Referee The Defense?

[truerookie]

Originally Posted by kblehman

In my association's pre-game cheat sheet there are a couple of references reminding officials to "referee the defense." It's been mentioned in clinics I've attended as well, but no one has ever really expanded on the statement and explained what is meant by it.

I have my own thoughts on its meaning, but I was wondering if some of you veterans would give me your $.02 on what "refereeing the defense" means to you.

Basically, you want to make sure the defense has obtain a legal guarding postion before any contact occurs.

[rockyroad]

When you run down the court and get into your position, find the defensive players and then concentrate on watching them rather than the offensive players. As a general statement, pay more attention to the defensive players than the offensive players...obviously you need to be able to see multiple players at once on screening and rebounding action, but while you have the ball in your PCA, watch the defender guarding the ball, not so much the player with the ball.

[NCAAREF]

The past few years there has been an emphasis placed on reffing the defense. The majority of officials, myself included have always tended to give the offensive player the benefit of the doubt on a close block/charge call. By referring the defense what they are saying is shift your focus off of the offensive player and look at the defense. Quite often you will suddenly find that they did get their feet planted in a legal guarding position. If you expand this same philosophy to the low post game, again you will start seeing off ball offensive pushes and holds that you were previously either not seeing, ignoring or calling a foul on the defense for.
Funny that this post was asked. I just worked a ball game with a veteran ref last Friday and his comment to me during our pre-game was" Wow, I've started to ref the defense like you guys are saying and I can't believe how much easier it is". Give it a try and you'll be pleasantly surprised.

[jdw3018]

Originally Posted by NCAAREF

I just worked a ball game with a veteran ref last Friday and his comment to me during our pre-game was" Wow, I've started to ref the defense like you guys are saying and I can't believe how much easier it is". Give it a try and you'll be pleasantly surprised.

This is so very true - in fact, I can still remember the game (just last year for me, after I started getting serious about my officiating and visiting this forum) where it really clicked for me.

Everything about the game has been slower, easier to see, and more clear for me since. It made me an exponentially better official.

Of course, exponentially to where I was last year still left a ton of room for improvement, but you get my drift...

[justacoach]

Originally Posted by NCAAREF

Quite often you will suddenly find that they did get their feet planted in a legal guarding position.

While I am in complete agreement with the overall philosophical tone of your post, the above excerpt has me wondering. Is this situation a block if the feet aren't planted?????

Crusading for universal understanding and proper application of 4-23!!

[JoeTheRef]

Originally Posted by NCAAREF
Quite often you will suddenly find that they did get their feet planted in a legal guarding position.

Originally Posted by justacoach

While I am in complete agreement with the overall philosophical tone of your post, the above excerpt has me wondering. Is this situation a block if the feet aren't planted?????

Crusading for universal understanding and proper application of 4-23!!

I am hoping that NCAAREF knows that his feet doesn't have to be planted or touching the floor to "maintain" LGP.

As far as your crusade, good luck..

[Adam]

Originally Posted by JoeTheRef

I am hoping that NCAAREF knows that his feet doesn't have to be planted or touching the floor to "maintain" LGP.

As far as your crusade, good luck..

Or that they don't even have to be "planted" to establish LGP.

[Mark Padgett]

"Referee the defense" means you and your partner should only make foul calls against the defense and let the coaches make the violation and foul calls against the other team's offense.

At least, that's what they think they are supposed to do.

[JoeTheRef]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Or that they don't even have to be "planted" to establish LGP.

No, but both feet must be touching the playing court to establish or "obtain" legal guarding position (1 of 2 requirements to obtain LGP).

[Adam]

Originally Posted by JoeTheRef

No, but both feet must be touching the playing court to establish or "obtain" legal guarding position (1 of 2 requirements to obtain LGP).

Yes, but this requirement doesn't mean the same thing most fans/coaches think of when they hear "planted." "Planted" implies being stationary, while a player can be moving quite quickly and have both feet on the floor at the same time while facing his opponent.