Tickle the Shooter's Belly/Torso During a Try for A Goal
 

I see this a lot and have been calling a "shooting foul".
Players get the point and eventually stop doing it.
Player told me "hey ref I did not hit that shooter".
I replied "You touched his chest/tummy area when he tried for a shot, I just want to see you play defense the normal way--hands extended up to contest it".
He never did it again.
Are you guys calling this a foul or are you letting defenders "slide" on this type of situation?
My partner started calling it when he saw me call it, we spoke during pre-game about these situations and confirmed that we are to be consistent.

I try to talk to defenders first when I see them doing it. In a game where the temperature is rising this could be a really annoying thing that sparks a shoving match so it's best to take care of it early. I like your method -- call it early and consistently and the players will quickly knock it off.

If I feel like its going to escalate or is continuous and may lead to rough play or a reaction (as others have mentioned) I may blow it until it stops. As a one off or if nobody seems to be impacted or reacting I'll tend to let it go. Most kids are used to having to finished through some contact anyway at higher levels so a tummy touch isn't a big deal.

I feel likes its similar to players who stick their arm in on d and the offense flys by. If the offense isn't effected and there are not reactionary smacks or wacks that start to develop then let the blow by happen. IN this case let the shot or layup go down and play on.

At no time is this a foul not an intentional personal foul.

The first time I see it I will do one of two things: I will either tell the defender to knock it off if the contact did not change the play or I will call a foul in the act of shooting.

If I did not call a foul the first time I see it, the second time I see it, it will at least be a foul in the act of shooting.

The third and thereafter it will be an intentional personal foul each and every time.

When I choose to take the "warning" approach the first time I see it, I let the defender know in no uncertain terms that the contact, by definition, is an intentional personal foul, and that does make an impression on most players.

The amazing thing is that this foul is committed by male players and not female players. I cannot remember the last time I had to talk to a female player about this type of contact.

MTD, Sr.

*If there are any female readers/participants on this forum, I do NOT mean to sound "sexist" when I make this comment: but in general I have observed that the female players are more fundamentally-sound and less concerned with concocting rule-bending behaviors/ploys to create offensive and/or defensive advantages. I've observed that they really 'talk" and communcate on defense telling their team-mates when screens are coming, they slide their feet on defense better, maintain defensive stance better, and the such. However, I have noticed that when they shoot jumpshots, many female shooters tend to take that little 'hop' step before they attempt a shot--ostensibly to "gather" themselves before the shot. Hmmmm, whether by definition this is a "travel" violation or not, it is never called by officials--male nor female officials in both nfhs, collegiate, and wnba levels as I have observed.

Q. Why is the defender doing this? A. because s/he thinks it will affect the shot (and s/he's right -- just try to shoot with a little jab in the stomach -- even if it doesn't affect that shot, it will affect the form on the next).

Q. Is this legal defensive positioning or incidental contact? A. No.

So -- it's illegal contact that gives an advantage. Sure sounds like the definition of "foul" to me.

Yes, I call it. It's usually more of a poke in the torso in these parts.

Annoying ???
 

They don't have the time to do it. Their spending the entire game yelling, "Ball. Ball. Ball.".

"At no time" except the first two times. Right?

I was wondering if he made a syntax error in that post.

Come observe here. It's a travel. We're trained to call it as such.

Now you both have me :confused: on what I wrote. :p But it is too early in the morning for me to rewrite my post. Later this morning.

MTD, Sr.

Before Your Early Afternoon Nap ???
 

After your late morning nap?

There is no such thing as marginal contact on a jump shooter--if he hits him, I call it.

Just please don't refer to it as the "tummy" again, its weird. And if its any type of jab its a foul. If it is just fingertips or very light, then nothing.