possession after a shot

[BigheadTodd]

saw a game on TV today, and made me wonder... i know possession goes to whoever is closest when it goes out. does the player have to be inbounds? shot riccochets high, attackman runs to the endline and actually beats the ball there. Does he get it or the player closest that is inbounds?

[onpoint]

It is awarded to the closest IN BOUNDS player to the ball at the time it goes out of bounds.

[LaxRef]

It is awarded to the closest IN BOUNDS player to the ball at the time it goes out of bounds.

Correct. And if you have to make this call, you really have to sell it hard because no one knows what the heck is going on. All they see is that that attackman was right there. I'll signal possession to the other team, then point at the attackman and then sweep my arms toward OOB to try to communicate why I'm making that call.

I've only had to call this a few times, but it does come up.

[Danny Hogan]

is "in bounds" defined the same for loose ball situations? does 1 foot count?

[LaxRef]

is "in bounds" defined the same for loose ball situations? does 1 foot count?

It most certainly does not. And once you're out of bounds, you need to establish yourself back in bounds (no body part touching OOB and some body part touching in bounds).

[Shawn Carman]

I have a question that is on the basis of this.

When Team A shoots the ball and both Team A Attack Player and Team B Defensive Player chase the ball out of bounds each team races to be closest to the ball when it goes out.

When the ball goes out and Team A's Attack player is closer but Team B's Defensive player out reaches his stick past the attack player. Does the official award possession to -
1.) Physical body that is closest
2.) Out reached stick that is closest
3.) Furthest out reached arm (body part) that is closest (reasoning behind stick being reached out)

[`MM9]

I have a question that is on the basis of this.

When Team A shoots the ball and both Team A Attack Player and Team B Defensive Player chase the ball out of bounds each team races to be closest to the ball when it goes out.

When the ball goes out and Team A's Attack player is closer but Team B's Defensive player out reaches his stick past the attack player. Does the official award possession to -
1.) Physical body that is closest
2.) Out reached stick that is closest
3.) Furthest out reached arm (body part) that is closest (reasoning behind stick being reached out)

player whose body is closest to the spot where the ball went out of bounds is awarded possesion.

[Shawn Carman]

Does that include an outreached arm.

[laxfan25]

Having made this call for 22 years, I go by the torso, disregarding outstretched appendages and sticks. (I learned this after reffing games where John Holmes was playing).
That being said, MinesGoalie had the torso advantage, he just had trouble moving it as quickly as his slimmer opponents!

[GrayBear]

reffing games where John Holmes was playing

**rimshot**

[wheelz33]

Having made this call for 22 years, I go by the torso, disregarding outstretched appendages and sticks. (I learned this after reffing games where John Holmes was playing).
That being said, MinesGoalie had the torso advantage, he just had trouble moving it as quickly as his slimmer opponents!

What would you do for a player diving? Head count as the torso??

[LaxRef]

Having made this call for 22 years, I go by the torso, disregarding outstretched appendages and sticks. (I learned this after reffing games where John Holmes was playing).
That being said, MinesGoalie had the torso advantage, he just had trouble moving it as quickly as his slimmer opponents!

What would you do for a player diving? Head count as the torso??

The rule does not mention the torso, but the "player." The head is part of the player and—while sometimes the body (hands) are part of the stick—the stick is never part of the player. That's why the arm counts but the sitck doesn't.

But officials will often call the torso and not the arms because it can be tougher to judge the arms, which sometimes you can't even see because the torso is in the way!