Long Switches

[BillyMac]

A few years ago, Connecticut experimented with no long switches when a foul was called in the backcourt, and there was no change in possession. Some of our guys either didn't understand "change in possession", didn't understand "backcourt", or were just lazy, so we went back to switching all the time two years ago.

One example of a "confusing" situation for some was the classic player control charge foul in the frontcourt called by the lead. Another was an offensive "over the back" call before the defensive player gained control of a rebound, called by the trail. Yeah. I know. We've got some "dead weight" on our local board. These are the guys who will be working subvarsity games the rest of their career.

[bob jenkins]

No "long switches" here, and that's by the (our) book.

If your book says to do it (and assuming you are expected to follow the book), then switch.

[ref3808]

For High School games we switch on all fouls. Youth leagues where games are scheduled every hour and 20 minutes we don't make the long ones.

[Rich]

We long switch where it makes sense. If I call a charge, I'm usually initiating a switch since I'd rather come up and properly report rather than use semaphore flags from the end line. If it's a rebounding foul and I'm the trail (for example) and we're going long, we aren't switching.

I work with a handful of people and any switch that feels awkward we usually don't do unless one of us wants to get out of the T/L position and then that official initiates a switch.

When in Rome....

[Eastshire]

Maybe it's just the soccer referee in me, but I just don't understand all the work put into avoiding long switches on fouls. There isn't anything really long on a basketball court.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Eastshire

Maybe it's just the soccer referee in me, but I just don't understand all the work put into avoiding long switches on fouls. There isn't anything really long on a basketball court.

It's not the distance. To me, there are switches that look/feel natural and those that look/feel forced.

Let's say I call a foul as the trail in the front court, table side. Ball's going to be inbounded at the bench, front court, table-side.

What's the sense in me calling the foul and then forcing a switch after reporting? Give me the ball and let's inbound and get the game going again. Instead, I'm supposed to report the foul and then become the lead opposite the table?

I'm happy to do either, but it just makes sense to me to not switch in this situation.

I get that this isn't a long switch -- not all goofy switches are long switches, IMO.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Rich

It's not the distance. To me, there are switches that look/feel natural and those that look/feel forced.

Let's say I call a foul as the trail in the front court, table side. Ball's going to be inbounded at the bench, front court, table-side.

What's the sense in me calling the foul and then forcing a switch after reporting? Give me the ball and let's inbound and get the game going again. Instead, I'm supposed to report the foul and then become the lead opposite the table?

I'm happy to do either, but it just makes sense to me to not switch in this situation.

I get that this isn't a long switch -- not all goofy switches are long switches, IMO.

Plus 110%.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Rich

It's not the distance. To me, there are switches that look/feel natural and those that look/feel forced.

...

I'm happy to do either, but it just makes sense to me to not switch in this situation.

I get that this isn't a long switch -- not all goofy switches are long switches, IMO.

The point of switches is that it ensures that both teams get relatively the same coverage from each official through out the game. In 3-man, live ball rotations usually make that happen any way, however. But, in 2-man, if you didn't switch, you'd be lead for the same team for possibly the entire quarter/half.

[bainsey]

Board assignment: We switch on all fouls.
Youth/non-board assignment: That can vary.

Still, why WOULDN'T you switch in sitch 1, since the lead has to report the foul, anyway?

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by bainsey

Board assignment: We switch on all fouls.
Youth/non-board assignment: That can vary.

Same here in my little corner of Connecticut. In the Catholic middle school games, we switch when convenient.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by bainsey

Board assignment: We switch on all fouls.
Youth/non-board assignment: That can vary.

Still, why WOULDN'T you switch in sitch 1, since the lead has to report the foul, anyway?

I usually do, personally. However, this is one where we don't in 3-person (unless working NCAAM) and that's trickled down into 2-person, too.

[rsl]

Not just our local association, but the state has officially said no to long switches.

[APG]

We didn't long switch in Texas...so it was a big jump for going to a state that's fully by the book NFHS mechanics.

[Welpe]

Here the only time we switch in two whistle is when the lead calls a shooting foul.

[JRutledge]

As Bob J said we do not long switch here, but guys screw this up all the time. It is no big deal and no one other than officials care. Actually I have never seen an tournament director, clinician (and I am one) or assignor care. We are human and things get screwed up sometimes. I think some worry way too much about what a book or someone says rather than just officiating sometimes.

Peace