Stopping game for shoe being untied

[bard]

I'm not the most experienced official on this forum, but I would base this partially upon the experience of the players. By high school, the players ought to know to double-knot their shoes and to find dead ball situations to be sure they are tied!

I've never interrupted a "live ball" to allow a shoe to be tied, whether the player is on offense or defense. After a made basket, if a player in elementary or perhaps Jr High is tying a shoe, I'll raise my hand and delay the throw-in.

I also try to inform the players that they don't get an automatic timeout just because their shoe is untied or even if they lose a shoe.

On that note, I'm more likely to stop play if a shoe comes off, because I find that to represent a significant danger.