Play On - Advantage Rule
Wait & See ... It's Delay ... NOT an Ignore

Good Officials know when to make calls and when it's appropriate for "NO Calls". Both are equally important and 
based on skill level as well as the good of the game. Sure, every Coach wants every "Fruit Loop" calls that are 
in their favor, but a good Referee knows that "Fruit Loop" calls only choke the game and take all the fun out of
it. Being unnecessarily strict, just turns the game into a bunch of guys n gals knockin the ball around, instead of 
a contest where Players are giving their all to come out on the winning end.

One of the worst feelings a Soccer Official can experience, is blowing your whistle too quickly and robbing a 
Player/Team of a Goal Scoring opportunity. You wish you could take it back, but you can't, the damage is already
done. What's worse is; everybody knows you blew it and you just have to live with it. You just gotta own up to it 
and focus on moving forward with the game.

The Advantage Rule is in place to allow you to hold off on a penalty, until you see if the offended player is able 
to continue their play, or not. That doesn't mean you won't call it. In fact; if their play is ruined because of the 
foul, you're going to call it. It simply allows you to delay your call, and avoid robbing them of the opportunity to 
make their play. It's not fair that the opponent gets to break up a play by fouling. If the foul ultimately breaks up
the play, you call it as soon as you realize it had an impact on the Play or the Game.

A perfect example is a Tripping call. The Player driving forward is tripped by an opponent. The Player stumbles
a bit but keeps possession of the ball and and makes the play. The Referee simply lets the game continue, ignoring
the Foul and it's Penalty. If the Player is unable to make the play, as a result of the Foul, then the Referee calls the
Foul and Awards the Appropriate Penalty. In either case, the Referee should communicate to the Offending Player
that the behavior is unacceptable, and if repeated, may result in the color card of the Referees choice ... and it 
won't be a Green Card. (Green Card is a new thing being tried in Italy, for rewarding Players for Good 
Sportsmanship or "Acts of Virtue". Very interesting concept.)

If you implement the Advantage Rule, remember that you are only delaying your call, until you see if the Advantage
works! If it doesn't, make the call and award the Penalty. If it does, simply continue the game, and be sure the 
offender knows the action just ain't cool.

Let's make the calls that need to be made and avoid micromanaging the game. Let 'me play and if they go to 
acting stupid, tighten up the game until they start playing smart ball. Once they start playing good ball, back off
the calls and let 'em play real ball.
       

Team Area/Side – ONLY 2 Coaches and their Players
There are NO EXCEPTIONS to this RULE. DO NOT INGNORE IT!!!!!!

This is for legal safety reasons, based on the Jessica Lunsford Act as well as for Bench and Team Area 
management. Too many Coaches, causes too much confusion and chaos for game management. Two Coaches 
is more than enough, and more than that, should stick out like a sore thumb. Besides, who needs an extra 
Coach screaming at ya!

Nobody is allowed to be in the Team Area sideline without a Badge. 
ONLY 2 Coaches may be on that sideline. If there are more, stop the game and remind the Head Coach to 
correct the situation. 

All Players in the Team Area are to remain seated. If a Coach has young children with him/her in the team area,
they are to remain seated, with no involvement. It is the Coaches responsibility to ensure this. 

Many teams have an additional Coach on their squad, giving them 3 Coaches. Although they are Badged-Up, 
that doesn’t negate the 2 Coach Rule. The 3rd Coach MUST go to the Spectator Area and MAY NOT Coach from
that side. Coaches may rotate as Team Area Coach, and they MAY work with the Players at the start of the 
game and at Half Time. As soon as the game starts or restarts, they must go back to the Spectator Sideline, 
and they cannot Coach from that sideline. 

Taped Earrings & Glasses

No lanyard … No play. 
It’s easy to think it’s petty, as we rarely see somebody hurt by unsecured glasses. Of course, you’d never say;
“Let’s give ‘em a couple of sticks to run around the court with”! That’s what unsecured glasses are, and if
knocked loose, can easily become a literal “stick in the eye”. Please, make sure glasses are secured firmly with 
a lanyard, and don’t have a fit when we don’t allow players to play without secured glasses. We don’t want the 
kids to get hurt, and the insurance company can justifiably deny a very expensive claim, for failure to enforce 
proper safety protocols. That puts the liability on us, and nobody wants to live with the guilt of an injury that 
could have easily been prevented. No game is worth such a silly risk.

Earrings (or any other bodypartring)
No! You can’t play with tape over your earrings. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!! I know it seems like no big deal, and it 
doesn’t help matters when the doctor or “piercing technician” says “no problem, you can play sports if you tape 
it up”. They just don’t know any better and don’t want to lose the business. They’d feel a whole lot differently if 
they’d heard the screams of a kid whose earring got ripped out or had to pull an earring post out of a kids head
with a pair of needle nose plyers. I know cause I’ve done it, and it ain’t pretty. That’s why I’m so strict with it, 
and you should be too. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of a vision you can’t erase!

Coaching from the stands is strictly prohibited. 
This includes Coaches who are in the stands.

The rule reads as follows:
Chatter is strictly prohibited by parents, coaches, or other players who attempt to distract opposing
players in any way. 

No heckling of any player, coach, referee, shall be permitted in any division.

Spectator/Sideline Coaching is prohibited. Sideline Coaching is defined as; spectators attempting to 
influence and gain an advantage in a game through instruction, positioning or alerting players to 
situations they would not otherwise be aware of. This is a disruption of the game and may cause an
unfair advantage. If necessary, the game may be stopped, which may result in ejection or even 
forfeiture of the game, at the Official’s discretion.

Now, with a few exceptions, the rule is being honored, and we don’t want to penalize the occasional
enthusiastic shout out. That’d be too petty and a bit of an unrealistic expectation. There are some 
however; who feel entitled to completely disregard the rule and get indignant when asked to restrain 
the urge to Coach. These situations need to be corrected/penalized.

Step 1: Respectfully ask the spectator to refrain from Coaching.

If that doesn’t resolve the problem;

Step 2: Stop the game and inform the Coach that it will not be tolerated. 
          Ask them to inform the spectator.
          
If that doesn’t resolve the problem;

Step 3: Blow your whistle and call Unsportsmanlike Conduct for Spectator Interference – 
          That's an Indirect Free Kick for the Opposing Team

If that doesn’t resolve the problem;

Step 4: Repeat step 3

If that doesn’t resolve the problem;

Step 5: Stop the Game and Eject the Spectator (They have 2 minutes to Comply or Forfeit the Game.)

Spectator Coaching/Questioning Officials
We don't want to harp on this, but Coaches have requested it, it's the right thing to do
and it's important. We're having some issues with spectators talking to players and
telling them what to do and/or alerting them to "plays behind their back". 
This is cheating and takes the decision process away from the players. This is part of
what they are supposed to be learning through the sports programs. They are
distracting the players and in their excitement (or infinite wisdom), are telling players
to run when the coach says stay, telling them to shoot when they should pass, etc., 
because it looks good from where they're sitting and interfering with the Coaches instructions
and their ability to communicate with their players.        

We have also had cases where Parental Units have felt entitled to confront the Officials.
In most cases they are wrong and it only serves to delay and degrade the game. 

The rules are clear: 
"Spectator Coaching is Prohibited" ... 
"Only the Head Coach may address the Officials" ... 
"Acts of Unsportsmanlike Conduct Will Not Be Tolerated". 
The penalty for any other person addressing the Official - May Result in a FORFEIT. 
The others may result in a Forfeit.

We do not want to forfeit any games and though we have the authority and
responsibility, we'd rather exercise extreme patience for the sake of the kids. 
That however, only goes so far.

Of course, we understand the occasional irresistible, excited shout out and won't jump
all over it, but we are dealing with the perpetual violators. We will be speaking with
the Parental Units who feel the irresistible urge to bend these rules at will, so be
prepared. Please address this with your Parental Units again, in advance, so we don't
have to upset or eject them in front of the kids. It's not fair to you as Coaches, that
they are freely interfering with your instructions and the disruptions have done
nothing but rob the kids of playing time, and that's just not cool!!!

Team Area/Side – ONLY 2 Coaches and their Players
There are NO EXCEPTIONS to this RULE. DO NOT INGNORE IT!!!!!!

This is for legal safety reasons, based on the Jessica Lunsford Act as well as for Bench and Team Area 
management. Too many Coaches, causes too much confusion and chaos for game management. Two Coaches 
is more than enough, and more than that, should stick out like a sore thumb. Besides, who needs an extra 
Coach screaming at ya!

Nobody is allowed to be in the Team Area sideline without a Badge. 
ONLY 2 Coaches may be on that sideline. If there are more, stop the game and remind the Head Coach to 
correct the situation. If they balk or ignore the request, issue a Technical Foul to the Head Coach … 2 Shots and
Ball. If you find too many Coaches (or extra wannabe coaches) on the sideline again, it’s a Tech with shots and
ball. Of course, a friendly reminder is certainly preferred, but if ya gotta T, ya gotta T!.

All Players in the Team Area are to remain seated on the bench. If a Coach has young children with him/her in
the team area, they are to remain seated, with no involvement. It is the Coaches responsibility to ensure this. 

Many teams have an additional Coach on their squad, giving them 3 Coaches. Although they are Badged-Up, 
that doesn’t negate the 2 Coach Rule. The 3rd Coach MUST go to the Spectator Area and MAY NOT Coach from
that side. Coaches may rotate as Team Area Coach, and they MAY work with the Players at the start of the 
game and at Half Time. As soon as the game starts or restarts, they must go back to the Spectator Sideline, 
and they cannot Coach from that sideline. 

NEVER Tech a Spectator!!!!!!!!!
Verbal Reminder – Coach Assisted Reminder – Bench Tech – Bench Tech again – Ejection

If a spectator is acting inappropriately, just give them a quick, friendly verbal reminder. If they balk, do not get 
into an educational moment or confrontation. Simply go back to your game focus. If the spectator, after being 
reminded, continues to act inappropriately, stop the game and ask the Coach to address it with the spectator. 
On the next occurrence, you issue a Bench Tech at the table … 2 shots and ball at mid court. If it continues, 
issue one more Bench Tech, 2 shots & ball at mid court. Last chance! You’ve been more than fair. If it happens 
again: automatic ejection with two minutes to leave the gym or forfeit.

This also applies when a spectator comes onto the court. DO NOT get into a confrontational debate. 
Walk away, over to the Scorer’s Table, and issue a Bench Tech – 2 shots and ball at mid court. Keep it simple 
and NEVER take it or make it personal. 

PS: If they curse in front of the kids – Eject – No questions asked. 
When you engage in a debate, you empower your opponent at the expense of your authority.

Free Throw Lines at Village – 10 / 12 / 15 Feet
There seems to be a bit of confusion, as to which line is to be used for free throws for the 8U & 10U at Village. 
It’s understandable, because there is a mysterious additional line, closer to the basket. 
The logical conclusion … it must be for the 8U’s. While I haven’t been able to get an answer as to what that line 
is for, my most logical guess is; it’s there for the really young kids or for the Handicap Basketball League. 
Of course, as I didn’t anticipate that extra line being there, I told the Ref’s that the 8U’s uses the first line and 
10U’s use the second … Whoops!

The rules state; 8U’s at 10 feet, 12U’s at 12 feet and the other divisions at the normal 15 feet. 
(That first line is at 8 feet)          
To clarify, on Village “short courts”, the 10U’s shoot from the obvious Free Throw Line and the 8U’s shoot from 
the line immediately in front of it.

I guess in the overall scheme of things, it really doesn’t matter that much, as long as it was done consistently. 
We would however, like to get it corrected and consistent, as that’s where Coaches are having the kids practice 
their Free Throw shots.

Free Throw Player Line Ups
Remember – first two lane slots are never occupied. No Lane player should ever be directly in line with the
basket. There needs to be a space. This is for safety and fairness reasons.

Lane Players.
DOD … Department of Defense: Defender – Offensive – Defender
Lane player cannot reach outside of their boundary markers (even if they are imaginary), so there is no way 
they can “arm bar” and restrict their competitor to get a head start. If they reach over in front of their 
opponent, issue a verbal reminder, if the shot isn’t already in progress. 
(Example: keep your hands and arms to yourselves). 

If the shot is already in progress, wait to see the result. 
If the Offense is doing it and the shot goes in, it doesn’t count. Whether the shot goes in or not, they forfeit 
that shot. They don’t get a redo. If the Defense is doing it, prior to the shot being in progress, remind them 
verbally. If the shot is in progress, wait and see the result. If the shot is made, the shot is good. 
If it is not made, the Offense gets a redo shot. If both teams violate equally, ignore it, but verbally remind. 
If another player’s actions caused and opponent to jump the gun, treat it as that player is responsible for the 
violation. 

Back Players – Behind the 3 Point Lines (even if they’re imaginary), not right behind the Shooter.
Back Player’s, like the Shooter, must wait for the ball to hit the rim or backboard, before going in. 
If they go in early, it’s a violation on their team.

Let’s keep an eye out for opponents fondling each other during Free Throws, and call it!!!!

Carrying the Ball
Good golly Miss Molly.  Can   we    get    a   call?
This drives me nuts, as it gives a blatantly illegal and unfair advantage to the dribbler. Yeah! I know they’re just 
emulating pro and college players, but that’s no excuse. 

One of my Officials commented that; “if we call carrying the ball properly, half the players won’t be able to 
dribble, and we’ll call it so many times, that we won’t have a game".

Unfortunately, there’s too much truth to that statement, at all levels of play. Player’s think it makes them look 
all fancy. While I don’t want to ruin the game with it, I do want to see flagrant and perpetual violations called. 
You’d be amazed at how quickly players correct themselves, when they know they’re going to get called on it.

Coaches, coach your players to not Carry the Ball, and Officials, call it occasionally, especially when they look 
like they’re one of the Harlem Globetrotters at a charity exhibition. That’s all I got to say about that! 

Illegal Contact
Over the Back and Reaching In.
There is a common MYTH, that Over the Back & Reaching In is a real foul. There is no such rule. It’s just a 
saying that, over so many years of hearing it, has become a common place misperception.

The truth is, players can legally reach in and play over an opponent’s back, provided there is no contact. 
It is when contact is made (not incidental) that Impedes, disrupts or inhibits a player’s movement. The actual 
correct call is a Player Contact Foul, generally Holding, Blocking or Pushing. Of course, there are times when it 
could be another call like tripping or striking a player. The term “Reaching In” or “Over the Back” is simply  
descriptive of how the Foul occurred. It is not an actual rule or call.

Time-Out Throw-In Spot
Again, a lot of confusion here … thanks NBA. 
Half think the ball is inbounded at mid Court … NOT, and half think the ball is inbounded at the
“point of interruption” …. Yeah!

Other than an NBA provision for the 17U’s, in the last two minutes (added at the Coaches request), the ball is 
inbounded in the same exact manner as it would be for a Foul or Out of Bounds Throw-In. If it’s outside the Key
Area, it goes to the closet spot. If it’s in the Key Zone, it goes to the Baseline, again at a spot closest to the 
point of interruption.

While the beginning of new quarters is inbounded at mid court, opposite the Scorer’s Table, any other 
interruption is at the spot closest to the point of interruption. 

Why is this important? Consider this; moving the ball forward to mid court, would give the team an unfair 
advantage. Moving it behind would result in a disadvantage. Neither is desirable, or fair. 
Let’s be sure to keep it fair! Mark the spot and issue the ball at the spot.

Getting Close to Tournament Time
Expect things to get more intense and be prepared.
Act Early – it’s hard to put the toothpaste back in the tube, once it’s out!

The season is split into two distinct and separate sessions; Regular Season and Tournament. 
They are completely separate, except for the initial Tournament match-ups. The Regular Season team records 
determine the Regular Season Champs. Then we start fresh with a single elimination Tournament, to determine 
the Tournament Champions! This is ideal, because when we start the season, the teams are new and start off 
somewhat disheveled. They haven’t quite gelled as a team, so it takes a few games to get their legs and find 
their potential. That can affect their early stats and ultimate placement in the standings. By the end of the 
season, teams should have gelled enough to play to their full potential. We see it in the enhanced level of play. 

At this point, Coaches, Player’s & Spectators are going to become mega-competitive. 
That creates an emotionally charged environment that pretty much “chucks” common sense and any form of 
reasonable courtesy out the window. This requires heightened game management from all of us … Coaches 
and Referees alike. We don’t want destructive interference to alter or determine the outcome of the games.

It is very important that we all do our part to keep the courts and sidelines clear of “unauthorized personnel” 
(including at quarters and half time). We also have to be ultra-conscious of Spectator Coaching interference, or 
we will have excessive confusion, coupled with an extremely high potential for unwelcomed & unacceptable 
confrontations. Let’s work together, to keep the focus on the game and the player’s experience, by setting the 
expectations early in the game. 

We can’t have 30 wannabe coaches telling their kids what to do on the court, almost always overriding the 
Coaches instructions. How’s a Coach supposed to implement a game strategy with all that competing nonsense? 
Also, we can’t have the real Coaches jumping onto the court to share their opinions. This all just wrecks the 
game.

Don’t just disregard the early stages of insanity, as it will surely escalate as the game progresses. Set the 
expectations early, as emotion charged naughtiness begins.

Loitering Spectators, not associated with the League
One of the Coaches mentioned this to me and one of my Officials ran into this situation a number of times the 
other night in his game sets. Heck! I’ve run into it a number of times, particularly in Tournament Championship 
games.

While the rules in every league and competition dictate that the Coach is responsible for the behavior of their 
bench, players and spectators, we can’t expect them to be responsible for loitering spectators that are just 
hanging out because they are bored.

Now, most of them are respectful and are just there to enjoy a game. Cool! The problem is there are some 
that are very disrespectful and just like to stir up trouble because they have nothing better to do. They come
onto the court uninvited to shoot buckets, interfere with the games and when confronted, say, “I can do 
whatever I want to. What are you going to do about it”? They have no accountability to the league and are for 
all intent and purposes, they are pretty much anonymous. They’re convinced that they can do whatever they 
want, with no fear of consequences.  

Part of the reason they feel entitled to act in such a manner, is that they view the gyms a public place. 
Hence, they can be there if they want to. That may be true in general, but it is no longer a public venue, 
when teams have basically “rented the gym”. Now it is private.        

Question is how do we deal with that element? While it’s not easy, there are a few things we can do about it. 
First step is obviously a request to behave. In most cases, that’ll do it. The second step is to stop the game and 
publically announce that such behavior will result in them being ejected from the gym. Now, if that doesn’t get 
the job done, it’s time to spawn a little peer pressure. Chances are they are in some way friends or 
acquaintances of players. The third step is to stop the game, and publically announce that the game will not 
resume until they leave. That should motivate players and spectators to reinforce your request to knock off the 
nonsense. If all that nice guy stuff doesn’t achieve the desired result, the last resort is to call the police for 
assistance. At this point, they are trespassing and may be guilty of disorderly conduct. The majority will bolt 
before the officer appears. Some will not, but the officer will help them find the motivation to relocate their bad 
attitude … or maybe find a new addition to their bling collection ... GAUDY SILVER BRACELETS! 

It’s a shame it has to be this way, but it is what it is. For your safety, whatever you do, DO NOT directly 
engage with riff raff. It’s not worth it. Simply follow the steps above.   

You are all doing an excellent job. Many of the Coaches have expressed this to me, so I wanted to share it with
you. Another bit of good news! I received a check from the City and will be depositing payments on Wednesday,
so you should experience bank account happiness on Friday. Is your paperwork in????

Please, continue to stay on top of the Spectator Coaching. Almost everybody is respecting the rule. We only have
a couple of stubborn ones and they should be penalized.

I've also received reports that some parental units are under the impression that they can't cheer on the 
sidelines. That is not the case. We want them to cheer and encourage. It's the coaching that needs to stop.
Coaches, spectators, the City, and even kids have asked that it be stopped. Remember how much you hated it
when you were a kid? We want the players following their coaches instructions ... not some wannabe sideline
coach's, who want the privelege of coaching but refused to take on the responsibility. It's disrespectful to our
coaches, who are trying to make things happen, and they have absolutely earned that respect. 
Let's do our part to ensure they get it!!!

Taped Earrings & Glasses

No lanyard … No play. 
It’s easy to think it’s petty, as we rarely see somebody hurt by unsecured glasses. Of course, you’d never say;
“Let’s give ‘em a couple of sticks to run around the court with”! That’s what unsecured glasses are, and if
knocked loose, can easily become a literal “stick in the eye”. Please, make sure glasses are secured firmly with 
a lanyard, and don’t have a fit when we don’t allow players to play without secured glasses. We don’t want the 
kids to get hurt, and the insurance company can justifiably deny a very expensive claim, for failure to enforce 
proper safety protocols. That puts the liability on us, and nobody wants to live with the guilt of an injury that 
could have easily been prevented. No game is worth such a silly risk.

Earrings (or any other bodypartring)
No! You can’t play with tape over your earrings. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!! I know it seems like no big deal, and it 
doesn’t help matters when the doctor or “piercing technician” says “no problem, you can play sports if you tape 
it up”. They just don’t know any better and don’t want to lose the business. They’d feel a whole lot differently if 
they’d heard the screams of a kid whose earring got ripped out or had to pull an earring post out of a kids head
with a pair of needle nose plyers. I know cause I’ve done it, and it ain’t pretty. That’s why I’m so strict with it, 
and you should be too. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of a vision you can’t erase!

There are three things to consider when granting a time out.

1) Dead Ball 2) Live Ball 3) Loose Ball

Dead Ball – Both teams may call for a time out

Live Ball – Only the team in possession can request a time out

Loose Ball – No one can call a time out

Also remember, Time Outs are requested & granted … NOT Automatic.
An Official should grant an appropriately requested Time Out but may deny it for a number of reasons. 
Of course, the Official has to hear, or see the Time Out request in time. For example; the defensive team may
request a Time Out on a Throw-In, but the Official has already “put the ball at the disposal of the offensive 
team. That negates the defenses eligibility for a Time Out, as the ball is considered “in possession of the
Offense”. (Newer ruling for fairness in Penalty implementation procedure) 

The question came up regarding Time Outs during Free Throws. Not for nothing, this rule is often confused, due
to the commonly used wording by Officials and the perception on the court. We hear the defensive team call for
a Time Out, and the Official says they must wait until the second shot. This is often perceived as; they’re not 
allowed to call a Time Out on the first shot, when in fact, they can. The Time Out is denied, because the ball is 
at, or in the process of being put at the disposal of the shooter. Technically, this is considered a LIVE ball play, 
in the  possession of the offensive team, which negates the defenses eligibility to call a Time Out.

More clearly stated; both teams are allowed to call a Time Out during a Free Throw, provided the ball is not in 
the process of being put at or is already at the disposal of the shooter. Once the process has begun, the 
defensive team cannot be awarded a Time Out. I hope that helps!

Spectators on Court

Are you kidding? NO parental unit has any business coming onto the court, unless there is a SERIOUS injury. 
They certainly have NO RIGHT to confront an Official. Remember, ONLY the HEAD COACH may address an 
Official and only at a stoppage of play. Officials are instructed to issue Bench Techs when parental units come 
onto the court. That’s 2 shots and ball at mid court.

The other day, we had a parent of a kid who was playing recklessly, jump onto the court and confront an 
Official. Not once … but twice. We see this all too frequently and in most cases, it’s a completely unnecessary 
knee jerk reaction. It’s usually just their kid fell down, nothing more. Believe me. If an injury is serious, the 
Official will call out for the calvary. The parental unit went straight to badgering the Official, demanding a foul 
to be called on the opponents, for his kid’s own actions getting him “supposedly” hurt. REALLY!!!  There was no 
foul. To make matters worse, when told to get off the court, the parental unit said “what? My kid is hurt and I 
can’t come onto the court”? The kid said he wasn’t hurt at all. The rather observant Official responded with; 
“you say you’re out here because your kid is hurt, but you haven’t even looked at your kid. You’re just yelling at 
me. Here’s your Tech”! 

Please, let your parental units know, they are not to come onto the court, unless they are asked to. 
Using a minor injury or a kid that just fell down as an excuse to share their opinion with a Referee, is nothing 
more than an unnecessary and contagious interruption of the game.

Barking at Officials – What do you really gain?

We see it on TV and think it’s a God given right to abuse an Official. Then we get ticked off when they ignore 
us, give a warning or offer to T us up. While there is a lot of truth to the concept of “it’s a Coaches job to work 
the Official”, stop for a moment and ask yourself “am I strategically helping my game or am I just letting my 
jacked up, testosterone enriched emotions wreck the whole game for me”??????

We tell our players “just let it go and get your head back in the game”. It’s really good advice! We understand 
that; if they are busy getting jacked up over a call, a no call, or maybe a shot they missed, they’re not focused 
on the game, wind up out of position, and exercise poor judgement. It negatively affects their playing ability and
the whole team effort. The same exact logic applies … when we as Coaches choose to be vengeful; we lose 
sight of our primary objective … winning the game ... Oops, I mean making it fun for the kids. When you’re 
coaching the Officials, the kids and your game suffer, because your too busy “coaching” the Official!

Consider the reality. Let’s say you walk onto the court and find that your opponent has a player that’s 9’3” tall. 
That player is an element of the game that would require an adjustment to your strategy, right? In the same 
manner, the Officials are an element of the game, for better or for worse, depending on your point of view. 
It doesn’t matter if an Official is calling the game the way you think they should. They are an element of the 
game … adjust your strategy accordingly.

Also keep in mind … there’s a whole lot of insanity on any basketball court, especially in recreational ball. 
Officials have to deal with all that and focus on the game at hand. You’d be best off letting them focus on the 
game. Just as you have a wide range of skill levels on your team, the same is true of Officials. Some are brand 
new, some are fairly experienced, and some are seasoned. All, and I do mean all, players, coaches, spectators 
and officials, are still learning. From running an anal retentive, squeaky tight game, to running a skill level 
appropriate game and everything in between, we’ll see it all. If a coach makes themselves the focus of the 
game, then the where is the focus of the Official?  The Official’s focus is redirected from the game to the coach,
and that’s a recipe for a ton of missed calls. What do you gain? A self-fulfilling prophesy of a poorly officiated 
game. Is it worth it?

One last noteworthy point: Position & Perception. We all know the importance of being in the proper position!!!! 
While you are watching  the part of the game that you deem most important, from your vantage point, the 
Official has to watch the whole game from a different vantage point. Spectators have another unique vantage 
point, and seem to feel entitled to “enthusiastically” share it. While you may think you see a foul from where 
you’re standing, the Referee didn’t or couldn’t see it from his. You may be absolutely correct in your call, but if 
the Referee didn’t see it … it didn’t happen! The Official’s view may have been blocked by a moving player. The
Referee may have seen it but, deemed it incidental or chose not to call it, because it was a defensive foul and 
calling it would have robbed you of an obvious scoring opportunity. That would be a totally appropriate “No Call”.
It’s all about Position & Perception!

Before you “Bark”, think about where it might BITE you!

 Check Your Schedule Carefully
 Please check your schedule carefully. You should double check every day. It’s not hard to do and only
 takes a couple of seconds. We’ve had a couple situations, where I had to frantically call for replacements, 
 to Officials that had the day off. Remember, you’ve got a lot of people counting on you. Also remember
 … we don’t miss games and we don’t do late!!!!!!

 Inbounding the Ball … Gotta Hustle!
 A couple of Coaches brought this to my attention. We are on a running clock, and as you know, time 
 is precious in a Basketball game. Inbounding the ball has got to be done quickly and implemented with 
 solid mechanics or we’re robbing the teams of valuable playing time. Hustle to the ball and hand it to
 the players, like it’s the last thirty seconds of a tied up championship game. Ya got to boogie baby, and
 please, don’t be lazy and toss it to the baseline from half court. It looks really lame.

 Make More Calls!!!!!!
 We’re at a point where the kids should be improving and understanding the rules. It’s time to raise our
 expectations and make more calls. We want to really tighten up. Call the Travels, the Double Dribble
 and PLEASE … call the Palming or Carrying the ball. It’s gotten ridiculous!!! If you see it … Call It! 
 It’s the only way they’ll learn. 

 Just a note: When a player dribbles and stops to pass or shoot, and an opponent gets a hand on the
 ball, the Player cannot Dribble again, unless the ball is knocked away by the Opponent. That is Double
 Dribble. If they jump and are still in possession of the ball when they land, it is Traveling. They must
 release the ball to avoid the call. It is NOT a Jump Ball … It is a Traveling Call.

 Help the Coaches Teach kids the Rules
 When a Player commits a foul, briefly explain what they did to deserve the call. “You can’t stop
 dribbling and dribble again … you have to pass or shoot the ball”. We want to help the Coaches
 and the kids learn and understand the rules. 
 
Understand the situation the Coach is in;
 A parent volunteers to Coach. That’s a good thing. They get a few players that know the game, maybe,
 and a bunch of player’s that have a very, very long way to go. Many of the Coaches only have a basic
 understanding of the game, and many more are convinced they are basketball experts, which we all
 know ain’t the case. They get a few pre-season practices and one practice during the week … maybe
 two or more if they cheat (meant in the kindest manner) and have more than one mandatory practice
 per week. They quickly run through the basics and try to get some kind of strategy included in their
 practices. It’s really tough! A little communication with the Players goes a long way and it also helps
 you. How does it help me you say? Well, the kids get better, which makes the game more enjoyable
 for us. The Coaches appreciate your help and you earn their respect, which also makes the game
 more enjoyable for us. The parents appreciate it as well, earning you their respect, which again,
 makes the game more enjoyable for us too. 

 We don’t want to interfere or Coach in regards to strategy, but we can be their “Rules Coach” and up
 the level of play, while reducing the frustration levels. That’s the sign of a good quality Official …
 which you are.

 Orphan games, odd times & fewer games
 I do apologize for all the orphan games, the weird times and and the reduction in games. I am trying
 to work with the City of Sunrise to correct this, but it’s very complicated and we’re not having much luck.
 We lost a lot of games, due to a lack of Coaches, which I didn’t find out about until right before the 
 season started. We also had a couple of other Cities indicate that they wanted to use us, so I prepared
 for that. Although we won in the bid, we didn’t get the contracts for this year. I did load up our team,
 because I knew we’d win the bid, but it didn’t go as planned. We are however, in a good position for 
 next year.
  
 I am doing my best to evenly assign the games amongst all of you, and rotate the orphan games, so 
 bear with me. It also gets a bit more complicated when dealing with the “skill level”, as I don’t want to 
 put any of you in overly difficult situations. Again, I apologize, but despite doing everything right, it just 
 didn’t pan out. Politics … Grrrrrr!

 Are you a Referee or Spectator?
 If you are at a game that and are not the assigned Referee, you are a spectator … NEVER both. 
 Please do not be the kind of “know it all … all up in your business” spectator we all hate, and PLEASE,
 DO NOT COACH from the sidelines. Also, remember, just like when you are on the court, what you see
 is not the same as what a Coach may see. You each have a different perspective and not for nothing,
 a different motive. You’re either a Referee or a Spectator, not both. It’d really suck and seem incredibly
 hypocritical if we had to T-Up a Referee!!!!

 While you may know that a Referee is new, nobody else needs to know that, unless the new Referee
 chooses to divulge that information. Sometimes it is appropriate to mention it to a Coach when training
 an Official, but we don’t want to announce it to the whole gym. Nothing will suck the confidence out of
 an Official faster than such an announcement, and it’ll stir up the spectators, who will feel justified in
 harassing the newer Official. It’s also very disrespectful to the new Official. Let us always act as a team,
 giving each other the respect we deserve, even if we’re simply on our way to earning that respect. 

Jewelry
Please, DO NOT take this Safety issue lightly. If they weren’t born with it, it has no place on the court. 
Of course, the uniform, medical ID’s and soft cloth head or wrist bands are the exception. 
Compression sleeves and t-shirts are ok too, as long as they are white, beige, black or the same color
as the uniform. If the color is the same color as an opponent’s uniform, they MUST be removed.

This past week, a Player was allowed to play the game with a head full of hair beads. That is 
unacceptable! Hair beads are the equivalent of a weapon on the court. In long hair, beads can be 
whipped into someone’s eyes and can cause serious injury. In a collision, hair beads can leverage 
increased damage to both the wearer and the other Player. The NO JEWELRY Rule is for the Safety of
the Players, to avoid possible injuries. It is not an optional enforcement. The jewelry MUST BE REMOVED
before the Player can participate. NO Exceptions!!!!!!!

Medical ID’s must be allowed, however; they MUST be fully taped and flush with the body. If an Official
deems it unsafe, it must be re-taped to a safe state.

Coaching from the stands is strictly prohibited. 
This includes Coaches who are in the stands.

The rule reads as follows:
Chatter is strictly prohibited by parents, coaches, or other players who attempt to distract opposing
players in any way. 

No heckling of any player, coach, referee, shall be permitted in any division.

Spectator/Sideline Coaching is prohibited. Sideline Coaching is defined as; spectators attempting to 
influence and gain an advantage in a game through instruction, positioning or alerting players to 
situations they would not otherwise be aware of. This is a disruption of the game and may cause an
unfair advantage. If necessary, the game may be stopped, which may result in ejection or even 
forfeiture of the game, at the Official’s discretion.

Now, with a few exceptions, the rule is being honored, and we don’t want to penalize the occasional
enthusiastic shout out. That’d be too petty and a bit of an unrealistic expectation. There are some 
however; who feel entitled to completely disregard the rule and get indignant when asked to restrain 
the urge to Coach. These situations need to be corrected/penalized.

Step 1: Respectfully ask the spectator to refrain from Coaching.

If that doesn’t resolve the problem;

Step 2: Stop the game and inform the Coach that it will not be tolerated. 
          Ask them to inform the spectator.
          
If that doesn’t resolve the problem;

Step 3: Blow your whistle and call Unsportsmanlike Conduct for Spectator Interference – 
          That's an Indirect Free Kick for the Opposing Team

If that doesn’t resolve the problem;

Step 4: Repeat step 3

If that doesn’t resolve the problem;

Step 5: Stop the Game and Eject the Spectator (They have 2 minutes to Comply or Forfeit the Game.)

Watch your Lines
The first week in, and the teams are understandably a bit discombobulated. We’ve gone easy on the 
calls and rightfully so, to allow them to get themselves organized and on point. As each week passes,
we want to tighten up our calls as we go, in pretty big increments, as the season is short.

One of the things I noticed this past week was (SMH); allowing the Players to step on or cross the lines
without a call, and stepping on the line when shooting Free Throws. We don’t want to allow that ... at all!!
Call it!!!!That includes Free Throws. Did I mention that?

When implementing Free Throws, NO Official should be looking at the basket, until after it hits the rim 
or the backboard. The Trailing Official will be watching the Shooter and Players behind the Shooter. 
The Lead Official is watching the Lane Players. You can’t see violations when your eyes are glued to the
bucket. Don’t worry … you won’t miss anything! The basket will still be in your peripheral vision and 
you’ll hear it when the ball hits.

The Lane Player’s may move in when the ball is released. The Shooter and the Players behind him/her
MUST WAIT until the ball strikes the rim or backboard.

Lane Player’s should not be fondling each other while waiting for the shot(s). Lane Player’s cannot cross
their boundary lines (although they are imaginary on some courts), so they should not be touching each other. 
Instruct them to keep their hands to themselves.

I also saw Players throwing the ball in and stepping onto or over the court, before the ball was 
released. Again … no call? Officials we’re looking up court, before the ball was released. There are two
of you, so there is no urgency to look up court before the ball’s released on Throw-Ins. Don’t be in such 
a hurry. 

The priority of the Official implementing the Throw-In: is to ensure the throw is taken from the “SPOT”,
legally, and that opposing players aren’t crossing “the plane” before the release of the ball. 

Now, you might think I’m being nitpicky, but beyond the importance of proper mechanics, spectators 
really notice these things, and NOT CALLING IT (or even noticing it) is an invitation for the peanut 
galleries undesired feedback and interference. We have enough problems with spectators and coaches
thinking they know the rules better than we do, without giving them even more ammunition, or worse
yet … proving them right, even if it is only in their eyes. It’s the simple things that unravel a game. 
Make the Call … That’s one of our slogans!!!!

Last Inning Defined
There's been a little confusion and a bit of friendly banter, regarding what is 
considered the Last Inning, and where Unlimited Runs comes into play.

The Rules state: Each Division will consist of 6 Runs per Inning, and we all understand
that to mean for Each Team. No problem here. Then in T-Ball & Coach Pitch, it states:
Inning is completed, when the Offensive Team has Scored 6 Runs or 3 Outs have been
made. Exception: Last Inning. This Applies to All Divisions. Although it isn't specified in
the AA or AAA Rules, it has always been understood that it applies to All Divisions.
Again, No Problem Here.

Where it has not been clear is, what's considered the Last Inning. Some interpret it as
the maximum innings allowed in each division, (which historically was rarely reached) and some
interpreted it as the Last Inning Played, based on the Time Limit. Again, the Rules
simply state "Last Inning". This has been an issue, or questioned a number of times
since we started officiating your Baseball Games. 

As most of you know, we consider your feedback important and address it,
(except when you say the Umpire needs Glasses) to see if changes are appropriate. In this case,
it was appropriate to clarify.

So here goes it; 
If you are in the Last Inning Allowed in your Divisions Rules, there is
no question, Unlimited Runs are allowed in that Final Inning. 
If you haven't reached the Maximum Innings Allowed, but there are less than 10
Minutes left in the game, and the Umpire determines that there's no chance of getting
another Inning Started before the Time Limit Expires, the Umpire will call out:
"Last Inning ... Unlimited Runs", and it shall indeed be deemed the "Last Inning"
Umpires are not to call Last Inning, unless there are Less Than 10 Minutes before the
Official Time is due to expire.

End of Game - Home Team Must Bat if Behind ... Period
I'm at a loss as to how, and I can only assume that I failed to communicate the
rule properly, but we've had a couple of games end prematurely. These games ended
with the Home Team being denied their turn at bat, simply because the we passed the
Game Time Limit.  This can NEVER happen. It's not fair for the Visiting Team to get an
extra "at bat" and to deny the Home Team equal inning time to catch up or win fairly.

The ONLY time we Don't play the Last Half of the Final Inning, is when, after the
Visiting Team has concluded their turn at bat, and the Home Team is Ahead. Otherwise,
We MUST Play the Full Inning. We cannot cut the inning based on time. 
The Inning MUSTBE COMPLETED.

See all Bases
Don't lose sight of those little feet on the bases! Part of our responsibility as Umpires,
is to monitor the bases/runners. Now, the Plate Umpire has his hands full with other
monitoring pitches, so it's critical that we Base Umpires keep an eye on the Runners
feet. There are no Lead Offs or "Flying Starts", so we need to make sure runners are
on base until the pitch crosses home plate. If they leave prematurely, the runner is out.
(if the ball has not been hit, a warning is appropriate in this league) 
We also need to position ourselves, so that we can ensure that we see and know that
runners touch the bases. If a Coach appeals, we want to make sure we know if he is
right or not. 

When watching the pitch, simultaneously scan and be aware of the base runners little
hooves on the base. When a ball is hit, your primary focus is where the most likely
play(s) will be, but make sure you position yourself to also see that Runners touch the
bases, as well as other base plays. If you're doing a game by yourself, maintain a
position that allows you to see the whole infield. Also, don't let the perty girls distract
you ... too much!

Spectator Coaching/Questioning Umpires
We don't want to harp on this, but Coaches have requested it, it's the right thing to do
and it's important. We're having some issues with spectators talking to players and
telling them what to do and/or alerting them to "plays behind their back". 
This is cheating and takes the decision process away from the players. This is part of
what they are supposed to be learning through the sports programs. They are
distracting the players and in their excitement (or infinite wisdom), are telling players
to run when the coach says stay, telling them to swing at junk pitches, because it looks
good from where they're sitting and interfering with the Coaches instructions and
their ability to communicate with their players.        

We have also had cases where Parental Units have felt entitled to confront the Umpires.
In most cases they are wrong and it only serves to delay and degrade the game. 

The rules are clear: 
"Spectator Coaching is Prohibited" ... 
"Only the Head Coach may address the Umpires" ... 
"Acts of Unsportsmanlike Conduct Will Not Be Tolerated". 
The penalty for any other person addressing the Umpire is a FORFEIT. 
The others may result in a Forfeit.

We do not want to forfeit any games and though we have the authority and
responsibility, we'd rather exercise extreme patience for the sake of the kids. 
That however, only goes so far.

Of course, we understand the occasional irresistible, excited shout out and won't jump
all over it, but we are dealing with the perpetual violators. We will be speaking with
the Parental Units who feel the irresistible urge to bend these rules at will, so be
prepared. Please address this with your Parental Units again, in advance, so we don't
have to upset or eject them in front of the kids. It's not fair to you as Coaches, that
they are freely interfering with your instructions and the disruptions have done
nothing but rob the kids of playing time, and that's just not cool!!!

AA & AAA Balls to the Pitcher from Catcher
A wild throw to the pitcher from the catcher, or an error by the pitcher receiving a
throw by the catcher, does not allow a runner to advance from 3rd base. It is solely
the judgment of the umpire to determine if the catcher’s intent was to throw to the
pitcher or another player.

Game Sheets
We're experiencing excessive start delays, waiting for game sheets to be filled out.
Please have your Batting Order line up prepared in advance. If you're the home team,
please fill out the Game Sheet before arriving, so we only need to add the Visiting
Teams line up. If a player doesn't show up, just cross them off that games sheet.
Of course, we understand that adjustments may need to be made, but if we pre-fill
out game sheets, it'll help us get started on time, more often.

Good Sportsmanship
Although sports are really fun, there is a somewhat hidden and most important
agenda for the children's healthy growth. Through sports, we are teaching our
children skills they will need to survive and thrive in their lives. One of the most
important lessons we're teaching our little tykes is good sportsmanship. 

We've had a few incidents, that set the absolute wrong example. We had a team
handshake where several players spit in their hand before shaking their opponents
hands, one where a kid gut punched an opponent and some incidents involving overly
enthusiastic coaches being excessively competitive and disrupting the game.
Please remember that; these kids see everything we do and they will emulate our
behavior. That doesn't mean we shouldn't be competitive, as competitiveness is also
an important thing for the kids to learn. Fortunately, we're blessed with really good
Coaches who deal with these incidents as they arise. Much kudos!!!!!!

While boys will be boys and girls will be girls, let's continue to send the right message
by setting the right example and addressing unsportsmanlike actions promptly. 

Snarky Voice Mail
I appreciate a joke, and always welcome feedback, as we're always looking to improve
and make this the best experience that we, can for all! 

After Saturday's games, I came home to a "snarky" voice mail. It stated that our
Referees "cost ??someone??" their game. Well, I have coached a lot of teams ... a lot
of games, and the few losses I had, even with some bad calls, I've never blamed the
Referees. I blamed myself! Referees are only a small part of the game, that has to be
included and compensated for in my strategy to win. Yes, I admit it ... I LIKE TO WIN!!!!

Now, I'm the first one to get a kick out of, and even participate in a good heckling banter.
It doesn't matter if it's from the spectators, players or from the bench. It's all part of
the fun. (To be honest, I suspected it was Sam razzin me, except the voice didn't 
quite sound like his.)

I actually got upset, not because of the call or the statement, but because the caller
left me no way, to "fix it" if it was legitimate, which you know I would do. They didn't
leave their name, the number was blocked, and there was no invitation for discussion.
All I could do is guess, and I hate that!

I make my number available to anyone & everyone. I will listen to and am open to
discuss any issue. Rest assured, if my Umpires are incorrect, I address it with them.
(and they sincerely want to get it right, every one of them.) If the caller has
misunderstood a call, a rule or action, I will clarify it for them. If the City(s) or BSO
needs to be aware, I bring the issue to them. (they want to know) Please know that; 
we all have the best interests of the program and participants at heart.

If you have an issue or concern, I'm happy to help, but I can only do that if you let me
know and leave me contact information, so I can respond. Though I can't always
promise you the result you want, you will always be heard and we will address it.

Whoops! 
We had another one of those quirky rules plays on Monday. It's an unusual one, so
we had to really think about it, and while we ultimately got the call mostly right in
the end, we were technically wrong, and it could have had an impact on the game.
Fortunately, it didn't. Oddly enough, there was a similar play, same rule, in the 
Marlins game, that very same night. Go figure! Of course, theirs was more cut and
dry, easier to sort out. 

Of course, as I always do; as soon as I got home, I dove into the rules for clarification.
I also checked with a number of officials, with more experience than I have, and
almost all agreed with my call. Unfortunately, this is one of the many rules that are
misunderstood and called incorrectly for so long, by so many, that we believe it to be
correct. It seems that it stems from a combination of rule 7.03 (see below) and 
another rule that states; a runner that misses a base, must retrace his route back to
the missed base or bases to correct the mistake.

I thought it's be a good scenario to share.

The play;
Runner passes the runner before him. They wound up at 3rd base together. One was
tagged out (the poor guy at third) ... 2nd out ... and the trailing runner was headed
back to second base, but wasn't tagged. Both runners were called out, making it the
3rd out, without tagging the runner. Everybody was headed for the dugout. 

After hearing the play and consulting with the umpire, we determined that the third
out was called prematurely, as the player had the right to get back to the right base
and hadn't been put out. Everybody back out onto the field. Whoops! Wrong call.
Fortunately, nothing noteworthy occurred in that last out, which I can only attribute to
the laws of universal, self correcting justice. 

The fact of the matter is, if a runner passes the runner before him, before the
preceding runner is put out, he is called out immediately, no questions asked, as
stated below. In this particular play, the runner from 2nd should have been
immediately called out, which would have left the runner legally occupying 3rd base,
with only 2 outs. 

Here are the applicable rules for the play above:

7.03
         (a) Two runners may not occupy a base, but if, while the ball is alive, two
              runners are touching a base, the following runner shall be out when tagged
              and the preceding runner is entitled to the base, unless Rule 7.03(b) applies.

         (b) If a runner is forced to advance by reason of the batter becoming a runner
              and two runners are touching a base to which the following runner is forced,
              the following runner is entitled to the base and the preceding runner shall
              be out when tagged or when a fielder possesses the ball and touches the
              base to which such preceding runner is forced.

7.08 Any runner is out when—
         (h) He passes a preceding runner before such runner is out;

Bat Legality
While I applaud the awareness and enforcement of legal bat sizes, we have a little
burp in the enforcement of the rule. Little League bats are to be no more than 2 1/4"
diameter barrel and 33" length. The enforcement quagmire is; many teams were
issued bats that were 2 5/8 diameter, so in fairness, we will not be disallowing them.
It's what was provided. 

Please Stay in the Dugout and Out of the Doorway
 Remember, a pitched ball tipping backwards off of a bat, can increase its speed 80%.
 That means little Spanky's 55mph fastball comes off the bat ... towards the dugout,
 at over 100+mph. That'll certainly cross your eyes! Not a good time to test your
 MATRIX moves.  Also remember, that the kids often gravitate to the doorway with you.
 They want to be like you and near you, and Let's face it, they're not exactly known for
 their focused attention span, and that puts them in danger. 
 I know it's irritating, especially with me harping on it, but I do not want to have to
 visit anybody in the hospital. Please, set the example, and keep yourself & everybody
 else out of the doorway during play. 

Rules Changes
 We've had a few rules changes, after I'd already divided out the rules and published
 them on line. As it is quite a tedious task, I have not gotten to all the rules sections
 with the changes. I have however, made the changes in the division rules links 
 included next to the team names on your schedules. Please refer to those links for
 your divisions rules.

Coach Pitch Only - Outfielders in the grass
Coach Pitch Rules Item (U) Outfielders are to play at least 5 feet onto grass.
We're not going to come out there with a tape measure, but please, at least honor
the spirit of this rule and get your outfielders little feet on the grass.
Now, I know what you're thinkin ... the ball generally doesn't get hit that far, so I 
want my fielders in closer, to make the play faster ... easier outs! That's exactly why
we want them in the grass. It's just too crowded and easy, plus it makes the game
boring for players and spectators. We want them to learn to make plays and learn
teamwork, not just get an easy out. Putting them in the grass, helps them to learn
and utilize the skills, including playing their positions, and proper teamwork to make
plays. Let's put a little grass under their feet!!!!

Foul Tip is a Strike - Always (even if the batter has two strikes)
 A Foul Tip is a batted ball that goes sharp and direct, from the bat, to the catcher's
 hands and is legally caught. It is not a foul tip, unless it is caught, and any foul tip
 that is caught is a strike, and a live ball. It is NOT a catch if it rebounds, unless the
 ball has first touched the catcher's glove or hand and then caught. 
 Maybe they should call it a "Strike Tip" instead of a Foul Tip. Just sayin!

Batting Out of Order
 Like many baseball rules, there are 70,000 little, impossible to memorize nuances
 involved in this rule. This is just a simplified procedure heads up.

 First, if I may say, let's just avoid batting out of order, but if you do, here's how it
 works;

 If you realize that a batter is batting out of order and appeal it;

A) While the batter is still at the plate - 
    The Batter is NOT Out
    The next batter is to be the correct batter in the written batting order.
    The correct batter simply replaces the incorrect batter and inherits his count
    to finish the up at bat. In other words, if the incorrect batter has 2 strikes and
    a ball, we put the correct batter in and he/she starts with with 2 strikes and a ball.

B) After the batter has hit, but before the next batter is pitched to; 
    The Batter IS Out
    The next batter is to be the correct batter in the written batting order.
    The correct batter replaces the incorrect batter and all plays made as a result of the
    incorrect batter are reversed (or taken away). There should never be any  advantage
    gained as a result of an incorrect batter.

Pitcher Substitution Pitcher Rules Section (F)
 Pitching substitutions must be made from the playing field ... not from the bench.
 Coach James asked if I could find out why this rule was in place. I asked, but no
 one knew. It's just been in the rules ... like forever! After hours of research, looking
 for a rule or precedent to explain it, I came up empty handed. Then, as I was
 studying general substitution and batting out of turn rules, it suddenly dawned on
 me ... there may in fact have been a logical reason for this amendment.

 Now, I don't believe for a minute, that any of you would ever do this, but it probably
 happened back in Babe Ruth's days (when our very own Tommy V was playing LOL). We have
 participation rules in place, to ensure all kids get their fair share of play time. If I
 had to guess, (which is actually what I'm doing), I'd attribute this ruling to a rather creative
 coach, circumventing the no player sits the bench for two consecutive innings rule. 
 By subbing the pitcher with a "less athletic" substitute from the bench, for just
 a couple of pitches, he/she could claim that player didn't sit the bench for two
 consecutive innings. This would effectively allow that coach to short change the less
 athletic player, in favor of keeping more athletic players in the game. This would
 defeat the spirit of the all kids should get an equal opportunity to play.

 Of course, this is just speculation on my behalf, but it was the only thing that made
 sense to me, so I shared. What's really scary ... I'm probably right! But then again,
 I'm an official ... I'm always right ... Right?

Last Inning - Unlimited Runs
Last Inning allows for Unlimited Runs in all divisions. 
Last inning is determined one of two ways; 

  1) The last of the maximum innings designated for that division 
                                                or 
  2) Based on the Umpire's determination: the divisions time limit is about to expire, 
      and based on their playing pattern, there would not be time to start & complete
      another inning.

Be sure everybody knows when it's the last inning, prior to it's start and please use
good judgment, so as not to "jump the gun" prematurely. Better to play a little longer,
that to short game times. Also, factor in the Home Team's lead. Chances are, if they
are ahead by 300 points ... short of a miraculous comeback, they probably won't need
to bat in the last inning. That would equate to a shorter final inning by default.

Cold Cutoff Time - Removed from the Rules
 The "Cold Cut Off" is officially removed from the Rules. We can't stop the game in the
 middle of an inning anyway, (except last inning when home team is ahead) so it is unenforceable.
NOTE: We are in the process of updating all the rules sections with this removal, but it'll take a little time.

Announce the Count - Loud & Clear
Many of the Coaches, and even Parental Units, have expressed appreciation for
Umpires who announce the count "loud & clear". Although it may seem like a petty
detail, it actually helps in game management. Let's give 'em this like we're the 
Sportscaster for the game.

Dropped 3rd Strike

Batter is OUT ... All Divisions
If you're curious about the rule, click the link below, however, we won't be 
implementing it in this league.
Full Rule & Explanation

I stole this from wikipedia - it had the best description - better than I coulda!!

Innings Challenge - Remember ... The Clock is Running
Let's see how many innings we can get in. Over the years, Coaches often comment
that they wish we could get more innings in. Of course, the Parental Units and the
kids like it too. This allows more times at bat, more experience for all players and
makes the game more exciting. Let's push the game along at a faster pace, by
hustling players on and off the field, getting the catcher suited up in advance, having
your field assignments ready before they hit the dugout and having your batters lined
up ... baseball ready, in advance. Coaches can also help this along, by getting into 
their positions quickly, so we can begin without unnecessary delay. It'll be more FUN
for all!!!! How many innings can you get in?????

Punt Procedure Clarification 
 Traditional Punt Rule, but NO Blocking or Rushing the Punter
 Punts May Be returned, just like in normal football ...
 EXCEPT:
 If a Any Player from Either Team Touches the Ball, and it Hits the Ground,  
 it is a Dead Ball at that Spot.
 Receiving Team may catch the ball On The Fly, from a Bounce, Roll, 
 (even a Deflection Off another Player), or Pick Up a Ball from the  Ground and 
 Return It, Provided it Doesn't Touch a Player Before Hitting the Ground. 
 Kicking Team May Catch a Ball Deflected Off a Receiving Team Player and Gain 
 Possession, BUT the Ball is Dead at the Spot of that Catch and 
 Cannot be Returned. First Down, Kicking Team, at Spot.

Consistency
 We've had quite a few requests, to alter the rules/procedures to Coaches 
 "preferences". Of course, we're tempted to be courteous and honor seemingly
 harmless requests. Unfortunately, this causes inconsistencies/expectations that 
 result in chaos in subsequent games. In truth, we don't have the authority to 
 alter the leagues rules, without first getting clearance from the league administrator.

 When you receive such a request, please inform them that;
 We do not have the authority to honor this request. Changes must be approved
 through Coach V. Once approved, he will inform us, and the change will be added 
 to the online rules, where we all have access to the same, most current rules.

Play-Huddle = 25 Seconds & Time Outs = 1 Minute
 We don't want to go military on them, but we do need to reasonably enforce 
 these times. Some of the teams are taking waaaaaaaaaayyyyy to long, and it cuts
 into play time. Help them to avoid a 5 yard penalty, by announcing so both teams 
 can hear it, that times almost up. Don't be afraid to repeat it a couple of times.
 If they don't respond and continue to take extra time, the cure is an airborne 
 penalty flag and 5 yards marched off. That usually adjusts their sense of urgency
 pretty quickly!

Thanksgiving
Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. What am I grateful for? 
Each and every one of you and your contribution to the team. I also enjoy the 
personal relationship with each of you. I feel fortunate to have such a great team 
and I thank you for doing and awesome job. YOU, make US look good!!!!!!!!!

Double Try Throw-Ins Cease Immediately for ALL Sunrise Games
There will be no more second tries for throw-ins, for the rest of the season. 
We've allowed the second tries on throw-ins, as a courtesy, because of the lack of 
practices, to give the kids a chance to receive instruction and learn to do it properly.
At this point, they should be able to perform a proper throw-in. If they do it 
incorrectly, the ball is turned over to the other team for a throw-in. 
Please inform the Coaches in your pre-game meeting, and avoid the unnecessary 
confrontation(s).

We do not cut times or shorten games
People pay for these games and it’s important that we give them what they pay for 
... a full game! They deserve it, especially the kids. There are rare occasions when 
the City or League will request shortened games, but only under extreme 
circumstances. Sometimes Field Staff may think it’s a good idea but, in most cases, 
their bosses would not be pleased, as it would not be approved by the league 
authorities. Any Request to shorten game times, Terminate a Match or Forfeit a 
game MUST be approved by Coach Dave. I know what the League expects and 
what would be acceptable or unacceptable. Shortening game times incorrectly is 
grounds for a Legal Protest, which would result in the Officials of that game, 
being required to replay all or part of an affected game … for FREE … 
WITHOUT PAY.

If games begin to run behind, simply speed up substitutions, check in teams as soon
as they hit the field for warm-ups, and get games started faster. Remember, 
the game starts on your authority, NOT at the Coaches convenience. Many of us 
stop the clock for subs. Although sub time is part of play time, unless otherwise 
stipulated, as it is in North Lauderdale, I don’t have a problem with stopping the 
clock for Subs, when we have the extra time, but if the game is running behind, 
don’t stop the clock for Subs.

Don’t cheat the teams out of what they paid for … give them the full time they 
are entitled to.

Direct or Indirect Free Kicks and Procedures [A Little Long but Important]
I am painfully aware that; this has always been a source of confusion for many 
Referees, at most levels. In our last Locker Room articles, we covered 
GoalKeeper related Hand Ball situations. Many of us misinterpreted some of the 
GoalKeeper specific procedures, as applying to other field position/players. 
I’ll take responsibility for that, as I may have somewhat confused an already 
confusing aspect of the rules. 

An easier way to remember the GoalKeeper rules = 
Anytime the GoalKeeper uses their hands improperly, within their Penalty Box, 
it is an Indirect Kick. Outside of their own Penalty Box, the GoalKeeper is no 
different than any other Player.

In the Training, I try to simplify rules to make them easier to remember in the 
heat of the game. Unfortunately, it gets a bit complicated, as some leagues and 
even High School rules, further complicate things with their “special rules”. 
With the exception of school games, and special rules for little kids that don’t allow
direct kicks (like North Lauderdale for the 6U & 8U), we go by FIFA.

The easiest way to remember when it’s a Direct or Indirect kick should be awarded,
is to think in terms of Assault & Battery. Assault is a threat, either verbally or by 
action, to do harm … Battery is physical contact to do harm. These are 
Direct Kick Offenses. The only exception is Hand Balls, which are always Direct Kicks.
If you have to stop play, due to contact or a threat of dangerous play, or a Hand Ball,
it will be a Direct Kick. If it’s an Improper Procedure, it’ll be an Indirect Kick. 

Illegal Substitution – Double Touch – OffSides – Intentional Kickback to GoalKeeper 
who uses hands ...

Direct free kick
A direct free kick is awarded to the opposing team, if a player commits any of the 
following seven offences in a manner considered by the Referee to be careless, 
reckless or using excessive force: 

>Kicks or attempts to kick an opponent 
>Trips or attempts to trip an opponent 
>Jumps at an opponent 
>Charges an opponent 
>Strikes or attempts to strike an opponent 
>Pushes an opponent 
>Tackles an opponent
>Holds an opponent 
>Spits at an opponent
>Handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper in own penalty area)
A direct free kick is taken from the place where the offence occurred.          
(Except for infractions in the Goal Box … which are brought out to the Goal Box Line, 
closest to where the infraction occurred)

InDirect Free Kick
An indirect free kick is also awarded to the opposing team if, in the opinion of the 
referee, a player: Plays in a dangerous manner;

>Impedes the progress of an opponent 
>Prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his hands
>Unsportsmanlike Conduct, not involving contact or threat(s)
>Commits any other offence, not previously mentioned in Law 12, for which play is 
stopped to caution or send off a player The indirect free kick is taken from the place
where the offence occurred. 
(Except for infractions in the Goal Box … Which are brought out to the Goal Box Line,
closest to where the infraction occurred)

Indirect free kick – GoalKeeper specific
An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a goalkeeper, inside his own
penalty area, commits any of the following four offences:
>Controls the ball with his hands for more than six seconds before releasing it from
his possession.
>Touches the ball again with his hands after he has released it from his possession
and before it has touched another player 
{Except if intentionally bouncing or "Parrying" the ball}
>Touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a
team-mate 
>Touches the ball with his hands after he has received it directly from a throw-in 
taken by a team-mate

Hopefully this clears things up a bit!

Substitutions – Sunrise – 12UG
Due to a lack of Players, 12U Girls are playing with 9 players on the field, and 
Free Substitutions. 

If you’re the LinesHuman on the Coaches sideline, listen for the Coaches to call for 
substitutions, and raise your flag above your head, holding it horizontally with both 
hands. If you’re the LinesHuman on the spectator’s sideline and you see the other 
LinesHuman signal for a Substitution, you signal it as well. Center Referees … be 
looking for this signal. Of course, as always, Substitutions are only made during a
stoppage of play, with the Referee’s permission.

Substituted Players may re-enter the game after being Substituted.

Call In YOUR Availability SCHEDULE on Friday’s       

954-962-0053 or email dave@doitnowpros.com

Every Official is to call in with their Availability on Fridays. Set a repeating reminder 
in your phones. If you want Games, call in your Availability.

I’ve made this as simple as I can possibly imagine. There is NO EXCUSE 
for not calling in.

When you don’t call in your Availability, you hold up the schedule for everybody 
else. Respect your fellow Official’s and my time, by calling in your Availability on 
time. If you can’t work, call in anyway, so I can proceed with the schedule. 

If a Ref is missing, you’re running late, you have a problem on the 
Field or need me for anything During Games … Call my Cell Phone; 
954-632-2602

As you know, I’m usually out on the fields. Calling my office line doesn’t do any good. 
If you don’t get the crazy message, you called the wrong phone. 
We are all supposed to be at our games 15 minutes before the game time listed on 
the schedule. If you’re there but other Officials are missing, call my cell phone 
immediately (954-632-2602) and let me know, so I can call and take action.

 Note: You can bypass the crazy message by pressing 1.

We DON’T DO LATE and we DON’T MISS games        

We are Professionals, and a lot of people are depending on us. 
Imagine that it’s game time for your favorite team. You’ve been waiting all day for 
this game and you’re ready with your pretzels, soda, and team jersey on. 

The announcer says: “We’re sorry, but the game has been delayed because the 
Referee isn’t here yet” … or worse yet, imagine a game that’s short a Referee. Yikes! 
That would never happen, and if it did, Facebook, Twitter and the rest of the media(s)
would explode ... and the poor Referee would never live it down… or find a date!

Are your games any less important? Absolutely not!

Check your schedule carefully. Double check your game Times, and make sure you’re 
there on time. We’ve always prided ourselves in NEVER missing games and very, 
very, very rarely being late. We’ve just started, and this year is already the worst 
in our history. Let’s stop it now. Check your schedule very carefully. Missing games 
and arriving late, is the number one reason leagues fire their Referees. 
We don’t want to get fired!!! 

Remember, there are fines for being late & missing games. When we miss, 
I GET FINED … I don’t want to get fined, and I DO NOT WANT TO FINE ANYBODY 
… it makes me sad … but I Will Do It!!!!

You are all doing an amazing job, and I’m very proud of you. Let’s keep up the good 
work and remember, the Players, Coaches, Parents and the City are counting on you. 
Get to your games, on time, every time, ready to ROCK!

Hand Balls by the Goal Keeper        

Remember, all Hand Balls are a Direct Kick. Goal Keepers may use their hands, 
anywhere within their Penalty Box. As soon as they step outside of the Penalty Box 
and use their hands, it is a Hand Ball / Direct Kick, just as it is for any other Player. 

The only times there is a call for a Goal Keeper using their hands within their 
own Penalty Box;

1) When they pick up the ball a second time after releasing it or placing it on the 
ground… (They may bounce the ball without penalty)

The Call = Double Touch > The Penalty = Indirect Kick

2) If a Teammate kicks the ball directly to the Goal Keeper, and the Keeper picks it 
    up with their hands… 

The Call = Kick Back to Keeper > Penalty = Indirect Kick (from Spot Goal Keeper Touched)

3) If the Keeper picks up the ball with their hands, directly from a Throw-In, before 
another Player touches it…

The Call = Illegal Touch> Penalty = Indirect Kick

In each case, another Player MUST touch it, before the Keeper can pick it up again 
with their hands. These are NOT Hand Balls, so they are Indirect Kicks.

Remember – All Hand balls are a Direct Kick.
                  Double Touches are Indirect kicks, at the spot of the infraction.

Note: If the infraction is inside the little Goal Box, a kick is NEVER taken inside that 
box. It is placed on the Goal Box line, closest to where the infraction occurred.

Goal or NO Goal?        

Sometimes the Goal Nets are not secured properly. If there is a hole in the net, it’s 
often hard to tell if the ball went in the Goal or NOT. It flies right through and may 
trick you into thinking the shot was missed. 

Center Referees should always look to their LinesHumans, before making the call … 
Goal or No Goal … Goal Kick or Corner Kick. LinesHumans  should always be in 
position to ensure the correct call and Center Refs should ALWAYS verify with 
LinesHumans, after any “close call” on Goal. 

If your call was misunderstood, you’ll know immediately, by where the 
Center Referee restarts play. If the Referee restarts play improperly for the play, 
do whatever you have to, to get the Referees attention and correct it! 

The proper LinesHuman signal for a Goooaaaaaalllllll … Run up the sideline, towards 
Center Field, flag in front of you – at a 45 degree  angle from the ground, until the 
Center Ref sees you. If it’s No Goal, signal Goal Kick or Corner Kick.

NO Heading the Ball Rule Change ***Except for 17U        

DO NOT STOP PLAY – DO NOT STOP PLAY – DO NOT STOP PLAY

This is a New Rule, implemented by US Soccer, to reduce potential concussions.

They have not issued any guidelines yet, and won’t for another 30 days. Each City is
however, implementing the rule immediately, with the following procedure.

DO NOT STOP PLAY – DO NOT STOP PLAY – DO NOT STOP PLAY

Have your Pre-Game meeting with the Coaches, and inform them that there is to be
no Heading of the Ball. This will allow them to inform their Players before the start of 
the game. Also inform them that we will be reminding Players NOT to Head the ball … 
every time they do it.        

DO NOT STOP PLAY – DO NOT STOP PLAY – DO NOT STOP PLAY

We don’t stop play and there is no penalty issued … just remind them. 
If they persist in Heading the Ball after multiple “reminders”, the Coach will be given 
a Final Warning, and if it happens again …  the Player will sit out the remainder of 
the quarter. The Opposing Coach will choose the replacement Player.

It is extremely important that we enforce this new rule, for the safety of the Players, 
and to protect us and the City from legal complications. Please do not take this lightly.

It is also important that we treat this new rule with respect. Most of us who play and
love soccer will object to this rule, as it has a dramatic impact on the game. You can 
expect Coaches and Players to object to it as well. Please keep your calm, as it is a 
natural reaction and please, keep your “opinions” to yourself. Do your best to act like
you support it as an important safety measure to protect the kids. We can’t change it, 
but we can and should support its purpose. We are Professionals!!!!!

Kick-Offs MUST Clear Neutral Zone. Kick-Offs MUST clear the 10 yard Neutral Zone, before being downed, 
unless touched by the Receiving Team first. If they kick short, Re-Do the Kick-Off. If the Receiving Team touches 
it, ignore the infraction. Yes, it's supposed to be an Illegal Kick and a 10 yard Penalty, but only apply the Penalty, 
if they continually (disrespectfully) kick short. I'm seeing Coaches strategically utilize this, which means we haven't 
been calling it. We need to call this consistently.

The staff at the scorers table, has been doing a good job of honoring our request, to log time-outs and the score 
on the game sheet. Please, let them know that we appreciate it.

Referee Uniform
Please, make sure you have your Complete Uniform, for every game. 
Put your Whistle-Flags-Beanbags-Hat, in a bag or backpack, all together, so you can Grab It and Go! 
Remember.... You can be FINED for improper uniform. I don't want to have to do that!!!!     
Come looking sharp and ready!!!!

Kick-Offs & Punts Received or Landing in End Zone

We now have an Official Rule in place. On a Kick-Off or Punt, If Received in the End Zone, it CanNot be
Returned and is an Automatic Touchback. Receiving Team's ball on the 14 Yard Line. 

Try - PAT - Extra Point(s) 
         
         Try begins when the ball is marked ready for play. 
         
         Try ends when 
         Defense secures possession, 
         The Try is successful, 
         or the ball becomes dead by Rule.
         
         Note the wording ... "Becomes Dead". When a Dead Ball Foul is called, the ball is already Dead, 
         therefore it must BECOME Dead to end the TRY.
         
         If either team commits a dead ball foul, following a touchdown and prior to the initial ready for play 
         on a Try, the offended team has the option of enforcing the penalty on the Try, or after the Try, 
         at the succeeding spot. (Succeeding Spot would be the Kick Off)
         
         If there is a foul by the Offense(other than Un-Sportsmanlike or non-player) during a down which results in 
         a successful Try, acceptance of the penalty nullifies the score. 
         If that foul carries a Loss of Down, the Try is not replayed. 
         Loss of Down Fouls = Illegal Pass
                                           Illegally Secured/Tampered With Flag/Belt
                                           Intentionally Throwing a Backward Pass or Fumble Out-Of-Bounds 
                                           Intentional Grounding
         
         C. If there is a foul by the Defense during a successful Try, the penalty may be enforced at the succeeding 
             spot. (Succeeding Spot would be the Kick Off)
         
         D. If a double foul occurs, the down is replayed.

When Coaches ask rules or play questions, I give them precise, detailed answers. If they are asking, chances are, 
it'll come up in games. We need to be prepared for it and all be on the same page. We also have to be prepared 
for how they'll interpret it and for the famous "But Dave Said", which often is what they think I meant, rather than 
what I actually said! With that in mind, I will be posting that information in the Referee Locker Room, so you have 
the same information. Please check here regularly, and feel free to share it with Coaches when it comes up in games. 
It'll make us better, more knowledgeable Referees and we can help Coaches understand better. This will make the 
games more fun and interesting, with a few less "disputes" and testosterone moments!

Coaches Question: Can we have a Player in Motion?
Answer: Yes, but it's a little complicated! Yikes! Please click this link for the details > Motion & Shift Rules

Glasses and Safety Goggles MUST BE SECURED
Please watch for Glasses without Lanyards to secure them. Glasses must be secured for safety reasons. 
If they are not secured, they need to take them off or get them secured. They cannot play with them on, unless 
they are secured. The same goes for Safety Goggles. Also remember, they can't play with Sunglasses, unless they 
are prescription, and again, they must be secured!!!!!We must all enforce this

Don't Get Bum Rushed on YOUR Court                                                                   July 26, 2015
What's up with the pink background? It's a hint!!! Don't be afraid to use your T's to keep Coaches and Spectators 
OFF OFF THE COURTS. These games are notorious for getting CRAZY! Warn them at the start of the game, that 
you are NOT going to allow anybody on the court or to interfere with the game. Suggest that they inform their 
sideline posse; that you are serious and remind them that T's mean free shots that could change the game. If you 
see somebodies narrow behind on your court inappropriately ... "T" 'em UP! Give them a courtesy warning ... 
"Next One's a T Coach" ... and on the next one ... Keep Your Promise & DO IT! They'll get the joke:) 
By the way ... the majority of people expect it and wish you would do it, so they can enjoy the game, without 
the DRAMA!

Tournament Games are here! It’s going to be intense!       July 19, 2015
If your game has a blue background for the division or age group, it’s a Tournament Game. These games will be 
beyond intense and will become more intense as you get closer to the end of the game. The OverTimes will be 
CRAZY with excitement. Just keep your cool and stay focused. It’s perfectly natural. 
Don’t  let the insanity overwhelm you. 

Remember:
         1) These games cannot end in a tie. We MUST have a Winner, so we have to implement OverTimes until 
             a winner is determined ... A many as it takes.          
         2) Each OverTime is 2 Minutes
         3) All OverTimes are started with a REAL Jump Ball
         4) Full Court Press is allowed, in all divisions, throughout OverTime Periods
         5) Clock Stops throughout the OverTimes, just like the last 2 minutes of the halves 
         6) OverTimes are an extension of the 4th quarter, with one extra 30 second Time Out added. 
         That means that; the Foul Counts and TimeOuts continue from the 4th quarter on, till the end of the 
         match.
         7) Coaches can only substitute at the beginning of an OverTime but, NOT  during that OverTime. There 
             are no restrictions as to who they play. (Of course, they have to be on the TEAM ROSTER ... Duh!)         
         8) When issuing Tech’s for Spectator interference, (even though the HS rules say we’re supposed to) 
             Try NOT TO tech the same Coach twice, unless absolutely necessary.  It is a Bench Tech. Spread those 
             Tech’s out, to avoid Coach ejection(s).

At the start of the game, make sure you have your pre-game meeting, to let the Coaches know that; if it gets out 
of hand, you’ll be issuing warnings and that you have no problems issuing Tech’s! That includes Coach, Player & 
Spectator interference. Suggest that they might want to inform their Parents/Spectators, because you don’t want to 
be forced to issue unnecessary Tech’s. Say it with a smile … but with conviction, and follow through with it. Don’t 
wait till the game 
is out of control though. As soon as you see the game starting to get stupid … start issuing warnings, and if 
ignored, don’t be afraid to issue a Tech. If you set the stage early and they see that you are serious, early on, 
you’ll have a much more controllable game. Stay calm and in control. YOU Control the INSANITY! 
Don’t let the INSANITY Control YOU!

InBounding the Ball – Spot closest to the Infraction                  July 19, 2015
When inbounding the ball, I’m seeing waaaayyyyy to many incorrect procedures. 
I do understand that this is the result of seeing it so often, even with seasoned Officials, but Let’s Clear this Up! 
The ball is to be inbounded at the out of bounds spot, closest to the infraction. I’m seeing the ball being given to 
Players, several yards away (some in a completely different zip code?), from where the infraction occurs. 
That gives one team an advantage we shouldn’t be giving them. Please make this your mission, to do it correctly. 

Also, remember that, 
         1) Defenders CANNOT penetrate the boundary line during a throw in. If they do, you issue a warning and 
             encourage them to stop & respect the rule! If they do it again, it is a Technical Foul … 
                             (Delay of Game or Un-sportsmanlike Conduct). (2 Shots + ball at half court). 
         2) If they reach through and touch or dislodge the ball, it is an Intentional Foul and a Tech is awarded. 
                                                         (2 Shots + ball at half court) 
         3) If they touch the Player, it is a Personal Foul, treated in the same manner as a Personal Foul
         4) On courts where there is no room for a Player to implement a Free Throw, back defenders off a bit, to 
             allow reasonable distance to implement a Free Throw. 

Technical Fouls and Your Game Management Friend            July 19, 2015
You have to be a sadomasochist to enjoy issuing Technical Fouls. We all hate doing it but, we need to do it when 
the situation clearly calls for it. Now, I’m not implying that we get on some sick & twisted power trip with T’s. 
That’d be cruel. I am expecting that we issue them when it’s appropriate. Keep in mind too, the Tech you don’t call 
today, becomes the next Referees problem in future games. Chances are also good … that Referee may be you!!!! 
Also be aware that; as the season progresses, the naughty behavior becomes acceptable in everyone’s eyes and 
escalates, and it becomes more difficult to close Pandora ’s Box, especially at Tournament time. As with most of the 
rules, Technical Fouls are in place to keep the game under control, maintain the games pace and to ensure a 
“Safe Experience”. If we fail to call them appropriately, Players, Coaches & Spectators  feel entitled to say and do 
whatever they want, with no consequence. They get braver and braver, and braver, and common sense goes out the 
window. That’s how most fights and confrontations get started. Don’t be afraid to throw a T.

When do I issue a T you ask?

When you’re in the middle of a game, turn around and there’s a Coach or Spectator standing behind you on the 
court, questioning your call or screaming at you … Instant T .... No Ice Cubes!

When a Coach is badgering you about a call … Think T. Remember, the Coach is ONLY supposed to talk to you at a 
stoppage of play and ONLY the Head Coach ... NOT the Rest of His posse!

A Threat of ANY KIND! That's a T BABY and should be an EJECTION!

When a Coach says “You Suck”, “Call it BOTH Ways Ref”,  "What! Are you blind?” or something about your mama …
Think Tech.

When a Spectator is “Teaching you how to Ref … their way, or Coaching like crazy from the bleachers … think Tech.

When a Player or Coach curses … don’t think … just  Tech. No questions (or Discussion).

When 2 Players start talking too much smack, have a tantrum or start shoving on each other … Here’s Your Tech!!!!!

You get the idea. If they’re disrespecting you, any participant,  a Player, the property or the game, it’s Tech Time. 
Issuing Technical Fouls - when deserved, keeps the game under control, significantly reduces aggressive tendencies 
and violent outbursts, allowing you to focus more on your game, and a whole lot less on babysitting!

When it comes to T’s … if they earned it … they deserve it. Give ‘em what they deserve! They’ll certainly think twice 
before doing it again. It WORKS! 

Free Throws                                                                   July 5, 2015
If you're looking up at the Basket, what are the Players Doing? Focus ON Players! Make sure Players are lined up 
correctly and the Players behind the Shooter are back far enough.  Give the Shooter the ball. Now, focus on the 
Players. Are they staying in their Lane (Arms, Legs & All Other Body Parts) or are they busy "fondling" their opponent. 
Don't let 'em cheat! A quick and loud reminder to keep their paws to themselves is a great idea here ... a HAPPY 
whistle for a Lane Violation, if they choose to ignore your kind warning. Upon the Release of the Ball - Lane Players 
may enter the Key. You'll see this with your peripheral vision, as you turn your focus to ensuring that the Shooter 
doesn't stomp on or over the line or "jump the gun". He and the antsy back field guys, have to wait till the ball hits 
the rim or backboard! When you hear it hit, that's when you look up at the basket ... but only for a split second, 
cause all **** is going to break loose, as everybody dives in for the rebound. 
We wouldn't want to miss any calls!!!! 

How Many Coaches???                                                                                          July 5, 2015
No Matter What they TRY 2 Tell You ...                    
Only 2, Only 2, Only 2 Coaches are allowed in the Team Area. Can't Start the Game if there's More! 
If you see more that 2 at any time, at the next stoppage of play, ask them to reduce to 2, so you can continue the 
game. If they refuse, explain that you don't want to have to "T" up the bench and issue shots. If that doesn't get 
the job done ... "Deuces!" ... "T" 'em up! Most have more coaches but only 2 are allowed in the team area, 
and they are the ONLY ones Allowed 2 Coach! All other Coaches must be in the Spectator section and 
cannot Coach from there. The Coaches may rotate and join in for Time Outs & Half Time, but the remaining 
Coaches MUST honorably return and act as Spectators. Remember 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 and don't text me:)

Help Keep Games ON SCHEDULE! Be Proactive.                                         July 5, 2015
Don't rely on the Scorer's Table. If left up to Coaches, they'll take as much time as they can get, or you allow. 
Generally, they're so caught up in what they are doing, they're not even aware. Help 'em out!
Start Games On Time. They do need a little warm up time, but don't delay too much. Don't wait till time is up to 
let the Coaches know it's time to start getting Players into position. 30 Seconds before YOU want to start the game, 
inform the Coaches they only have 30 Seconds. Time Outs are 30 or 60 Seconds, not 1 or 2 or 10 Minutes. 
Most time outs are lasting more than the allotted time. 15 Seconds before any Time Out is up, inform the Coaches 
that you're getting ready to start. If they ignore you, remind them (with a smile) that it's a Delay of Game 
Violation and that you're really not in the mood to give out silly Tech's and shots.  (even if you really are)

Overtime                                                                                 July 12, 2015
ALL Overtimes are 2 Minutes and start with a Jump Ball. It is an extension of the previous quarter with 1 additional 
Time Out. In Regular Season Games that end in a tie, there is only 1 Over Time. If it's still Tied after one overtime, 
Game Ends in a TIE. Tournament Games are a little different. In Tournament Games WE MUST HAVE A WINNER. 
Until the Tie is Broken ... We keep on doin OverTimes. Again, each OverTime is 2 Minutes and ALL Start with a 
Jump Ball. Yup! Even if it goes all night:)