Is My Call Correct?
 

Alright, I am doing this youth league. 6-9 grade I think.

Anyway, I am the lead official and my dad is the trail. He calls a jump ball. Knowing how physical the game way, he saw where the two players were going to fight. He goes in and wraps his hands around the kids waist and tries to pull them away. They both still have their hands wrapped around the ball. As the trail ref is pulling the kid way from getting punched, the other kids attempts to throw the ball with the kid. (We all know most people try to do that anyway.) I run up and called a "T". If my dad didn't wrap his hands around the kid, he probably would've been thrown across the whole court. Anyway, the T was issued and the shots were taken and the ball was given.

Anyway, do you think what I did legit? Or should I have lessen or strengthen the call? I would like to hear your feed back.

-Lucas

Dad needs to keep his hands off the children...

From a philosophical standpoint, (this is something I have learned in education classes, and teachers here, feel free to chime in), by restraining one kid you are putting him at a disadvantage, and YOU could be held liable if he gets hurt.

Instead, try to interject youself in between until another adult (ref in this case) can come. Then you can walk both of them away.

But that's for your dad...

As for you, I would have been more concerned with getting in there and walking the other participant of the fight away... things like this, sometimes whacking a T just makes it worse, and it can turn on you. Get them to their benches and under their coaches control. Then huddle with your partner and talk about what to do next in terms of T's...

Others perhaps can shed better light on it...

Each official has his or her own temperment & to stick someone, is that officials judgement.

Sounds as if your dad was in the wrong... consensus 'round these parts is that we don't put our hands on the players, especially around their waist :eek: I'm sure someone will provide a link for you to read old discussions on this matter.

I'm pretty sure there has been at least one case where an official restrained one kid, the other kid took the opportunity to throw an undefended punch, and the official ended up paying for dental work.

I have no issues with your T, however.

I've heard the whistle is sometimes the best thing to use in a situation like that. Be careful near a crowd if hands are flying and you have the thing between your teeth; you'll get a Christmas card from your dentist for sure. But blast into that thing as loud as you can before getting too far into the crowd. Sometimes that won't stop the point of attack, but it might slow down others who are thinking about joining the action. Dittos to the others, however. Dad should keep his hands to himself. He may have had the best intentions, but it can lead to much bigger problems.

the kid in which he wrapped his arms around is my cousin; that's the only reason...i should've mentioned that.

after i called a T he was benched. thats a rule they made. but i was just curious in what you guys think.

-Lucas

It is slightly different if they're related. Most people here, though, wouldn't be working a game in which a nephew or cousin is playing due to conflict of interest. I realize it's sometimes different in rec leagues.

That said, I still wouldn't hold down a kid even if he's trying to fight. Being related might mitigate legal issues, but it doesn't mitigate the risk you're putting that particular kid into. Besides that, if he does get sucker punched while being held down by his uncle the ref, Christmas will be that much more unpleasant for decades to come.

I'm glad that didn't happen but it very well could have. What a dinner time conversation that would've been!

Dad/uncle: Sorry about the teeth nephew or should I say lack thereof.
Cousin: dang uncle, I was handling him just fine until you restrained me?
Mom: Anybody for seconds of my famous steak dinner.
Cousin: wish I could, but more applesauce please.
RCBSports: well at least I whacked him for you cousin.