Say you have an illegal screen or any foul that will send the ball "that way". Do you verbalize that we're going the other way? If so, how? At my scrimmage tonight, the other 3 guys all used the word "Illegal!" when calling an illegal screen. I've heard many officials use the phrase "that way!" I myself prefer "Offense!" I use it for PC or TC fouls.

Any thoughts about whether to verbalize or not? And if yes, then how? Does it really matter? Or is this one area where we get to express our own individuality? (Like Mr. Higgins: "That way! That way! That way!") :)

If there's one thing that I try to never say, it's "That way!"

Just as you do, I will sometime verbalize "Offense!" I don't know that there's a mechanic to verbalize or not but for me, it makes it clear that we are going "that way." :)

Sometimes I say "offense." However, verbalizing the color and number of the offending player (like any foul) generally seems to be enough.

Z

Had an illegal screen last night....

Tweet...

"White 13 block....blue ball".

As I'm verbalizing, I made the block signal, then the player control signal, pointing the other way. Sometimes I have said "that way", I see nothing wrong with it, and I've never been hacked for it by anyone.

Evaluators have told me verbalizing is perfectly okay. It's all about communication. The only problems I see are OVER-verbalizing. Keep it simple, I guess.

I'm interested to hear what the grisled vets have to say on this.

Original play: Say (almost) anything except, "Going down."

Canuck Ref's comment: Don't say, "blue ball." Just "Blue" will suffice.

Never been an issue.
 

I am sure there is a standard, but I have never heard of one personally.

If I have a PC foul, I just yell out "player control." If I have a screen, I usually say, "block" or "push." Then I might say, "on the screen." But this has never been an issue in any of my games that I have done or ever at a camp. So I do know know of there being "saying" that is appropriate or not appropriate.

Peace

to canuckrefguy
 

canuckrefguy.

Why would you give a player control signal on a block?

Two entirely different things.

Re: to canuckrefguy
 

NCAA team control foul signal is the PC signal.

I occasionally will point (don't have a whole lot of screening and whatnot in my games) or everyone figures it out when I give the preliminary signal and state the color and number of the fouler.

Uh, oh!
 

<font size = 1/4 color = yellow>I say, "That way" a lot. </font>

Re: Re: to canuckrefguy
 

This is true for men only. For the women, there is no such thing as a PC foul. The team control signal is a fist punch in the direction of the ball.

Re: Re: Re: to canuckrefguy
 

That is not true. All fouls by the team in control is "team control" foul (and if the team has a throw-in). But you still can have a player control foul if an airborne shooter has not returned to the floor yet. The only thing is that the signal is the same for both, no matter which foul (team or player control) is called.

Peace

Re: Re: to canuckrefguy
 

That's fascinating, Dan. But what caref is wondering is why canuckrefguy would give the PC signal on the offensive player when the call he made is a block on the defensive player. I was kinda wondering that myself!

Just a guess, but........
 

The PC Foul signal is the same signal for a "illegal screen" call. At least at the NCAA Rules level. I am under the impression (please correct me on this) that canuckrefguy's area uses NCAA Rules and Mechanics. The PC Foul signal (different signals but same kind of usage) is the exact same signal as the "Team Control" Foul signal. So Dan had it right. ;)

Peace

As far as I know, the "hand behind the head" signal is now the TEAM CONTROL foul signal....and came with the change last year where they stopped awarding bonus FT's for off-the-ball offensive fouls.

Perhaps giving PC/TC signal, THEN block signal for clarification would be better, but none of the evaluators I've had (some of them well-known U.S. clinicians) had a problem with my signal on that play.