Kicked Ball?

[parrot]

I'm not an official, I'm a coach. We had an unusual occurence in a game the other day that I've never seen before and doubt I'll ever see again but I'm still curious.

The other team is pressing us in a JV game. In the midst of a scrum for a loose ball, one of our players ended up with the ball between his feet. He squeezed the ball between his feet, jumped and flipped it behind him down the floor to one of his teammates soccer/hacky-sack style. He didn't kick it at all, just flipped it with his feet. The crew let it go. Is this legal?

[deecee]

No, that's a kickball violation.

[crosscountry55]

Originally Posted by deecee

No, that's a kickball violation.

Incorrect. A kickball violation is a rules infraction during the coolest game played in 3rd Grade PE.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by crosscountry55

A kickball violation is a rules infraction during the coolest game played in 3rd Grade PE.

For me, it was sixth grade, after lunch, recess. And it was played "sandlot style". No teachers to referee. We settled arguments by ourselves, which included a lot of do-overs. Those were great kickball games. Man, we hated it when the whistle blew, and we had to go back to our classrooms.

[La Rikardo]

Had a play like this today. Player near the end line in his frontcourt dove and saved the ball from going out of bounds. The ball rolled on the ground to an opponent who moved his foot to stop the ball before picking it up. I was mildly surprised I didn't hear any argument from players/coaches/fans when I called the violation.

[Raymond]

Kicked ball. If it happened as described, the crew missed the call.

[parrot]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

Kicked ball. If it happened as described, the crew missed the call.

Honestly I think they were so surprised when it happened they just couldn't really process it. The whole gym blew up in laughter.

[Shooter14]

I have called a jump ball this season where one player had the ball pinned, intentionally, between his thighs and the opponent had two hands on the ball. Neither could break away so had to whistle it. I don't believe that this is a kicked ball situation. He didn't "kick" it or "strike" it. He simply possessed it, in my opinion.

Should that be a kicked ball? In order to secure it between his legs he obviously must have first intentionally touched it with his legs. But just doesn't seem right to me.

[Bad Zebra]

Originally Posted by Shooter14

I have called a jump ball this season where one player had the ball pinned, intentionally, between his thighs and the opponent had two hands on the ball. Neither could break away so had to whistle it. I don't believe that this is a kicked ball situation. He didn't "kick" it or "strike" it. He simply possessed it, in my opinion.

Should that be a kicked ball? In order to secure it between his legs he obviously must have first intentionally touched it with his legs. But just doesn't seem right to me.

See Cameron's post above...NFHS has made clear that using any part of the feet/legs to play the ball should be ruled a kick...so yes, that should be a violation.

[Shooter14]

Originally Posted by Bad Zebra

See Cameron's post above...NFHS has made clear that using any part of the feet/legs to play the ball should be ruled a kick...so yes, that should be a violation.

Ok thanks! I definitely missed that one then. Won't miss it again....I hope!

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by Shooter14

one player had the ball pinned, intentionally, between his thighs and the opponent had two hands on the ball..

Did you tell them to get a room?

[Shooter14]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

Did you tell them to get a room?

I actually did LOL when I read that!

[justacoach]

No.
Rule 4, section 29 (in its entirety, emphasis mine)
"Kicking the ball is intentionally striking it with any part of the leg or foot."

[parrot]

Originally Posted by justacoach

No.
Rule 4, section 29 (in its entirety, emphasis mine)
"Kicking the ball is intentionally striking it with any part of the leg or foot."

I guess my question is what constitutes "striking it"? Does any kind of impetus on the ball constitute striking it?

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by justacoach

No.
Rule 4, section 29 (in its entirety, emphasis mine)
"Kicking the ball is intentionally striking it with any part of the leg or foot."

Then, the question that would follow would be whether the player was striking the ball in the OP. While the answer is no, the NFHS has made it clear that deliberate use of the feet/legs to play the ball violates the intent of the rule.