Did you call that a CHARGE? Yes I did.

[Chris Whitten]

The following is a conversation I had with a varsity coach for whom I have called several games over the last few years. Conversation was respectful, but spirited. Took place during a time-out.

Scenario: Team A is an athletic team; high flying and fast. Team B is less athletic and depends on proper position to be competitive. We called several charges against Team A, and they were all very similar: B1 establishes LGP in the middle of the lane as A1 starts his drive from about mid-court. A1 is an airborn shooter when he crashes into B1.

Coach: Did you call that a CHARGE?!!!
Me: Yes I did.
Coach: How can that be a charge, he turned to the side?!!
Me: Yes he did. That is allowable after he establishes legal guarding position.
Coach: I know the rule. Your interpretation is bad.
Me: Don't think so.

Fast-forward to the next charge call against his team.

Coach: That's not a charge. He can't lean back before the contact happens. He's flopping. Somebody's gonna get hurt!!
Me: What did the defender do to lose legal guarding position?
Coach: He started moving backward too early.

Funny. I never once heard him coach his kids on how to avoid picking up the charge in this situation.