Hand checking versus touching

[mick]

Originally posted by Hartwig2

...in my games when I call the "forearm bar", even early in the game, the call seems to not stick. I was given the same advice by a older and more expierenced official and I tried to do it at a tournament this summer and it just didn't work. I would call it and the coach would gripe at me as well as parents,specs, and players. where do you draw the line as in what to call and what not to? You had a great post and I would love to do that, but how can I get it to stick?

Doug

Doug,
During summer team camps, after having read the POE on the "Touching Fouls", I called the forearm and followed those calls with, "They don't allow the forearm this year."

The coaches and players adapted, and by the end of the camps, the teams were playing with much more finesse. I had encouraged other officials to make those calls based on the information I distributed from the NFHS site, so I wasn't the only "jerk" out there.

I think it is important that you are confident and comfortable in your calls. If you make a call and are apprehensive about the reaction from coaches and players, then you are not showing the "court presence" you need. However you decide to rule on the forearm issue, make sure that it is a ruling in which you believe. And, again, don't forget that the coaches see the same rules.

With regard to being concerned with parents, please realize that parents do not know squat. I know. I used to be one.
mick