I'd like to know what is the hardest foul or violation (or whatever) you think is the hardest call to make?

Hugely oversimplified:

travel hard
block/charge easy

I guess I've never understood that type of thinking. A call is a call. I don't think any call is any harder than another. There are mechanics that you use to amke the game easier to work. Consider the situation, know what can happen, and be prepared for what will occur. Master those mechanics and the game comes to you.

The travel is one of the hardest things for me to call. I just find it so difficult to identify the pivot foot with some of these fancy moves that the players do now a days. Hopefully with more practice I'll get it.

block / charge and travel can both be tricky. Getting the right angle can make all difference.

The hardest call for me is to make that fifth foul call on a team's star player in the last minute of a really close championship game on a "not really hard" foul - NOT!!!

When the ball comes to a player in your primary ref from the floor up. Just think feet, defender, ball.;)

In general, the hardest call for me is the 193rd travel call in a 6th grade game.

In specific, the hardest call I ever made was in my 2nd or 3rd year, in a fall ball tournament. It was boys freshman or JV, I think. White had this huge, clumsy post player, who kept shoving his defender. After I called the exact same play for the 3rd time, his coach asked me what he was doing wrong. I told him he couldn't displace his opponent. He could hold his own spot, but not move the other guy. I walked back to the endline, P administers a throw-in, and this big guy pulls his little stunt again. I was so shocked I almost didn't call it. Fortunately, Padgett was kibitzing from near-by, and I got the whistle in in time. Coach pulled him after that. I hope by now he's learned his lesson.

The most difficult decision for me in a game is whether or not to go to my partner when I think that he has made a mistake. Am I helping him or hurting his credibility? Would going over there just make things worse?

I find block/charge to be easy.

I find travelling to be hard.

I like Nevadaref's comments.

I would say that the hardest is travel. I had a more experienced official help me with this. His strategy for newer officials was to pick a summer league game, weekend tournament, or scrimmage (a not as important game) and then spend alot of time rereading the rules regarding travel directly before the game. Then in that game, make sure you get every single one (hard to do with unskilled players). I did it when I was first starting and now I think I have a much better understanding of the rule.

Gotta agree with rainmaker. The lower the level, the harder the games are to call. They do things that you don't anticipate and you need to establish some consistency which is hard to do with those kids.

Rebound with 4 players or more, all legs and arms, no way to tell even wich arm belongs to whom and team mates fouling each other rather then opponents. Often not enough room to move back, and really feeling unable to call anything unless someone is missing a limb while an opponent is holding it.

The old "missing limb" call. Anyone know the signal for that?

Uhhh...if the opponent is holding it, my guess would be holding :D