HS Interference Play

[AtlUmpSteve]

My opinion; at all but NCAA rules, that should be judged interference. For NCAA, there must be physical contact.

The key to your judgment, IMO, is that you determined the reason F6 hesitated, then went around, was to avoid a collision. That is "hindered" or "impeded" when she has the right of way to get the ball. If F6 routinely played back, let the ball play her, then R1 can advance in front; but she still does so at the possible risk of committing interference.

What is clear to me in many of these similar plays is that R1 is attempting to hinder in anyway possible short of contact, believing that no contact means no interference. Simply not true. It isn't necessary (nor appropriate) to require a collision in a sport where collisions are to be avoided.