Unnessary Mechanic?
 

Sometimes after a 3 second lane violation I'll have a coach ask me as to which of his players violated. I've had it asked of me much later in a time out when heck I can't remember. So now after a 3 second call I motion the 3 with my arm coming to a rest at the hip. With my arm still down by my leg I'll give a quick player 4 2 while in direct eye contact with the coach. They seem to appreciate it and give me a little nod of thanks.I don't think that the fans even notice it. Thoughts?

I will verbally state who committed a violation:

"White 32...Three second violation!"

I refrain from verbalizing a number unless asked by the coach as I've seen it cause confusion for the table crew and a foul gets erroneously recorded.

As a coach, we appreciate it so we know who to yell at, I mean teach.

My experience...in the rare 3 seconds violation that is called...the coach, more likely than not, is gonna ask who the violation is on. I'll just preemptively identify the person before he has to ask me.

Is This a Legitimate . . .
 

. . . Debate Question?
"If it isn't obvious which player committed a three seconds violation -- if the official needs to signal on whom he called the violation --, was it really significant enough that it had to be called?"

Maybe.

What ?? My Best Player Fouled Out ???
 

Agree. That's exactly what we teach rookie officials here, in my little corner of Connecticut. A good high school varsity table crew probably won't make that mistake, but a bad freshman, or middle school, table crew might. Plus, it's not the proper technique according to the (IAABO) mechanics manual.

Maybe a team has two players (on the floor at the same time) who spend a significant part of the time in the lane.

Now, the coach will want to know which one stayed in too long.

How do any mechanics ever get changed? Someone tires something different, and it works, so it gets adopted.

I do recognize that it's a slippery slope between trying something, and having everyone use his/her own mechanics.

Change Is Inevitable, Except From A Vending Machine (Robert C. Gallagher) …
 

I worked with a young, up, and coming, official a few weeks ago, that used his own version of a three second signal. Instead of having his signal hand down by his upper leg, he had it up, slightly below, his shoulder. It was easy to see by all, coaches, fans, table crew, and me, his partner. I encouraged him to show his "new, and improved" three second signal to our interpreter, who could pass it on to IAABO.

If change is for the better, I'm all for it, otherwise we would still be climbing the ladder and taking the laced ball out of the peach basket.

I would say, yes, it could be significant enough. We're paid to watch "off ball." Sometimes coaches and other spectators have to be informed about violations and fouls that they might not have been watching (they're eyes are glued to the ball) - rebound fouls, illegal screens, holds, three seconds, etc.

I always give a number verbally for a three-second violation. It's a fairly uncommon violation, so I want to know who it was if I get asked.

Everytime I read y'all talk about infrequent and significant on three second calls, I want ya to come talk to some of the MS refs we see, who are far more aware of the guy in the key for 3.0001 seconds (or 2.3 secnds, but that's another story . . .) than the fact that the airball on the five foot shot was caused by the shooter's arm being whacked . . .

Get a whistle in your mouth and go do a MS scrum game and see how often you can get every call. They are terrible to work,but it's where you should start. Perhaps the 3 was before the hack and what does the key have to do with anything? AND SOOOOO CAL....... READ,READ,READ,TEST AND GET A WHISTLE
GET BACK TO US WHEN YOU CAN ALSO COUNT TO 5 AND THEN 10