[NFHS] Violation on free throw shooter?
 

My question is can a free throw shooter step on the line without fully crossing it?

The NFHS rulebook states this [9-1-3-e]: "The free thrower shall not have either foot beyond the vertical plane of the edge of the free-throw line which is farther from the basket or the free-throw semicircle line."

According to that, the answer is no, the free throw shooter cannot touch any part of the line.

But others have said that the shooter can touch the line but not completely cross the line — as in cannot cross the edge of the line that is closest to the baseline, which I cannot find in the rulebook. So I don't know whether I'm missing something or not.

Any consideration to clarify this is greatly appreciated.

The shooter can not touch the FT line (until the ball contacts the backboard, rim, or goes in the basket).

In general, lines are part of the area they restrict...

* FT lines and lane lines are part of and in the FT lane
* The 3 point line is inside the arc
* OOB lines are OOB
* The division line is in the backcourt (for the team that is in control of the ball)

Maybe it is just a Monday and I am not thinking about it properly, but isn't the 3 point line the outside line of the arc?

This

Re read what he said the line is INSIDE the arc -- so the line is in the two-point area, so the outside edge of the line defines the boundary.

Yep! Is it possible to just do away with Mondays?

Use your commonsense on this play...that would be my opinion.

If he/she just stepped on the line...didn't rush in for the rebound...I may have not seen it ;););)

What is going to hurt you more? The two/three players in the lane beating the crap out of each other going for the rebound or the shooter who may have stepped on the line? I am going to choose to watch the players in the marked lane spots more closely.

In a 2 or 3pt game on a last second shot when the shooter is close to the line you are going to be more concerned about rebounds? Everyone in the gym is looking at the location of the shooter, not the rebounders, except you.

Hey partner, did you have a 2 or a 3? BBG: Don't know, I had rebounders

I had a 1. We're talking about a free throw shooter here. (Or do you set up players in marked lane spots for 2 and 3 points shots as well???)

The conversation moved to 3 point line. Inside or outside arc. So I made the jump, perhaps BBG did not. My bad :)

Totally different play...apples and oranges.

Not really. On a FT, there is nothing else going on until the ball hits something. No reason to be watching the players on the lane so closely you can't see the position of the shooter's feet with regard to the line.

That's a good philosophy but...in NFHS you're generally not dealing with a personal foul situation on FTs until the potential for a FT violation is over since a player's feet aren't allowed to break the plane of the FT lane line until the ball hits the rim, etc. As the rule stands now there's not much reason to miss a violation in place of a foul.

The Center is responsible for the opposite side of the lane for violations correct? Nothing to look at? In an average year how many free violations do you have (not including end of game when they are trying to miss)...compared to how many violations/fouls by players in marked lane spaces?

A total of four players, all within a very short angle of view. There isn't any reason to be watching any of them so closely you can't see the other three. I'm not saying whether you should call the toe on the line, but there really is no reason to say you can't see it.