Cheerleaders in the way
 

Small gym - not much depth behind the endline. I can forsee cheerleaders being in the way when I'm trying to get depth and width in the lead position.

I assume I can simply tell them to move, correct?

Is there a way to handle this pre-game ?

I simply tell them if there's a collision, I'm not the one that will get hurt. they tend to get the point.

Chck out this link for a discussion on the subject.

http://forum.officiating.com/basketb...erleaders.html

If there are cheerleaders, someone in the crew should go talk to them about when they can be on the floor and when they can't. If its a small gym, I just tell them that we don't have a lot of room so they are going to have to move out wide. I also tell them to be paying attention to us, because we aren't going to be looking for them. If they end up in the way, send them somewhere else nicely.

I have found that politely addressing the cheerleaders before the game or during a dead ball has been an effective way of communicating. They respond really well when tell them I need to "borrow this portion of the floor for a while but you can have it back when I leave".

The first thing I ask cheerleaders is to raise their hand if they're over 18. ;)

Oh yeah - I only ask the girls. Not that there's anything wrong with that. :p

Nice veiled Seinfeld reference, Mark!

I've politely asked the cheerleading coach to move the girls off the endline several times. Must be the Zen-like tact I possess--they were more than happy to comply each time I asked. This was in situations where there just wasn't enough room on the endline for me and them both.

They have cheerleader coaches? Seriously? If we have them, I never see them.

Seriously, if I find myself getting close to the girls, I honestly tell them.... "Ladies, I can't always look at you when I'm running this way, so I doubt I would see you. I'm a pretty big fella, so I doubt it will be me that gets hurt if we collide." That always does the trick.

Yep. And they are usually former cheerleaders themselves, so they're somewhat closer to my age. ;)

Hey, this reffing gig may not be so bad after all.

I was waiting for that.. lol

Your the guy who has his hand out to the side.. so you can um.. feel where they are... right??... ;)

Probably the surest way to get them out of the way.

Don't touch the cheerleaders ..
 

Whenever I have a boys game, and I have a designated spot throwin, in a small, crowded, gym, in front of the cheerleaders, I'll say to the thrower, "That's your spot, and, don't touch the cheerleaders". I usually get a laugh at least from the cheerleaders, sometimes the player.