Kicking the ball

[Paul LeBoutillier]

Since my "over-the-back" thread became so popular I decided I'd share another pet-peeve. There is a LONG standing belief among coaches, players and fans that contacting the ball with a player's foot is ALWAYS a violation. The rulebook CLEARLY says that such contact with the foot (or any part of the leg below the knee) MUST be intentional to be a violation.

About the ONLY intentional act of kicking I've ever seen is when a defender sticks out his/her leg to deflect a bounce pass between opponents. Other than that, MOST if not all other calls for kicking the ball are accidental.

Since we know what the rules say, WHY do so many officials call the violation when no violation exists?

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally posted by Paul LeBoutillier
The rulebook CLEARLY says that such contact with the foot (or any part of the leg below the knee) MUST be intentional to be a violation.

Actually,Paul,the rulebook CLEARLY says that the contact includes the knee,not just the part of the leg below the knee. Rule 4-29.

That's NFHS. NCAA contact is any part of the leg up to the groinal area.

[Edited by Jurassic Referee on Feb 17th, 2003 at 11:09 AM]

[devdog69]

I don't know, why do many of them/us call traveling every time a player goes to the floor with the ball even though many times they either don't have or never had control of the ball. Why do they call double dribble after a muffed pass and a dribble? Because they are not members at officialforum.com and continue to be uneducated and ignorant, that's why.

[Blackhawk357]

And then when it's called correctly, all hell breaks loose.

It's a combination, IMO, of associations not taking enough time with younger officials, and younger officials working only for the "bucks". In our group, we try to go over the "pet-peeve" situations, but you can't spend tons of time every week, and some of the younger guys show up, but don't listen.

Then there are the "old duffs" that have done it that way for ever, and are not going to change no matter what. I think the officials who want to work hard and advance will, and do get it, and the rest we have to put up with.

Blackhawk

[Adam]

A1 dribbling at the top of the key, loses control of the dribble. In the process of regaining control, he accidentally (in my judgment from being right on top of the play) kicks the ball with his shin.
Fan: "Kick. Kick! I guess it's too hard to see from there."

I just laughed to myself.

[RookieDude]

Jurassic Referee,
Thanks for the rule clarifications on the "kick" in relation to NFHS and NCAA.
I knew the NFHS rule but did not know it was different in the NCAA.

As a matter of fact, I was watching a H.S. District playoff game today and saw a player "kick" the ball with the upper part of his leg. (Above the knee)
The official blew his whistle and awarded the ball to the opposing team. (Now I wonder if the official was thinking NCAA rules)
The only person to complain in the whole gym was the kid who "kicked" the ball...he kept tapping the upper part of his leg...Hmmmmmm, I wonder if he really knew the rule or if he was just showing his teammate where the ball hit him?


Dude

[zebraman]

Maybe it's those modified Illinois rules? :-)

Z