Can Refs Help Improve Youth Play (Videos)

[ccrroo]

Apologies for not getting the quote feature to work. I'm trying to figure it out.

"If we were to call every single time there was any contact or anything mildly questionable the games would take 4 hours."

Or maybe the coaches and players would adjust.

"and there is no such foul for just lowering the shoulders,"

Agree 100%. I would just suggest that lowering a shoulder and initiating contact with a defender, even if he's isn't in perfect position, would make for a better game. I wish the rules were worded more that way -- who initiated the contact.

"fouls rely on one constant only. CONTACT. In the absence of contact, you have an absence of a foul."

I would argue that CONTACT isn't a constant. Sure no contact, no foul. Unfortunately, when there is contact, then there might be a foul.

Originally Posted by ccrroo

Unfortunately, when there is contact, then there might be a foul.

So? It would be equally true to say "when there is contact there might not be a foul."

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by ccrroo

"and there is no such foul for just lowering the shoulders,"

Agree 100%. I would just suggest that lowering a shoulder and initiating contact with a defender, even if he's isn't in perfect position, would make for a better game. I wish the rules were worded more that way -- who initiated the contact.

That would be a very different game. Initiating contact simply isn't a foul and doesn't even determine who a foul is on. There are pretty clear rules on who can do what and it isn't about initiating contact. When a player does something illegal and there is contact, then there is a foul. There are many legal ways for contact to occur.

For the most part, the rules governing contact apply to the defender. We spend 95% of our time watching the DEFENDER. If there is contact sufficient for a foul, they must be legal, if not, foul on the defender regardless of who initiates the contact. If they're legal, then the foul is on the offense.