Legal Guarding Position on sideline

[CoachW]

This is my first time posting after reading for a few months. I think I have learned a lot about the rules and what officials expect from coaches (and hopefully I don't come across the same way as BBallCoach).

I was reading rule 4-23, and know that you cannot have a foot OOB to get legal guarding position. In 4-23-3 it says that the guard is not required to have both feet on the playing court after LGP is obtained. Does this mean that once you have it, the defender can slide over and get one foot OOB and not have it be an automatic block call, and if not can somebody please explain why, because it seems to me that they can have a foot OOB and still take a charge once they originally have LGP.

Thank you in advance for your replies.

[mick]

Try this link from NFHS.

http://www.nfhs.org/scriptcontent/va...on&head=BT.cfm

[One-Whistle]

When I initially read 4-23-3; I questioned it the same way that it appears you are viewing it. The re-written rule did NOT make sense, especially since the rule was written to "clarify" that a player must be on the playing court to be legal.

It is my belief that the defender, once establishing LGP on the court, can leave the initial "two-feet-on-the-floor stance" and move with the offensive player; as long as the movement is inbounds. This explains why the defender no longer needs both feet on the floor.

I am sure the veterans will rectify my inaccuracies.

[Bart Tyson]

Def. may jump to block a shot and still have LGP

[CoachW]

Thanks for the answers.

I thought that if either foot was OOB, then it had to be a block if it was a foul, but reading the rulebook, it did not seem to say that. The link provided by Mick explains it nicely, including almost admitting it is not written very well now, and that there will be a revision in the 2004-5 book to clarify it.

[One-Whistle]

There were numerous threads about this "clarification" at the start of the season.

I, too, am willing to say it will be offered in a new revision next fall.

[footlocker]

It's great to have this knowledge coach and welcome to the forum. This knowledge and understanding of the rules is very critical for referees. I'm not sure that it would help a coach too much. You might face this situation once in a season, that would be a tough one to argue since it's judgement call anyway.

My sister is a basketball player; I make her aware of the rules so that she knows. If I try and coach this rule it may be a waste of time given the frequency of the call (last season this came up zero times for me as an official). Furthermore, if I did coach her in this, there is still a high likelyhood that the ref calls the block, now she's wound up, more emotional than she needs to be. I'd rather take that time and have her shoot free throws.

Great question anyway. And if it weren't for questions I'd have nothing to add here. Thanks, stick around coach, and keep posting.

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by footlocker
It's great to have this knowledge coach and welcome to the forum. This knowledge and understanding of the rules is very critical for referees. I'm not sure that it would help a coach too much. You might face this situation once in a season, that would be a tough one to argue since it's judgement call anyway.

knowing the rules inside out would be a great advantage to ANY and EVERY coach. This goes for every rule, every team. With the possible exception that very few 6th grade girls coaches need to brush up on BI or GT.

I did a game tonight with a coach that knew it all (I mean, he really did, and so did his players!) against a coach who, well, didn't. Guess who got blown out of the water? The fouls were incredibly lopsided, but it wasn't because we were doing a lousy job, rather because one coach knew how to tell his players to play. Seems like an advantage every coach would want for his team!

[footlocker]

Rainmaker, I agree and that was my point. Like I said, I make my sister aware of the rules. But you must understand that my point is to be careful of how you choose to use certain knowledge.

I appreciate knowledgeable coaches. If a coach chooses to use his knowledge by being ostentatious and challenging my judgment, then I will have a problem. In order to aid my sister best, I don’t go into every fine point of rules clarification. There is a cost-benefit to going over certain rules vs. using the time to be more productive. As I said, I’d rather have her shoot free throws than go over this rule. That is my decision for her.

However, I concede that this coach may have a particular trapping defense where an understanding of this rule may be more helpful for him than most. Like I said, I’m not sure how much this will help him.

But you are 100% right. Knowing the rules inside out would be a great advantage to EACH and EVERY coach.