Very Old Dog, New Tricks ...

[BillyMac]

For those whose association or board has moved to the new held ball signal, open handed stop the clock followed by the held ball signal, how's it going?

After forty years of doing it the "old" way, after three games, I've only done it correctly about half the time.

Once I stuck a single thumb on a single hand up in the air.

[thumpferee]

Out of habit, two hands seem to want to go up. At least they both have a "stop clock" signal. Then the thumbs come out.

[SNIPERBBB]

Haven't done alot of games yet but it seems like everyone has adapted to it unless they've not had many held ball situations. Do see a few occasions where they start to go up with both hands then merge to the stop clock.

[LRZ]

The only officials I see doing the new signal are recently-certified refs. Anyone with at least a year or two in, nope.

[Camron Rust]

In Oregon, we chose to not make the change after some discussion. It doesn't solve any problem and there simply wasn't sufficient justification to make the change just to change.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

In Oregon, we chose to not make the change after some discussion. It doesn't solve any problem and there simply wasn't sufficient justification to make the change just to change.

Ms. Wynns really doesn't sound very passionate about the change.

The final change approved by the Basketball Rules Committee is a change in the signal when a held ball occurs. Now, when a held ball occurs, the covering official(s) shall stop the clock using Signal #2 (straight arm, open palm extended) while simultaneously sounding the whistle. “This change should help to alleviate conflicting calls by officials when a held ball occurs,” Wynns said. “We currently raise one arm to stop the clock for everything except the jump/held ball.”

[ilyazhito]

I do the new signal, and I took the cadet class back in 2015.

[Freddy]

We've pretty much all done this around here for many years and so the NFHS just codified what we already were doing anyway. I find it much more natural and comfortable closing down quickly on a held ball, especially when bodies are down, with one hand in the air than with two hands in the air. Just felt clumsy when I tried it a while back just see what it was like. Those who don't close down quickly on a held ball but rather just stand where they are and put two hands in the air with thumbs up probably wonder what the new mechanic is all about.

[grunewar]

....and I still have a ways to go!

Started off the yr with scrimmages and got it ~ 15-20% correct. Now I think I'm up to 80-85% correct.

I find when I'm off-ball I'm more likely to get it right. However, when on-ball, and the play happens right in front of me, I'm more likely to come in quickly and want to get to the situation before it gets messy, and go to the "thumbs up" more quickly and forget the open hand.

Bottom Line - I'm gettin better!