Question about My Call

[michaeldwilson]

Here's the situation:

High School Lacrosse

Team A D-man is bringing up the ball to clear. He gets hit hard by an attack in the chest and goes down. It is possible that it was an illegal hit, because the attack player extended his arms just a little, but in my opinion it was a clean hit. The ball is loose, the D-Man is laying down in pain, and I blow the whistle and call out for medical help. The player was fine, staying in the game. Later, we started play with alternate possession.

After the play, the Team A goalie called his team together and was screaming about getting revenge, hurting the other team, &c. I suppose I could have called him for unsportmanlike conduct, or just let things go, but instead I called an official's time out and asked the Team A coaches to settle this team down to prevent things from getting out of hand.

What do you think? Was this too intrusive? Should I have called an unsportmanlike? Should I have just let it go?

Thanks,

Mike

[Snake~eyes]

Everyone handles things differently, sounds like you handled it fine. If in the long run it settled the team down then it worked out.

[jazzjon9]

i like your choice. ive had refs who make the game dangerous by saying nothing, and others who piss off guys more by calling everything. however, if you want, talk loud enough for the goalie to hear and know it's directed at him.

[RockStar]

Sounds like the right thing. I'd probably do the same thing - Talk to the coach or the captain, tell them to a) calm down their team, and that b) that you believed the first hit was clean, and you won't tolerate retaliatory cheap shots.

One thing though. In box, we have a rule where if you have to whistle a play dead due to a player down, that player has to leave the floor at least until the next shift change......nothing like that in field?

[LaxRef]

Originally posted by michaeldwilson
Here's the situation:

After the play, the Team A goalie called his team together and was screaming about getting revenge, hurting the other team, &c. I suppose I could have called him for unsportmanlike conduct, or just let things go, but instead I called an official's time out and asked the Team A coaches to settle this team down to prevent things from getting out of hand.

What do you think? Was this too intrusive? Should I have called an unsportmanlike? Should I have just let it go?


If it's me and he's talking about "revenge," I *might* let it slide. But the minute he talks about intentionally hurting the other players, he's off the field. Depending on what he was saying, it could even be grounds for ejection (flagrant misconduct).

[LaxRef]

Originally posted by michaeldwilson
Team A D-man is bringing up the ball to clear. He gets hit hard by an attack in the chest and goes down. It is possible that it was an illegal hit, because the attack player extended his arms just a little, but in my opinion it was a clean hit. The ball is loose, the D-Man is laying down in pain, and I blow the whistle and call out for medical help. The player was fine, staying in the game. Later, we started play with alternate possession

If the play is not near the downed player and if he is not in need of immediate medical attention, delay blowing the whistle until possession is obtained and/or the play is completed (e.g., let the offense finish a fast break, but if they settle the ball then blow the whistle). But if you do blow the whistle, A.P. is the corrent call.

There is a persistent myth that you have to blow the whistle immediately if a player is hurt, but it's not true. However, if play is continuing around the player, blow the whistle immediately.

BTW, if the officials have to call a timeout for an injured player, he has to leave the field but may return immediately after play resumes.

-Harold

[michaeldwilson]

Originally posted by LaxRef

There is a persistent myth that you have to blow the whistle immediately if a player is hurt, but it's not true. However, if play is continuing around the player, blow the whistle immediately.
-Harold

Hi Harold,

Yeah, I looked at the ball and they were scrambling around for a loose ball about 10 yards from him. He was in some pain so I blew the whistle in case it was something serious.

On another occasion later in the game I made a bad call on this. A player got his thumb whacked and was hopping around. Again I saw that the ball was loose about 10 yards from him. I blew the whistle when I could have waited until the loose ball situation resolved itself.

When a player gets hurt, I get a little nervous.

Mike

[jazzjon9]

getting nervous is good. It shows you care. Some refs don't give a rat's tail as to how badly a guy is hurt. It's better to call the whistle over a hang nail then to let play contiue when someone is knocked out.