could I have fixed this?

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

So you are saying that it is okay do it wrong because it's just a kiddie game?

Do you call traveling the same in a small kids game as you do in a varsity game?

Certain things just don't work in games at this level. A huge percentage of the time, despite any number of warnings, kids this age will step over the line on a throw-in, so we have adjusted the rule and don't call the violation unless they step over with both feet. Kids this age, after a made basket, if nobody stays to help, will frown, then just dribble the ball in themselves. Instead of calling this violation, we blow the whistle and make them do it over correctly. In the play at hand, I doubt seriously any deception was involved, it was just a matter of the first kid to step up, stepped out of bounds and was rewarded with the ball. If you are an inexperienced official, you may not be at all familiar with a rule like this. If you are a veteran, experienced official, the kids will tend to drag you down to their level, which is not altogether a bad thing. There probably weren't three people in the building that knew what the rulebook says in this case. Sometimes you do what is best for the level you are working. This is what I would have done.