Ball Handling

[TheGreatLineJudge]

PHargis made a great point on another thread about ball handling and the difference in how it's called across different areas. Knowing how threads always mushroom and morph into matters other than the topic, I'll get ahead of the curve and make my reply here.

 

West Tennessee and East Tennessee, as far as a I know, have a perception that they are "loose" compared to Middle Tennessee, and conversely, Middle TN is tight compared to the other two. There's several sides to this argument and a lot of different ways to prove each sides viewpoint. I'll throw a few points of contention out there, offer a bit of opinion, and let others throw in their two cents.

 

 

I believe that the heart of this controversy can be solved by observing the skill level of the individual player and what level of club ball they are accustomed to. Yes, I brought club into this purposely. Skill level of the player is now directly tied to how much training, as well as level of normal tournament play, that they receive at the club AND high school level.

 

This same issue is also directly tied to the officiating skill level observed on a regular basis. If a team is in a weak district and their competition is weak, they will likely be called for less (doesn't make the play any less or any more legal) because their competitor is more or less skilled. The referee quality is likely to be lower in such a situation, thus the referee may or may not know to call more or less. Likewise, with club ball (where applicable), if you are on the National team of a top club program and go to high level tournaments on a regular basis, not only are you likely to see strong competition, you will see strong referees, as the referees will be necessary for the playing level. Skilled referees know what to call and what not to call (and when to and when not to call it!) Subsequently, if you play for a non-National team or frequent tournaments that have player-officiated or coach-officiated or parent-officiated arrangements, you may see zero calls or you may see many horrific calls.

 

Either way you go about it, you will play up to or down to the level of your competition, as well as what you get called for or get away with.

 

Does this change what is or what should be legal or not legal? Not at all. Consider a general principle of judgment calls:

 

Match 1: Two strong teams play each other. Expect most errors to be called.

 

Match 2: One strong team plays one weak team. Expect the strong team's (assumed) few errors to be non-called and the weak team's (assumed) many errors to be called.

 

Match 3: Two weak teams play each other. Expect most errors to be called.

 

Why? For the two weak team and the two strong team matches, there is a relative advantage to the other team when an error is non-called. They are of comparable skill level and it is an error that either team could be relatively expected to make. However, with one weak and one strong, the comparative advantage is minimal. The ball handling problems will not pose so great a disadvantage that the strong team suffers when a weak team's double contact is non-called.

 

That's my opinion on the application of rules to a given situation. This is all relevant to a regular season match or regular season tournament where nothing significant is at stake. However, when you reach a district tournament or better, every non-call is a relative advantage/disadvantage because only the highest scoring team that night is permitted to move on.

 

May the great debate begin.

[oldsetter]

Wooohoo! The GLJ is back in the fray! /hungry.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":hungry:" border="0" alt="hungry.gif" />

 

 

I think simply you could compare ball handling to basketball officiating or baseball umpin'. Balls and strikes are subjective. Hand checking, palming the ball, and certain player contact are illegal, but may or may not be called based on the skill or preference of the officals. There is no right or wrong, but if you go to far from what 'needs' to be called in a game it can go bad fast. You have to establish a level early and stick to it the whole match. It may not be the same level from match to match or day to day and may not be what a patricular team likes, but there is a fairly large gray area on contact. Some consider anything but a perfect pass as illegal and some are on the opposite extreame. It is a skill that has to be developed. What to call and what not to call. I'd rather play than have to put up with driving the bus. /popcorneater.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":popcorneater:" border="0" alt="popcorneater.gif" /> IMHO

[bb317]

Wooohoo! The GLJ is back in the fray! /hungry.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":hungry:" border="0" alt="hungry.gif" />

 

 

I think simply you could compare ball handling to basketball officiating or baseball umpin'. Balls and strikes are subjective. Hand checking, palming the ball, and certain player contact are illegal, but may or may not be called based on the skill or preference of the officals. There is no right or wrong, but if you go to far from what 'needs' to be called in a game it can go bad fast. You have to establish a level early and stick to it the whole match. It may not be the same level from match to match or day to day and may not be what a patricular team likes, but there is a fairly large gray area on contact. Some consider anything but a perfect pass as illegal and some are on the opposite extreame. It is a skill that has to be developed. What to call and what not to call. I'd rather play than have to put up with driving the bus. /popcorneater.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":popcorneater:" border="0" alt="popcorneater.gif" /> IMHO

 

It seems to me most of the High School differences last year were the allowance of anything goes on the first ball in the East and Chattanooga area, to that being called much tighter in Middle Ten and I assume in West TN. As more and more of these kids play club ball passing serve receive with their hands is getting to be the norm.

 

In the college game for 2008, the second ball can be mauled and no call will be made as long as it is an "athletic" attempt at setting the ball... Just another subjective opp for the ref to deterine the game. Hopefully this won't trickle down to the high schools.

Day one of season 2008!!! Let's GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[jhoutsider]

It seems to me most of the High School differences last year were the allowance of anything goes on the first ball in the East and Chattanooga area, to that being called much tighter in Middle Ten and I assume in West TN. As more and more of these kids play club ball passing serve receive with their hands is getting to be the norm.

 

In the college game for 2008, the second ball can be mauled and no call will be made as long as it is an "athletic" attempt at setting the ball... Just another subjective opp for the ref to deterine the game. Hopefully this won't trickle down to the high schools.

Day one of season 2008!!! Let's GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

NOT THE KIND OF TOPIC TO STAY UP LONG.............

[oldsetter]

It seems to me most of the High School differences last year were the allowance of anything goes on the first ball in the East and Chattanooga area, to that being called much tighter in Middle Ten and I assume in West TN. As more and more of these kids play club ball passing serve receive with their hands is getting to be the norm.

 

In the college game for 2008, the second ball can be mauled and no call will be made as long as it is an "athletic" attempt at setting the ball... Just another subjective opp for the ref to deterine the game. Hopefully this won't trickle down to the high schools.

Day one of season 2008!!! Let's GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

 

I assure you this rule change is not looked on favorably by the officals. Any rule change will cause inconsistances as the officals adjust or try to. And no one likes change, except those that benifit from it or don't have to implement it.