NCAA rules say that the designated spot is 3 feet wide. When a player in-bounds the ball, he must obviously stay within the designated spot. Can he move in both directions? For example, can he move one foot to the right and then one foot to the left while still in the spot?

PS. I know that a player cannot travel while in-boundingthe ball.

Jay

AS long as at least on foot is on or over the 3-foot wide space, the player can move as much as s/he wants during the throw-in.

The key is that the player start directly over the designated spot. Then the slight movement in either direction will never result in leaving the designated spot. If the player starts with his right foot on the left edge of the designated spot, then a movement left moves him off the spot.

Of course, I also believe that when a ref gives a player the ball, the ref should consider that to have established the center of the designated spot 3 foot zone (as long as the player is in the area the ref has indicated). Makes it simpler then!

Huh? You ever had a ref give this as a reason for calling a violation?

Quote:

Of course, I also believe that when a ref gives a player the ball, the ref should consider that to have established the center of the designated spot 3 foot zone (as long as the player is in the area the ref has indicated). Makes it simpler then!

Well, the good ones do anyway! :)

Yeah yeah, I know, and that's why I never do....very funny coach, very funny :p

I have never seen it done, but I have seen it referenced on this site.

How can a player start with his right foot on the left edge of the spot? :confused:

...and you do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around...

http://www.morgan.k12.il.us/isvi/ima...al%20notes.gif

I am not sure what you are asking, whether this is logical or possible. It is possible, and we do not need to argue over whether it makes sense to view it this way because it doesn't to me. As for the physical possibility, just draw a 36 inch wide box, then move toward the left side. Ultimately, your left foot leaves the box and your right foot is on the left edge.

I have seen refs indicate that players do not always start on the spot the ref designates. According to this line of thought, the player does not start centered over the designated spot, but rather off center. If a player is lined up to the left of center, his right foot can be on the spot and will be on the left side of the spot. His left foot can be far enough left that it is not on the spot (same as if the player starts centered and moves left).

I am not saying I buy this reasoning, but I have seen at least one ref say that players do not always start on the center of the spot. Seems silly to me really. And I am really sorry I mentioned it. should have died in a previous thread!

Coach,
I don't think you're too far off.

I have had a ball go out and spotted the ball near the corner, and have had the in-thrower stand 1/2-way between the corner and the lane ready to accept the ball.
I point again, and the player will move nearer to my spot.
Maybe the player will move to where I point, or not.
However, when I give the player the ball, I have decided that it's close enough and the player now is in the "agreed upon/determined" spot.

And, then, I start my count at "one". ;)
mick

No need to be sorry.
 

But that's not what you wrote. You wrote, "If the player STARTS with his right foot on the left edge of the designated spot, then a movement left moves him off the spot." That's what didn't make sense.

As for where the spot is, I'm of the opinion that the player creates his own spot within the area designated by the official. I do not believe the thrower necessarily starts at the center of the spot. For example:

A player starts with his feet two feet apart. If he moves to his right, as long as his left foot doesn't move more than three feet from where it originally started, he's still over the spot with his left foot. Now, he hasn't moved more than three feet from where he originally was, so how can he have violated? Now, if he moved back to his left, and his right foot moved to a point beyond where his left foot was initially, he would have left the spot that he created.

Perhaps that's more of a philosophy as opposed to a technical interpretation of the rule, but that's how I call it.

You and I agree. I was simply trying to describe the physical possibility of having the right foot on the left edge of the spot at any point in time, which you clearly accept as possible. I wasn't clear if you did not have the picture in your mind, hence my desciption being phrased the way it was.

You are now talking about the philosophy of where the spot is, not the physical possibility of what I was describing ever occurring (before or after the ball has been given to the player). I am of the philosophy that, as long as the thrower is in the vicinity of where you pointed, the spot is there, as are you. That renders it impossible for the right foot to start at the left edge of the spot. We agree.

SOME refs are of the philosophy that they point to the center of a sacrosanct 36 inch area. If the player doesn't find that center point, then the player may be located at one edge or another with respect to the "designated spot." The ref will give them the ball in that position with a mental image of a player that is off-center with respect to an artificial 36 inch area he created at the moment he pointed to the ground. These officials believe that you can start with the right foot on the left edge of the spot, and if you move left 6 inches, you have committed a violation. Obviously, neither of us think that way.

These refs are wrong.

NCAA 4-15-1

A desginated spot is a location at which the thrower-in is presented disposal of the ball out of bounds....

It doesn't say "a location that the referee who has too much time on his hands points to". ;)

had this sitch in a game last nite...designated spot throw-in from the endline....trying to avoid defensive pressure, the player faked the throw-in to his left and then leaped toward the court to his right and, while airborne, released the throw-in pass after part of his body was beyond the OOB plane (on the inbounds side)....my partner was administering the throw-in and thought he should have called a throw-in violation for jumping toward the court like that. I asked if the player still had either foot over the designated spot when the throw-in was released...partner said he thought he did....good no-call I told him

Good no call. Remember, the player can run toward and away from the court as far as he wants to as long as he doesn't hit the OOB line. The spot is three feet of the OOB line, and extends perpendicularly indefinitely. So, if he's only moving perpendicular to the line, the 3 foot limitation is moot.
Adam

Did you mean "hit the OOB line" or "step over it onto the court"?

Z