Toughest call for you?

[MelbRef]

I'm a first year, and I wonder what's the most difficult judgment call for you guys to make.

For me, it's the hard drive to the basket block/charge call (as the lead).
(follow up question: what specifically do you concentrate on to make the right block/charge call)

[JugglingReferee]

Block/charge is among the easiest of calls for me.

The most difficult call for me is travelling. Kids are doing amazing things with the ball these days and they're really crowding the border on what travel is or isn't.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by JugglingReferee

Block/charge is among the easiest of calls for me.

The most difficult call for me is travelling. Kids are doing amazing things with the ball these days and they're really crowding the border on what travel is or isn't.

Concur.

While not as experienced as some, I find the block/charge easier to call too. If the defender has LGP and the offensive player doesn't get their head and shoulders beyond the defender (over simplification) it is easier for me to call/sell as at the younger levels - say F and below, so few players, coaches, fans actually get/see the call, they are usually overjoyed and elated that someone actually called it.

While traveling is a more common violation/call, it happens so often at the younger levels and I just feel I miss it more than I should....and my evaluators have let me know that. I need to work on this.

PS - I called a player-control foul in a VG game last night and the fans went absolutely wild like they had just won the state championship. It was one of the more surreal moments of my career.

[zm1283]

Traveling is the hardest for me.

[Mark Padgett]

This is a tough one. It's either icing or pass interference, especially when they happen in the backcourt.

[LSams]

basket interference, goaltending

oh yeah, and that call to my wife telling her I just accepted more games tomorrow night

[bigdogrunnin]

Originally Posted by JugglingReferee

Block/charge is among the easiest of calls for me.

The most difficult call for me is travelling. Kids are doing amazing things with the ball these days and they're really crowding the border on what travel is or isn't.

Bobby Knight would concur.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRZSr...eature=related

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by JugglingReferee

Block/charge is among the easiest of calls for me.

The most difficult call for me is travelling. Kids are doing amazing things with the ball these days and they're really crowding the border on what travel is or isn't.

JugglingReferee:

I have to agree with you 100%. Mark, Jr., and I were having dinner after a jr. varsity game we had officiated earlier this year and he asked me the very same question. I told him that block/charge was an easy call to make, but today's players, both female and male, have amazingly quick feet.

But I will admit to a personal weakness. I know the basket interference and goaltending rules forwards and backwards, but when I started officiating men's college games after officiating only women's college games for so many years, BI and GT would catch me by suprise every once in a while.

MTD, Sr.

[NEohioref]

Sr. Has spoken! Check your email too!

[dave30]

Younger players who are bigger than their opponent and while dribbling the ball basically back their defender up under the goal so they can shoot. It's hard to decide when it is an offensive foul or just a good move by the bigger player.

[bas2456]

For me, it's also the block/charge, especially as the lead official. It hasn't happened enough in my games for me to get used to it. Some good advice I recently received about being lead official is to step back off of the baseline some, and move out toward the 3 arc to get a wider field of view. I've gotten myself caught too many times basically right underneath the basket and have missed some calls because of it.

[beachbum]

The more you officiate the defense, the easier the Blk/chg is to see. but sometimes, while in the lead you have to determine if the defender gained his position before the offensive player left the ground. With some of these boys (HS) able to go in the air a half a block before the basket it can be a hard call. Especially if you are working the defense.

I watched a kid in a HSJV boys game do a little hop step just after he stopped dribbling. my partner and I kept calling traveling and the coach kept complaining.