Just got home from a 5th grade boys game ( I coach my son's traveling team ) . Time running down ,, about 30 seconds left and there is a jump ball. I thought that there was a jump ball on the previous possession so I asked the official if that was the case . He said that it wasn't a jump ball , that our player knocked the ball out of bounds and was the first one to touch it when he came back in. I thanked him and went on with the game. My question is: I thought as long as the player did not go out of bounds intentionally that they could be the first to touch the ball after coming back in ( don't have my books with me ) . Just wondering >>>> a little brain dead today with all the basketball we've been playing ( coach 5th grade boys, 8th grade girls and officiate ) .


Thanks

You're right, but I've seen this called by refs who should know better.

Thanks ,

I thought I was correct but wanted a double check.

Tip

Did the official throw his hat on the floor near where the player went OOB? :D

No, but he does work high school football games ....mmm...that's what happened , wrong sport . It was a pretty "lively " game though. Playing in the tournament v the home team and the " game management " was giving me grief for asking the officials about the change of possession. Realize, the only words out of my mouth all game were encouragement to the kids and calling out plays . Absolutely nothing directed to the officials or table even though the people running the " table " were kids who were actually joining in the cheers for their team. The "game management " person threatened to remove my wife b/c she alerted me to the possible change of possession issue ( said she had no business in the game ). Whew, and I thought high school ball could get dicey....................

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The key is establishing position back on the court.

Actually, no, that's not the rule in HS football either. There's no football rule that says a player who comes back in from being OOB can't be the first to touch the ball.

Thanks for the info ......... I don't know much about the rules in football ( as you can tell ) . Question ,, how do I communicate the rule to the official without looking like a jerk ( It's 5th grade ball ) . I know that if I got a rule wrong that it wouldn't bother me to be "informed " by the coach but I don't think that most other officials would care for this.


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Tip

But that's easy. Something touching inbounds and nothing touching OOB. The refs are calling a violation for leaving the playing court and being the first to touch upon returning. It's a stupid call.

"Establishing" position amounts, in most cases, to getting one foot down in bounds and not having anything touch OOB. Pretty simple.

You gotta guage the refs and their openness. Sounds like this tournament you really didn't have any chance. If the refs allowed cheering from the table, that tells me they're relatively inexperienced. Sometimes, it's the new refs who are more full of themselves and less approachable. You could always try it. All you can really do is plant it in their heads to look later, but you won't get the call changed on the court.

Hi Tip,

I think the best and most professional way to inform the refs about the rule would be after the game. Since your child was playing it might look like you're trying to influence the officials even though that's not your intent. I'm guessing that's why game management weren't pleased with you...they thought you were trying to get in the refs' ear.

From the sounds of it, this play wasn't critical nor does it happen often, so after the game is the most ideal option in my mind.

Yup, i agree. After the game. With a very, very neutral tone in your voice. "Just an fyi, for what it's worth..."

Thanks for the suggestions,,,,, you are right that it wasn't critical and I appreciated the really good job that these officials did in controlling the game ( let us play basketball without letting the game get too rough ) . These guys probably did not handle the table correctly but they did a very good job of letting our kids play ball. BTW, we played for the Championship game yesterday and had 2 Varsity Officials ( probably the best in the area ) officiate our game. They were terrific , not only did they control the game but our kids loved them ( both teams ) . They joked with them in the pre-game conference and a little bit, here and there, throughout the game. Unfortunately we went into double overtime and they had a FT shooting contest to determine the winner . Oh well, the officials were great and it made for a fun weekend of basketball !

Thanks

Tip