Looking for tips on block/charge...
 

Had a game where there were a good number of 50/50 calls, looking for some tips on how you decide on those tough ones.

What I look for: (Other than the ones from the rule book, defender in his cylinder, hands straight up, feet set...)

Body movement of the defender after impact. Straight back or a twisting fall.

The play style of each player. (aggressive or not?)

Size of each player and the result.

Shoulder position of the offensive player (Was it lowered?)

Thanks in advance

A defender not within his "cylinder" is irrelevant unless there's contact to the unnaturally extended body part.

Hands don't have to be straight up to take a charge. Many charges are drawn with defenders covering their junk or ducking/turning to absorb the contact.

"Being set" is simply a myth.

It's really simple.. did the defender get there first legally?

Lots to consider and not 100% but torso to torso contact is a good indicator as well.

Ref the D, if they are moving, did they move laterally or backwards? Head and shoulders past the defender is typically on the defender (again, not 100% but a pretty good indicator the D got beat).

When I see torso to torso, provided the defender movement was not up into the dribbler, it tells me the defense may have gotten there first. You typically can't go through someone squarely and they not have been there first. Again, not 100% black and white but a good indicator.

"The play style of each player. (aggressive or not?) Size of each player and the result."

How are these relevant?

That would seem to be sufficient -- but I recognize that it's easier said than done sometimes.

On almost all of these, you can have plays here it's a charge and plays where it's a block, so I don't put much stock in them.

Here's a link to a recent online article put out by Referee last week. It may contain some answers to the inquiries expressed by the original poster:

Referee: Prep for Bang-Bang Plays

Thanks for the help and the article, will continue to work on "reffing the defender".

Just be careful about employing shortcuts like aggressive play, size or post-contact body movement, as they can result in unfairly penalizing players with incorrect calls. Remember, eg, that "a defender may turn or duck to absorb the shock of imminent contact."

Been To Quite A Few Rodeos ... ...
 

Anticipate the play, not the call. Don't think, "This will be a block", or, "This will be a charge". Think, "This will be a crash".

Referee the defense. Be sure to keep an eye on the location and movement of the defender.

It's easier to make the proper call if you're stationary, not on the run. If you can't get to your desired spot, stop, and try to get a good angle.

Surprised by a trainwreck? Don't make a call and 100% of the gym will pissed at you. Give it your best educated guess and only 50% of the gym will be pissed at you.

A defensive player does not have to remain stationary to take a charge. A defender may turn away, or duck, to absorb contact, provided the defender has already established legal guarding position, which is both feet on the playing court, and facing the opponent. The defender can always move backwards, or sideways, to maintain a legal guarding position, and may even have one or both feet off the floor when contact occurs. That player may legally rise vertically. If the defender is moving forward, then the contact is caused by the defender, which is a blocking foul. If the opponent with the ball is airborne, the defender must have obtained legal position before the opponent left the floor.

Things you are doing I would eliminate:

- Style of play is a deep dark rabbit hole just officiate the play in front you.

- Direction of player(s) falling. Players can twist, fall, turn however they want to protect themselves. The good actors will be falling the right way anyway.

Things to consider looking at:

A - Officiate the defense. Offense has no expectation of time and space so had defenders feet stopped moving forward at the moment of contact.

B - Is contact happening in the centre of defense's tower (torso). If you've got A and B here you might not have a pc but you can likely eliminate block to PC or no call.



The trickiest part of block charge for me anyway is not whether its a block or a charge but rather whether there is enough there to call a charge. Players can protect themselves however they want but was the contact really enough to create an advantage for the offense or disadvantage the defense or did they disadvantage themselves.