injury...circumstances...should i have let the play finish?

[stir22]

high school freshman girls game. brutal game. ended up with 64 total fouls and three injuries. whistled early and often to try and get the game under control, never could. talked to coaches at halftime, etc...to no avail.

one of the injuries was in the third quarter, girl fell wrong and ended up on the floor for 20 minutes. while she was down my partner and I (again) talked about calling it close, trying to get it under control, etc...

early in 4th quarter, visitor center goes for rebound, ends up just tipping it out to a home players guard, she's off to the races with a fast break...visitor center lands awkwardly, i can hear her elbow hit the floor, and i know she's hit her head also. i immediately whistle the play dead even though i know there's a fast break going...i know this could be another serious injury.

home coach goes nuts, says i cost her a fast break lay-up, etc...i tell her that in a girls freshman game this physical with yet another potential serious injury i'll call that play dead everytime.

i was lead when play started, trail going other way. after whistle, i go to injured player (screaming in pain) and motion for coach.

did i do the right thing?

[CMHCoachNRef]

Originally Posted by stir22

high school freshman girls game. brutal game. ended up with 64 total fouls and three injuries. whistled early and often to try and get the game under control, never could. talked to coaches at halftime, etc...to no avail.

one of the injuries was in the third quarter, girl fell wrong and ended up on the floor for 20 minutes. while she was down my partner and I (again) talked about calling it close, trying to get it under control, etc...

early in 4th quarter, visitor center goes for rebound, ends up just tipping it out to a home players guard, she's off to the races with a fast break...visitor center lands awkwardly, i can hear her elbow hit the floor, and i know she's hit her head also. i immediately whistle the play dead even though i know there's a fast break going...i know this could be another serious injury.

home coach goes nuts, says i cost her a fast break lay-up, etc...i tell her that in a girls freshman game this physical with yet another potential serious injury i'll call that play dead everytime.

i was lead when play started, trail going other way. after whistle, i go to injured player (screaming in pain) and motion for coach.

did i do the right thing?

Stir,
#1 concern is player safety. If YOU think that the player MAY be seriously injured, blow the play dead as you did. If you are confident that the injury is not serious, you can wait until the offensive forward "push" ends and blow the play dead at that point. Your call. You made it. Based on the nature of the game -- I have NEVER had one of these, thank God -- I believe your action was correct, imo.

[Loudwhistle]

Yes, especially because of the head injury, if it was just the elbow injury and no bone was sticking out, I would have let the fast break continue.

[DesMoines]

Same as above. On a head injury, I blow this dead every time.

[Adam]

If you think she hit her head hard, I've got no problem with killing the play here. While V coach is tending to the player, I'd have very short chat with the H coach. Him going nuts here would lead to a very short leash after that.

[just another ref]

If a player in a freshman game is "screaming in pain," regardless of the nature of the injury, nobody should have a problem with stopping the game.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by stir22

high school freshman girls game. brutal game. ended up with 64 total fouls and three injuries. whistled early and often to try and get the game under control, never could. talked to coaches at halftime, etc...to no avail.

one of the injuries was in the third quarter, girl fell wrong and ended up on the floor for 20 minutes. while she was down my partner and I (again) talked about calling it close, trying to get it under control, etc...

early in 4th quarter, visitor center goes for rebound, ends up just tipping it out to a home players guard, she's off to the races with a fast break...visitor center lands awkwardly, i can hear her elbow hit the floor, and i know she's hit her head also. i immediately whistle the play dead even though i know there's a fast break going...i know this could be another serious injury.

home coach goes nuts, says i cost her a fast break lay-up, etc...i tell her that in a girls freshman game this physical with yet another potential serious injury i'll call that play dead everytime.

i was lead when play started, trail going other way. after whistle, i go to injured player (screaming in pain) and motion for coach.

did i do the right thing?

To answer your question, yes, you did the right thing.

[jTheUmp]

For an injury situation: when in doubt, kill the play. You did just fine.

[mbyron]

See this post for a comprehensive approach:

Player Injury

[Camron Rust]

All that said...it isn't going to make any difference with just about any possible injury if you delay 1-2 seconds on the whistle to determine how injured the player might be.

[Treeguy]

I had a situation where A1 drove to the basket, got behind it and to lean back to put the ball up and tumbled out of bounds. B gets the rebound, outlets my side (oppisite table) and I am now the trail. I watch the play as it gets past half court, look back and see A1 still OOB and holding his leg. I let the fast break finish, staying in the back court, blow the wistle and point to A1. Instead of going to his player and seing how he is, the coach comes directly to me and telling me I should have blown the whistle immediately because everyone in the gym knew he was hurt, except the dozen chearleader right next to him who did not notice it until I blew the whistle. It just shows coaches will complain about anything that will give them a disadvantage.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by treeguy

i had a situation where a1 drove to the basket, got behind it and to lean back to put the ball up and tumbled out of bounds. B gets the rebound, outlets my side (oppisite table) and i am now the trail. I watch the play as it gets past half court, look back and see a1 still oob and holding his leg. I let the fast break finish, staying in the back court, blow the wistle and point to a1. Instead of going to his player and seing how he is, the coach comes directly to me and telling me i should have blown the whistle immediately because everyone in the gym knew he was hurt, except the dozen chearleader right next to him who did not notice it until i blew the whistle. It just shows coaches will complain about anything that will give them a disadvantage.

t

[Treeguy]

I was close, but did not T him. looking back, probably should have.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Treeguy

I was close, but did not T him. looking back, probably should have.

I can't say for sure whether you should have, but when a coach is beckoned to attend to his player; that's where he goes.

At the same time, there's no reason to stand near the player at this. If the player is hurt along the endline, meet up with your partner at the division line. It gets you away from the coach.

Just advice, I have no idea where you were standing when the coach approached you.

[Treeguy]

I did walk away from the player once the trainer and coach came out, was on my way to the far side line about middle of the end and center lines. I was not in a direct line from his bench to the player and the coach walked straight to me and not the player, but the player was being tended to by a trainer and asst. coach.