Slightly Injured Player ...
 

A player goes down hard last night. At an appropriate time I sounded my whistle to stop play, spoke to the player to see how badly she was injured, she was alright, and ready to play (no coach or bench personnel came onto the floor), so we got ready to restart the game with a throwin.

Parent from the stands yells loudly: "If you stop the game the team has to take a timeout."

After thirty-seven years, I'd thought that I heard all the stupid comments from the fans. I was wrong.

Something new to add to my list of Misunderstood Rules:

A player who has been injured such that the coach or any other bench personnel (trainer) is beckoned and/or comes onto the court shall be directed to leave the game, unless a timeout is requested by, and granted to, the team and the situation can be corrected by the end of the timeout. If an official stops the clock to check on an injured player, and if the coach or any bench personnel do not come onto the court, and if the player is ready to play immediately, that player may remain in the game and no timeouts need to be requested, and granted.

How rare it is that you stop play for an injured player and does not result in the player coming off the court? I would not call that a misunderstanding more as...this hardly ever happens.

Rare, But It Happens ...
 

A couple of times a season.

And the parent, obviously, misunderstood the rule.

Then I'd guess you are stopping play too often -- let the player gather him/herself and get back into the action without you stopping the action.

(Unless, of course, you meant a couple of times across your entire association and not a couple of times in the games you are working)

Billy:

You did right. This type of occurrence happens more frequently than one thinks. It does not take any thing from the game to stop play at the appropriate time to ascertain the player's condition.

MTD, Sr.

I work kids from 8 to 18. Bob, would you accept an amendment? "Depending on the age of the players and taking in account concussion issues...."

Seems to me if you are concerned about a possible concussion, the coach should be immediately called out.

Safety First ...
 

A player goes down hard, is on the floor more than a second, I'm the trail and stay with the player, ball turns over and comes back our way. I'm stopping the clock every time. Sometimes the player gets up after collecting herself (it's usually girls) for a few seconds, and can play immediately, sometimes I beckon the coach.

I don't need an injured player, or a possibly injured player, getting run over by the herd just to keep the game moving.

In my game. Safety first.

I agree with the conclusion in your example. That play, however, doesn't, in my experience, happen "a couple of times a season." I can't remember the last time I stopped play for an injury and then the player was ready to before the coach could be beckoned.