, "We're going to move you here, that basket (point) is out of bounds." Never have heard of anyone complaining, I'm surprised someone made a big deal about it in your game, especially since I'm assuming you would extend their team the same courtesy.