Ball in flight technical foul

[LaxRef]

Midfielder A1, in his defensive half of the field, throws a clearing pass across midfield to an attackman. While the ball is in flight, B1 interferes with A1 (e.g., prevents him from running down the field, with the contact not serious enough to be called a personal foul).

Situation 1: The ball is not caught by team A

Situation 2: The ball is caught by team A

In each situation, what do you call, and, more importantly, HOW do you handle the mechanics?

[Snake~eyes]

Personally I just wait to see if it is caught. If caught flag down, if not play on.

Luckily this is a pretty rare scenario.

[LaxRef]

Originally posted by Snake~eyes
Personally I just wait to see if it is caught. If caught flag down, if not play on.

Luckily this is a pretty rare scenario.

The mechanic I was taught is to raise a hand and yell "play on!" immediately. If the ball is caught, then throw the flag and yell "flag down!" for the technical foul. Otherwise, stop play and award the ball.

The thing I find interesting about this is that this ruling is that, while the rules *imply* that this is what should happen (since they define ball in flight which is cuaght by the passing team to be possession), there are no approved rulings which refer to this, and the mechanics manual stands mute on the issue.

I find I won't have any of these calls for a long time, and then I'll have several in one game, mostly because one team is in the habit of taking 3 extra steps and running into the passer long after the ball is gone. Not bad enough to be an illegal body check, but enough that they really shouldn't be doing it.

[Snake~eyes]

There actually is a caseplay on this and it does say that the referee should throw the flag. NFHS Situation 4.5

[LaxRef]

Originally posted by Snake~eyes
There actually is a caseplay on this and it does say that the referee should throw the flag. NFHS Situation 4.5

Aahh. We do NCAA rules for both HS and college club here, so I'm not very familiar with the NFHS case plays. I really wish they'd do one rulebook and publish the NFHS variations in an appendix.

[Snake~eyes]

Equivalent to NCAA A.R. 26

[LaxRef]

Originally posted by Snake~eyes
Equivalent to NCAA A.R. 26

Hey, you're right! I think I must have converted "Isn't covered adequately in the mechanics manual" to "rulebook" at some point. I'm forced to make the standard comment at this point:

"Look at me! I'm Principal Skinner!"

[Snake~eyes]

I don't like the ruling though.

[spenny]

Originally posted by LaxRef
"Look at me! I'm Principal Skinner!"

LOL!

who said refs arent funny?

Harold, snake, are you guys coming to the final 4?
s.

[LaxRef]

Originally posted by spenny
LOL!

who said refs arent funny?

Harold, snake, are you guys coming to the final 4?
s.

Not this year, but I have family in Philly and will be there next year.

[Snake~eyes]

Don't think so.