foot on center line... violation?
 

A ref today said that it is a violation for a player's foot to touch the center line in NFHS. Was he right? In club ball (USAV), I think the foot has to be completely past the center line to be a violation.

Can you point me to chapter/verse in NFHS? Or quote it here?

[I guess I'd better get a copy of the rules, whaddya think...]

Doug

Rule 9-5-7:
A player may touch the floor across the center line with one or both feet/hands provided a part of the foot/feet or hand(s) remains on or above the center line. Contacting the floor across the center line with any other part of the body is illegal.

I would say that, as quoted, the official was mistaken. Merely touching the center line with the foot is not a foul.

dvtaylor,
mbyron has the exact ruling. No it is not a violation for the players foot to be on the line. However, a couple of times I have seen the girl's foot on the line and when she raised her heel the ball of her foot was in the opponent's court and she was no longer touching the line. Therefore, those were violations. Both times the girls were trying hard to hold their position, but just couldn't do it.

Thanks, y'all. That's was exactly my understanding. I will notify the local head-of-the-refs so he can gently correct his refs.

Hold the phone there, Rev!
IF I read that correctly, the heel is still above the center line. Therefore, she is still legal. She is only illegal if she pivots so that her heel is no longer over the center line. Then, she is guilty of a centerline violation.

Please note that she does not have to be in contact with the center line to be legal. As long as some part of the foot or hand remains in contact with or directly above the centerline, she is legal.

Jan is correct, per 9-5-7.

"A player may touch the floor across the center line with one or both feet/hands provided a part of the foot/feet or hand(s) remains on or above the center line. Contacting the floor across the center line with any other part of the body is illegal."

As always, make 100% sure you have a violation before you whistle one.

Add the word pivot to my post.

I've heard a rumor that the NFHS and elsewhere might be considering doing away with the centerline violation.

Has anybody else heard that?

That would be a great rule change. I don't see where crossing the centerline gains an advantage unless it interferes with an opponent's play.

Usually the umpire/2nd referee is the only one in the gym that sees the slight infractions. Why should we stop play when a foot or hand is one inch over the centerline? These (sometimes) questionable calls could drastically change the outcome of a match. The game would best be served if the down official just concentrated on the net instead of splitting his/her vision to try and catch multiple rule infractions (net & centerline).

Let's do away with that antiquated rule and only penalize if interference occurs. [And let's come up with a signal for INTERFERENCE!]

Haven't heard that rumor, yet. Hopefully it is just that - a rumor! Why would you want to add more judgment to our already hectic job? Because that is what eliminating the center line violation would do. Right now, NCAA is the only rules set that allows encroachment under the net as long as there is no safety issue (which is another judgment call that we, as officials, have to make). My theory is that until FIVB allows it as legal, keep it out of the high school game.

Personally, I would rather see the insignificant net not involved in playing the ball eliminated as a call that has to be made under NFHS rules. That way, all three rules sets would be in agreement about what constitutes a net violation.

Likewise, I would like to see NFHS get rid of the illegal contact below the waist. Both FIVB/USAV and NCAA allow legal contact to be made with any body part. Sometimes that creates a great play when the only thing that a player can do is get a foot under the ball to pop it up. Under NFHS rules, I have to call that an illegal contact and I think it takes away a great play that was made.