Slide = Not travelling

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

During the game would have probably been the wrong time to debate it as you never know what his exact reasoning might have been to make that call.

While this may be true 95% of the time, it really depends on the level of the game, and the degree of rapport between partners.

Yesterday. Catholic middle school junior varsity game. From the lead position, I see, what I believe, is a player attempting a shot from the opposite block, having the ball blocked before the ball leaving his hand, with me calling a held ball. I'm the closer official, but my partner, from the trail position, takes a couple of steps toward me and says quietly, "Did you get a good look at that?". I reply that I did, and we play on.

Next timeout, he comes over to me and we discuss the play. Although I was the closer official, I had the shooter, and his defender, between me and the ball. My partner was farther away, but he got a great look at the ball, and he saw it barely leave the shooter's hand, thus, just a blocked ball, not a held ball. We talked about how we could have fixed it, if we wanted to, and moved on.

I've worked dozens of games, both high school, and Catholic middle school, with this partner. He's a state high school tournament official. I value his opinion, and I know that he wasn't trying to show me up, or take over the game, he just wanted to make this a learning experience for both of us. I've got no problem with what he did.