Lost shoe during rally

[Back In The Saddle]

In my JV match I had a player lose her shoe during a rally. I've never seen that happen before. I let play continue to the end of the rally. Before the next serve I gave her time to quickly put it back on. But it was obvious she was hurrying and didn't want to take time to do a proper job of it. After the next rally, she quickly finished the job (tightened up laces, etc.).

My questions:

1. Should I have allowed play to continue with the shoe on the court?

2. Should I have called an officials time out to allow her time to properly get it back on and secured?

[jkumpire]

1. Yes
2. Maybe, Yes

Unless the point is about to end or the shoe is in a place it won't harm anything, I would stop it and replay, since the shoe on the court is a safety issue first and foremost. If we stop play because a ball from a nearby court is in our court, then why even think about not stopping with a hazard on the floor?

2. IMO, I'd hold up my call for serve until she's ready to go. If you don't think she is ready then take an official's TO, and give her 30 seconds to get it done, treat it just like an injury TO.

IMO, ref with the rules and common sense here.

[officialtony]

jkumpire,
I don't think you're wrong - except for the " maybe ".
I would definitely allow time for the shoe to be tied. I often do that. We're not in a race to finish. Safety first - always. How long can it take to tie a shoe. If I thought it was some kind of tactic to delay the game, break momentum, etc., I MIGHT consider disallowing time to tie the shoe. But I just don't see that happening.
Alowing play to continue is fine unless you see the shoe as a hazard for a hitter who may come down on the shoe and possiblly twist an ankle or worse. Then - stop play and explain the circumstance. Again . . . . Safety first. You make the call.
Sounds like you both are on track.

[bpowlen]

Would it be safe to allow play to continue if a player kicked the shoe off the court (not to the opponents side!)? The obstacle would be gone, but the player is at a disadvantage and could get hurt (stepped on, slip...), so I'm thinking no. But I was in a game once where it was allowed.

[jkumpire]

That would probably determine what I would do. If it is in a place where something could reasonably happen, kill it.

[MCBear]

The key is the safety of the players. If there is a possibility that someone could get hurt, you blow the whistle, kill the rally and call a replay.

[BigToe]

Just because the shoe is off the court does not mean the play is safe. What about the girl jumping up and down without a shoe. She could slip and fall. She could get her foot stepped on. I would kill it. The same as I would if a ball rolled on the court.

If it was a repeated problem, then I would assess a UD and go from there but I have never seen a player intentionally loose a shoe. At least not yet :-)