Rough perimeter play
 

I had a Frosh/JV doubleheader last Friday where both teams in both games played a very physical perimeter defense. Lots of hand checks and riding the dribbler while he was trying to make his move inside or look for an open pass.

In the JV game, I whistled the first hand check about 30 seconds into the game. Coach yelled because it was so early in the game (not that I care) and I was trying to set the tone after the wrestling match of a freshman game we had.

The thing that troubled me is I'm not sure how consistently I was calling these fouls. The defenders were riding the dribblers quite a bit and I feel I could probably have whistled a lot more fouls than I did and they would still do it.

I grabbed what I thought were the egregious ones but frankly, the contact was so constant that I know I missed some that should have been called. The other issue is that I found I was calling more fouls against the winning team because the losing team was not able to play through the contact and it was putting them at a disadvantage. The guards on the winning team were better able to play through the contact.

Both coaches, needless to say, complained a lot about the perimeter contact and the perceived imbalance in the calls. Can't say I blame them but I also took that feedback with a grain of salt for obvious reasons.

What can we do in a game like this to ensure that we're calling the perimeter play consistently but not drowning the game in whistles?

Both teams played a run and gun offense with very little in the way of set plays. Most of the judgment regarding contact was on the perimeter. It was pretty exhausting running two whistle on both of these games and I came away feeling like I did not turn in a good performance on either game.

Too many officials fall into that trap. There is no magic number of fouls. You're not looking for the 8-10 most obvious fouls. If they're playing beyond the bounds of legal play, call the fouls. Even if it puts a LOT of whistles in a game. You set the threshold for contact and they get to adjust. You shouldn't back off just because you've had a few whistles if you're calling it consistently (there may be other reasons to loosen up or tighten up but the absolute numbers are not one of them).

I can have a game with 10-15 fouls on a team in a half and have a game the next night with only 2-3. In fact, on Monday, the first foul I called on the visiting team was in the 3rd quarter (only 1 by that team in the 1st half) and the other team only had 5 in the first half. And we didn't pass on anything....they just didn't foul. Having fouls to give, both teams came out a lot more aggressively and each got to the double bonus in the 2nd half.

In another recent game, we were at the double bonus for both teams early in the 2nd Q.

Each game is different and some will have a lot of fouls and some will have few.

While some might think and promote that calling few fouls is a desirable goal as an official, that really only makes the game get increasingly rough because it encourages passing on illegal contact.

I sometimes try to step outside and think of it as a player or a coach might think of it. If you are questioning how consistent you were calling it (as a referee who knows the rules), then wouldn't a player just continue to do it because it may or may not be called?

On the flip side, if the same actions are consistently getting the same call, then players should adjust and coaches are less likely to complain (in theory).

+1 Great stuff!

Had a tourny game this morning where 4 of the 5 starters had 2 fouls in the 1st half. They didnt adjust & well, lets just say players fouled out today! Passing on perimeter fouls because we feel that we called more than we would like to only opens the door for more egregious fouls... sometimes -errr- most times, it is what it is.

Keep blowing that whistle, unless of course, I have the varsity game after you :-)

Well...that was the other thing. The varsity game afterwards had two of the chapter officers in it and I think I was afraid of being whistle happy because I knew they were watching also.

The final result was probably not how I would've liked it anyways so my take away is, keep blowing the whistle even if the coaches whine.

Thanks fellas.

Did you ask them about your concerns? I would think they would be the best source of feedback for you. Did they say anything to you about the game at all?

Sometimes, they are just knuckleheads.

No, they didn't. They were ready to hit the floor for the varsity game after so I didn't get any time to pick their brain. I was going to talk to them at the meeting tonight...which was just canceled. I'll send them an e-mail.

That's too bad that they didn't have time to talk to you guys. In my previous association, they would put 20 minutes on the clock prior to the varsity game (usually) even if you were running late. That gave everyone time to chat between games. Here in the Dallas area, they will put 8 minutes on the clock for the V game if you're running late, which is just about all the time. You barely have time to say hi to the sub-V guys as you're walking past them into the gym.

Was his RSBQ impaired?

if you have to, blow the whistle early.....and if you have to, blow the whistle often.

99.999999% of problems occur in games because the officials do not blow the whistle enough.....it is virtually impossible to get in trouble by blowing the whistle too much.

simply tell the coaches: "you've got to get your players to stop fouling".....

Right. http://www.runemasterstudios.com/gra...es/roflmao.gif

Seriously? What part of the country is that the case?

One of the best tools I use is to see myself on film. I understand that it was a JV game, but maybe one of the parents or the school has the tape to review? Then ask one of the chapter officers if they would take the time to review the tape with you.

Wrong, they can only do it 5 times and then someone else will have to do it for them. :D

They only do it for one reason....it's an advantage. They will do it as long as you let them.