NFHS 2015-16 Points of Emphasis

[BigCat]

Originally Posted by JetMetFan

1. The first line under Verticality in NF 4-45 says "Verticality applies to a legal position." By rule there is (generally) nothing illegal about just touching someone - during a FT or otherwise.

2. The situation you describe of "lift(ing) my right leg and lay(ing) it across your left leg)" is already a violation under 9-1-3g because a player would have to move their right foot beyond the edge of their lane space. So by all means, call the violation.

3. A player moving their arm into someone else's lane space is not a violation by rule. If there's enough contact it may be a foul. If that's the case, call the foul.

you are right. the arm isn't a violation. my screw up.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BigCat

... the arm isn't a violation.

Don't beat yourself up.

Back when I served on our local board's floor training committee, we had a highly ranked, veteran, trainer who told the rookies that it was a violation for a player, on the lane line, to put an arm through the plane of the lane line marks. It took everything in my power to convince him that he was wrong. He didn't go down easy, he went down kicking, and screaming, but I eventually convinced him that he was wrong.

Sometimes officials just develop these mental blocks. After all, there are a lot of rules, and some of them keep changing all the time.

Now? Where are my car keys?

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Don't beat yourself up.


Sometimes officials just develop these mental blocks. After all, there are a lot of rules, and some of them keep changing all the time.

Sometimes, officials learn the rules not from the rule books but from what they hear (on TV or other officials) without verifying the rule.

I had a partner call this very thing last week. The coach called him on it. I let him deal with it at the time and he stayed with it. I wasn't sure exactly what he'd called (other than that he had a violation) or why he called it.

Being summer league, we were hanging around the table as the next game was about to start. I wasn't going to ask him about it yet but the coach (politely) came to us wanting to talk about it a little more with my partner about it. I was brought into the conversation by my partner to clarify the rule and (after being sure he wanted my input....I'd have rather had this conversation in private) informed him that it was indeed not a violation at all...that his only option was a foul or nothing.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

... his only option was a foul or nothing.

Girls are the worst offenders. It's like they're playing pat-a-cake, or something. Tell 'em to knock it off in the first period, and they'll still be doing it the in the third period. Tell 'em to knock it of in Tuesday night's game, and they'll be doing it again in Friday night's game.

Tell boys to knock it off once, and they stop, period.