shoe laces
 

NFHS

A1 has the ball in the backcourt and is slowly advancing to the frontcourt. As A1 crosses the division line, I notice B2 kneeling down to tie a shoe near A's basket. As trail I blow my whistle, let B2 tie the shoe and have team A inbound the ball near the division line. Partner says I should not have stopped play. Is he right? Rules reference always appreciated?

You won't find a rules reference.

No you will not find a rules reference and your partner was right.

Peace

A lot of people will tell you that your partner is correct. I've always had the opinion, though, that if the game can be stopped at a point where nothing is happening (A1 slowly walking the ball up the floor or standing and dribbling in the frontcourt), stop the game and prevent any injury.

But if Team A is into their offense, I wouldn't stop play. Use your best judgement about this. It's why we get paid mucho dinero.

In ms, I'll delay a throw in. But I won't stop play. In high school, they need to know how to tie a knot.

If you don't believe your partner, check with your assigner.

What do you do with the player that does not tie his shoes and stuffs the laces in the shoe and one of the shoes comes off every other trip down the floor. :)

I'd tell him to tie his shoes or get off the floor.

Nothing...he can either ask for a timeout or hold his team up while he puts his shoe back on. If play is stopped for some other reason, and the shoe is off/shoelaces untied, that would be the only time I would hold up play.

Ignore it, let him get beat. I'm not his coach.

When they cannot participate in the game because they are fumbling with their shoe, I would think a coach will take them out of the game or they will learn to tie a knot.

Peace

Phansen:

You will not find a rule reference but your partner was correct.

Prior to the 1963-64 season, National Basketball Committee of the United States and Canada (NBCUSC) Rules (note: The NBCUSC was the basketball rules writing body for boys'/girls' high school and men's college prior to being split into the NFHS and NCAA Men's Rules Committees in the late 1970's.) allowed game officials to stop the game or to prevent a Dead Ball (DB) from becoming a Live Ball (LB) so that a player could tie his/her shoe. Starting with the 1963-64 season this provision was intentionally deleted from Rule 2. The Rules Committee, in an editorial comment, stated that the provision was deleted because the Committee did not want officials to stop the game or delay a DB from becoming LB so that a player could tie his/her shoe. The effect of this rule change is that officials by rule cannot stop the game or delay a DB from becoming LB so that a player can tie his/her shoe.

If one goes to the current NFHS Basketball Handbook and go to the chapter on the history of the rules changes, one will see the change listed in 1964. This rules change is still valid for both NFHS and NCAA Men's/Women's Rules.

MTD, Sr.

You'll notice that the rule for stopping play includes eyeglasses or lenses. If they wanted us to stop games for tying shoes, it would be written in the rules -- it's not an uncommon occurrence.

I had a partner stop a varsity game earlier this season and when he asked for feedback, I made sure I included that.

Had a partner stop a game last week for a hung net. He asked for feedback, and I forgot to mention it.

Wait, are you saying we don't stop the game for a hung net? I have always been taught to stop the game and fix it. Was this ever a rule to stop the game? Where does this rational come from?

(Sorry if this becomes a thread hijack.)

You may do it the first time it happens. You might even do it the second time it happens. But if you keep doing that, then it is not your issue. BTW, the NF gave an interpretation about this a few years ago and said that you should not spend the entire game fixing the net no more than you should stop play to get a shoe tied.

Peace