Well had a Boys Gr 7 and 8 game tonight and I got to hand out my first technical fouls.

First one was to a player who pushed someone away from the ball pretty severely. In hindsight, I should have called a flagrant, but at the time, I called a technical. I should have taken a bit more time to react.

Second technical was against the other team when one of their players swore (sh!t) loud enough to be heard in the principal's office. This happened immediately after another foul so the blue team shot four and got possession.

I do have a question about this though... Do you guys give a warning on the use of foul language before handing out a tech. If he'd muttered it under his breath, I know I wouldn't have called a tech and would have warned him, but since it was overheard by the entire bleachers, I figured that immediate action should be taken.

I always wondered when I'd call my first tech and I didn't think I'd get to call one in my first year of officiating since I've now started coaching. I just got called to ref this one at the last minute.

All the best.

Ren

On your first situation, was the ball live? It sounds like it was. Was B1 attempting to start a fight, or acting in a way that would likely lead to a fight? I don't see that in your description. Seems to me it would be an intentional foul since you stated the push was rather sever. I call more fouls for the push in this situation that most other ref's I watch, but they're common fouls.

Second T makes sense to me.

First ball was live.

I guess an intentional could have been a way to go.

Ren

<I>First ball was live.

I guess an intentional could have been a way to go.</I>

Absolutely. Contact fouls during live ball cannot be technicals unless it is for fighting (which is automatically considered a flagrant technical).

As for the technical for swearing, I think that you did the right thing... If everyone in the gym can hear it, you need to penalize it -- no warning necessary. If not too many people hear it you can give a warning -- use your judgement.

NCAA Rule 10, Section 16, Art. 2. When fighting occurs during a live ball, it shall be ruled a flagrant
personal foul.

NCAA - absolutely.

NF, however, is a bit murkier. Any live ball contact foul is a personal foul, but one of the technical rules says that a player shall not be charged with fighting. I would charge a fighter with a technical foul - its just easier than figuring out who had been fouled for the flagrant personal shots.

Since it was a 7th and 8th grade game, I assumed that they were using NF rules. :)

You never know - could be some crazy state like Texas!

Actually, it's that other crazy state... CANADA. :)

We are using NF rules.

I couldn't see myself handing out a flagrant for fighting. No punches were thrown. It was a push.... hard and deliberate. He was trying to move the defender out of the way.

Ren

This sounds like an intentional to me. I have seen a couple of times where the foul was just a good solid push with two hands, but for no reason at all. in both cases, it was retaliation for a previous situation. The first one of these I saw I called flagrant. The kid clearly stepped two steps sideways out of his path and shoved the other kid for no reason having to do with the present play. It was clearly flagrant to me. Although the kid's coach didn't agree. The second one looked the same to me, but I wasn't calling that game, just watching. I would have called it flagrant again, although the ref who was working didn't.

But in your case, it had to do with the play, so call it intentional for "excessive contact."

First of all, good job calling the technical fouls. Of course, there is no time to react when you have to make a split second decision, but at least you can look back on it, and learn. Bad language? Automatic T, no warnings whatsoever. The push? Probably intentional, but I guess you had to be there to see it.

OUch Mark!!! Texan here!!
 

Congrats on your techs!! (raises hand for high five) but you should've gone with the flagrant when the ball was live. Way to take charge though!!

True... We do use NCAA rules for football :)