First to touch
 

Can a player come from out of bounds and be the first player to then touch the ball? Is there a rule reference on this?

Did the player go out of bounds voluntarily? If they went OOB for an unauthorized reason then they can not.

See the other thread about this same subject...

http://forum.officiating.com/showthread.php?t=30232

Yes they saved a ball from going out of bounds.

Then they can be the first to touch (assuming tehy return inbounds) in NCAA and FED.

I think the "not first to touch" is an NBA rule.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmckenna Did the player go out of bounds voluntarily? If they went OOB for an unauthorized reason then they can not.

That is somewhat misleading.

Whether they go out voluntarily or not has nothing to do with being allowed to be the first to touch the ball. If they go OOB voluntarily, it is a violation right then...without waiting to see if they touch the ball.

You won't find a rule reference, because it is legal. There is no rule preventing it, therefore it is legal. Also, there is nothing about "establishing" oneself back in bounds--as long as the player is inbounds (touching the inbound area and not touching anything out of bounds, or if in the air, not having leapt from an area not in bounds) this is legal.

Yes, you can find a rules reference. Case book play 7.1.1SitB. Been in there a long time.