Help with an airborne interception

[ChuckS]

A1 passing to A2 in the FC, B1 jumps and intercepts the pass. He landed on stationary A3. I called a foul on B1. Coach complained that he was making a play. I said that doesn't give him the right to crash into another player.

But later I thought what if A3 was still moving after B1 became airborne, then the foul should have been on A3.

Any tips on officiating a play like this? Clearly I needed to be looking at a lot of things at once, but I did not notice if A3 was moving when B1 became airborne.

[Raymond]

One piece of advice I've been giving to officials is once you see where a pass is going, position adjust and put your eyes there as your new primary.

But sometimes there are just plays that are hard to officiate.

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[MechanicGuy]

With so many variables, calls of this nature will always be difficult to review without video replay. If A3 is seeing the play develop and is attempting to defend B1, I can see reason for a foul on B1. But if A3 is just in the wrong place/wrong time, isn't in what would be LGP, and ends up putting B1 on the floor, I think I'd have a foul on A3.

Like Raymond said, these calls are VERY difficult. I'd suggest getting as wide an angle as possible and then selling whichever call you end up making. Credibility will be important on these plays

[BillyMac]

Not exactly the same, but similar.

There's a difference between being tripped, and tripping.

2004-05 NFHS Casebook: 10.6.1 Situation E: B1 attempts to steal the ball from stationary A1 who is holding the ball. B1 misses the ball and falls to the floor. In dribbling away, A1 contacts B1's leg, loses control of the ball and falls to the floor. Ruling: No infraction or foul has occurred and play continues. Unless B1 made an effort to trip or block A1, he/she is entitled to a position on the court even if it is momentarily lying on the floor after falling down.

4-23-1: Guarding is the act of legally placing the body in the path of an offensive opponent ... Every player is entitled to a spot on the playing court provided such player gets there first without illegally contacting an opponent. A player who extends an arm, shoulder, hip or leg into the path of an opponent is not considered to have a legal position if contact occurs.

4-37-3: Every player is entitled to a spot on the playing court, provided the player gets there first without illegally contacting an opponent.

10-7-1: A player must not hold, push, charge, trip or impede the progress of an opponent by extending arm(s), shoulder(s), hip(s) or knee(s), or by bending his/her body into other than a normal position; nor use any rough tactics.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by ChuckS

A1 passing to A2 in the FC, B1 jumps and intercepts the pass. He landed on stationary A3. I called a foul on B1. Coach complained that he was making a play. I said that doesn't give him the right to crash into another player.

But later I thought what if A3 was still moving after B1 became airborne, then the foul should have been on A3.

Any tips on officiating a play like this? Clearly I needed to be looking at a lot of things at once, but I did not notice if A3 was moving when B1 became airborne.

Nothing says A3 can't be still moving. But, they can't move into B1's path after B1 is airborne....i.e., A3 can't take away B1's landing spot after B1 has jumped. But A3 can still be moving away from B1 or even laterally as long as they were in the path before the jump (think slight lateral adjustment that doesn't change whether there will or will not be contact).