Poll on applying advantage/disadvantage to violations

[jkjenning]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I found that officials working youth basketball while exercising the Tower Philosophy gave a great deal of latitude to players at that level, while those at progressively higher levels gave less leeway. My concern was that this implementation should have been reversed. Should not younger players first have an understanding of what actions are within the limits of the rules? Is not a travel a travel? In today’s basketball, however, young officials begin early to make their own determination as to what is within the “spirit and intent” of the rules.

SOUND RULES FOUNDATION
The more I observe the training of applicants who want to become officials, the more convinced I become that the concept of advantage-disadvantage should remain a “foreign language” until a sound rules foundation has been realized and processed by the official. Officials should be absolutely certain and well versed on the description and explanation of each foul and violation. A strictly literal approach should be taken.

Had this discussion with an official yesterday. Towards the end of this year my son and I [both completing our 3rd year] have made a point of working games we are assigned together with a more literal application of the rules at the lower levels. As new officials we are assured during training that if lower level games are called too strictly "you will be there all night long" - however, we have found that the key to calling those games more strictly and still finishing on time is the level of hustle of the officials and, consequently, the level of hustle we can instill in the players. The more we run, the more they run and calling the fouls/violations does not prolong the game!

I believe that through working these lower level games with a stricter interpretation of the rules, it will only help the players compete at a higher level in their high school years. When I see the JV and Varsity games in which the footwork is poor, but not called consistently, it leaves room for an argument that says the result of loosely calling the lower level games (so we can "get out on time") is a set of players experienced in lax application of the rules and a set of officials with poorly defined "rules reflex" - i.e. too used to not calling poor footwork, for instance. Calling the lower level games more strictly also helps us, as inexperienced officials, develop our own convictions and style... one point in all this verbage being that if you are an experienced official - don't dissuade a less experienced official from calling a "cleaner" game because you feel it slows things down, just hustle a bit more!

[Terrapins Fan]

Billy Mac and Mark, You guys always give such good advice and such a good perspective. Keep up the good work and Thanks.

[WhistlesAndStripes]

Holy Shnikes!!! OK, first of all, reading all those choices made my head hurt, and so I voted accordingly. But I have to say that what Billy Mac put together in his two posts should be required reading for all new officials. Good stuff!!

[FrankHtown]

Don't NFHS rules tell us to ignore the violation in the situation where Team A is on a fast break, and a Team B player, runs out of bounds...yelling for a "leaving the court for an unauthorized reason" violation, to stop the play?
To stop the play would be to put Team A at a disadvantage. I believe you let the play continue.

If team A tries a long pass to initiate a breakaway, Team B intentionally kicks it, but it goes directly to team A for a layup, would you call the violation, and take away the basket?

I think these may be cases that are up in the air, if you take a very literal interpretation of the rules.

[deecee]

apples to oranges FrankH

besides i love that case play for the [yelling for a "leaving the court for an unauthorized reason"]

I can just see little Johnny screaming and jumping up and down with his arms waving trying to get our attention while he is YELLING "REFREE SIR I JUST LEFT THE COURT FOR AN UNAUTHORIZED REASON PLEASE WHISTLE ME FOR THIS EGRIGIOUS INFRACTION OF THE RULES."
yeah thats going to happen just like that

because every time i have made this call the players always look at me and say "oh you are right - i am so sorry for leaving the court for an unauthorized reason."

seriously where and how did they come up with this??

[SWMOzebra]

Conversation with a coach from a game Saturday during a TO:

Coach: That's the third time this half you've called palming on my PG (who also happens to be the coach's son).
Me: Ball is clearly coming to rest in his hand, coach. Aren't you seeing it, too?
Coach: Yahbut (note: he is actually agreeing with me that his son is palming the ball), no one's guarding him or even close to him. How do you judge disadvantage in those situations?
Me: The disadvantage is, if I don't make the call, the other team doesn't get the ball...that puts them at a disadvantage. I'll give you the same consideration when the other team violates.
Coach: (smiles and walks back to bench)

Maybe not relevent to the post, but a rare instance of a coach going "Yahbut."