I had a game last week where B1 would yell at A1 while he attempted shot. The first time I shifted my eyes out of AOR when i first heard it. The second time the guy had beat him on the break, so I felt it was out of frustration, but the third time we gave him a warning for USL Conduct. Does anyone know if the rule book in/directly address this distraction tactic. I've seen some yell at the freethrower on the line, could this be construed as a lane violation? I've seen one of the threads before that covered players waving their hands while in the lane during freethrows that touch on it briefly, but i was wondering would this be a violation or penalized like obstructing player view? (Technical)

On a shot, it's nothing. On a free throw, it's disconcertion. (FED 9-1-5)

"Obstructing player view" is a T only if the player is not in control of the ball (e.g., to prevent the player from catching a pass). (FED 10-3-8d)

Bob, would you always T a player for putting his hands in a player's face(an offensive player w/o the ball)? Or, would you customarily warn him once, providing the first incidence didn't cause a situation?

The book says it's a T, not a warning, but I've never seen it happen, much less seen it called.

I'll let you know as soon as I see it happen. ;)

I suspect, much like the "enclosed by screening players" rule, that someone tried this somewhere, they put in a rule against it and everyone stopped.

I did have it happen in a jr. high girls game last year. I gave her a warning during a dead ball and she never did it again.

I had a boys game last week in which one of the players kept yelling "shot" everytime any shot went up from either team. At a break, I told him only girls do that.

He didn't do it again.

Frankly, I think it is just as annoying as when they yell "ball, ball" all the time. I usually tell them, "Yes, it is a ball. Is there anything else you would like me to identify for you?"

Sometimes they get it - sometimes.

Oh, you mean "Ball ball ball ball ball ball ball ball ball
ball ball ball ball ball....!!!!"?

A couple of years ago I was coaching an 8th grade
team that needed help on their defense. One practice
I taught them the "Ball ball ball" thing, but reminded them
to only say "Ball" when it comes into their zone. This
one kid (smallest, least athletic but brightest & most
enthusiastic) spend the next 10 minutes shouting
"Ball ball ball ball ball ball!" at the top of his
still soprano voice. After practice I needed 2 double
scotches to calm down.