I worked a game today which involved a first year program. They are one of the worst varsity girls teams in the state skillwise, but are nice people.
Here's the play:
I am at the trail position. A girl is dribbling near half court with her defender playing well off near the top of the key. I look away from the dribbler to watch the screens being set at the free throw line extended on my side. I probably only looked away for one second, but when I turned my head back to the dribbler, she was holding the ball in her outstretched hand and while taking a couple of steps toward me, to hand me the ball, she says, "I double dribbled." I almost lost it.

They were losing by 30 and I was probably the only one in the building that didn't see it, but what could I do? I smiled, said "OK," blew the whistle, gave the double dribble signal, and we went the other way.

self-reffing!
 

Thats such a cool call. I was over at 'football' and they can't believe that we do our own calls (self-reffing) in Ki-o-Rahi. Those players are winners as far as I'm concerned! WAY-TO-GO!!!!

Nevada,
If you didn't see it, could you really call it? I may have been inclined to tell the girl that if I didn't see it I couldn't call it. I would then tell her to pass the ball to one of her teammates. Obviously, your partner didn't see it either. Just thinking out loud.

Nevada's post said that the girl then took a coupla steps toward him holding the ball.You would have to call travelling now,anyway,because you did see that one.

You're right J.R. about the traveling call. I was just thinking about the DD which he said he did call.

Had a girls HS game earlier this year, where the ball went out of bounds, I didn't see it real well, but was going to give it to the team that was trailing. So I point their direction, when a girl on their team says "no ref,it's off me". So I just laughed, and said thank you and fixed it.

Yeah, by rule, I probably should have called traveling, but she made a great call so I went with her.
PS Since all the players up top had stopped, some call had to be made.

Wow !
 

I guess I would put stock in a player's comment when it helps my cause... those kind of comments are very rare.

Usually what I get is the opposite. Softball/baseball player sliding into 2nd gets tagged 10 feet off the base from his ankle, up the side of his body, whacked in the side of the face to the point that I think there might a fight... and he jumps up saying that he didn't get touched. Basketball defender hits a pass attempt and deflects the ball 10 feet on a 30 foot pass, goes out of bounds on my partner's line, he blows his whistle and looks for help, I tell him it was tipped and point direction, the player says "I didn't touch it!"

Will wonders ever cease
 

I too had a very uplifting moment in a JV game I was working about a week ago. It was a very tight game between two teams that are natural rivals in that they are from neighboring towns in the same school district. G1 takes a shot from the free throw line and a number of players crash the board to rebound the miss. In doing so W1 fouls G2 in the act of rebounding and W1 tumbles to the ground as he falls over G2. I immediately whistled the foul and asked W1 to stand up so I could get his number. He looks at me in wide-eyed amazement and says "you have to be kidding". Now at this moment I'm seriously contemplating a "T" as I feel that players should never be allowed to question a call made by an official. I guess thats a carryover from my own HS days when our coach would've yanked us from a game for such a transgression. However, because the game was a 2 point difference, I chalked up the players comments to the heat of the moment and went to the table to report the foul.

Now heres the good part. Immediately after reporting the foul I turn around and W1 is standing right next to me. I'm expecting that he is going to continue to tell me I'm wrong and I'm mentally preparing to signal a "T" on him. As chance would have it, nothing could've been further from the truth. In reality he came over to me to apologize for his comment and to tell me that my call was right and good call. WOW!!! I was shocked and didn't know what to say to him except thank you. This really shouldn't be such an amazing event except for the fact that respect seems to be so lacking in sports these days. Its funny, but that little moment made up for all the bad stuff that I've put up with from coaches all season long.

I was Nevadaref's partner and he was truly stunned as was I that the girl stopped. I was waiting for his call because I did see the girl stop and then take a couple of steps. I was blocked out and didn't see the original DD. Either way we were going the other way with a violation.

Rick,
Did you file a report for good sportsmanship on this girl with the State High School League? Whenever I have an outstanding act of sportsmanship I always file a report. It would especially be meaningful for a first year program. I had a situation a couple of years ago like that where I anticipated a charge and blew my whistle. Well it couldn't possibly have been a block. Anyway, the girl I called it on didn't get mad she just said "I guess I did bump into the girl". Well I filed the report and the next time we went to the school they said the report was read over the school intercom. The coach also said how much it meant to the girl. All of us should keep this in mind when an outstanding exhibit of sportsmanship takes place.

Big Joe, That is a wonderful thought and gesture. I know I try to give special praise to a player, on my team or the other, who shows exceptional sportsmanship. I also try to remember to tell the parents. The players always appreciate it. To have it "officially" recognized (pun intended), would create a memory for the player that will last his or her lifetime. We (even most coaches I know) are all tired the opposite behavior, so anything we can do to reward the good sportsman is a great thing indeed.

That is a great idea about recognizing some of the students if they truly act in a sportsmanlike way. I will suggest that to our association for next year.

In football one of the very small schools here has the refs pick one player from each team that we feel has conducted themselves in a sportsmanlike manner and they give the kid a t-shirt at the end of the game.

In football one of the very small schools here has the refs pick one player from each team that we feel has conducted themselves in a sportsmanlike manner and they give the kid a t-shirt at the end of the game. [/B][/QUOTE]

We have had some school cheerleaders while talking to them before the game about where they are going to be and to watch for full or :30 sec time outs ask us to give them the number of a player from each team who had the best sportsmanship. I think the player got a pack of gum and something from the concession stand. I thought it was a great idea!

Rick,
Doesn't the Nevada State High School League have a form that you have to fill out if there is an incident at a school? For instance if a player or coach is ejected, we must fax this report to the state high school league that night or the next morning. I also use this same report for good sportsmanship. I am happy to say that it is "none for bad, two for good" in my seven years doing varsity ball.