Loose Ball Crosses Midfield On Clear

Discuss the rules of the game & the world of officiating.

Loose Ball Crosses Midfield On Clear

Postby laxref53 on Mon Feb 04, 2008 12:12 pm

Team A has ball in their defensive half of field. A1 passes ball across midfield line.

1. Does 20-second count stop when ball touches ground/player or as it crosses midfield in the air?

2. When does 10-second count begin-- when ball touches the ground or a player-- or when possession is gained by team A?

My recollection from the NCAA clinic in Philly was:

1. When the ball crosses-- period.

2. This one is tougher-- NCAA Rule 4-14 states the 10-second count begins once the team has possession. I seem to recall that, in Philly, they wanted to have the count begin once the ball touched ground/player-- at least that is what I have in my notes.
laxref53
Water Boy
Water Boy
 
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Apr 05, 2006 11:27 am


Postby Sonny on Mon Feb 04, 2008 12:36 pm

Your answer to # 1 is correct.

I don't know what the A.R. is on question # 2. Good question.
Webmaster
Image
Image
User avatar
Sonny
Site Admin
Site Admin
 
Posts: 8183
Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2005 3:18 pm
Location: Atlanta, GA

Re: Loose Ball Crosses Midfield On Clear

Postby LaxRef on Mon Feb 04, 2008 12:37 pm

laxref53 wrote:Team A has ball in their defensive half of field. A1 passes ball across midfield line.

1. Does 20-second count stop when ball touches ground/player or as it crosses midfield in the air?

2. When does 10-second count begin-- when ball touches the ground or a player-- or when possession is gained by team A?

My recollection from the NCAA clinic in Philly was:

1. When the ball crosses-- period.

2. This one is tougher-- NCAA Rule 4-14 states the 10-second count begins once the team has possession. I seem to recall that, in Philly, they wanted to have the count begin once the ball touched ground/player-- at least that is what I have in my notes.


1. Ball technically has to touch something (midline, ground in offensive end, or a player in the offensive end) to end the 20-count, but when the ball is in flight and over midfield it's a pretty tough call to make at that point. It was unofficially suggested that when that ball is in flight over midfield might be a good time to shut off your timer.

FWIW, the rules say the count continues until, among other things:

NCAA Rule 4-13 wrote:c. A loose ball touches the ground on or across the center line.


but we've been told to interpret hitting a player in the offensive end as stopping the count as well.

2. There should be a bulletin on this soon, but there is now always either a 10- or 20-count going unless the ball is in the attack area or unless it is before possession on a face-off. Thus, when a 20-count ends anew count always begins (normally a 10-count, although it could be a 20 if, say, GK B1 throws a Gilman pass intercepted by A1 in A1's defensive end; there, you end Team B's 20 and start a 20 for Team A).
-LaxRef
User avatar
LaxRef
All-America
All-America
 
Posts: 1381
Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 7:18 am

Re: Loose Ball Crosses Midfield On Clear

Postby Sonny on Mon Feb 04, 2008 12:58 pm

LaxRef wrote: It was unofficially suggested that when that ball is in flight over midfield might be a good time to shut off your timer.


I think we were officially told to do just that. Didn't Warren Kimber actually tell us to turn off our buzzer once the ball is in flight toward/beyond the midfield stripe?
Webmaster
Image
Image
User avatar
Sonny
Site Admin
Site Admin
 
Posts: 8183
Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2005 3:18 pm
Location: Atlanta, GA

Re: Loose Ball Crosses Midfield On Clear

Postby LaxRef on Mon Feb 04, 2008 2:05 pm

Sonny wrote:
LaxRef wrote: It was unofficially suggested that when that ball is in flight over midfield might be a good time to shut off your timer.


I think we were officially told to do just that. Didn't Warren Kimber actually tell us to turn off our buzzer once the ball is in flight toward/beyond the midfield stripe?


You are probably right. I didn't want to overstate the situation since I haven't seen it in writing. Those "word of mouth" things can get us into trouble if we aren't careful.
-LaxRef
User avatar
LaxRef
All-America
All-America
 
Posts: 1381
Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 7:18 am

Re: Loose Ball Crosses Midfield On Clear

Postby Sonny on Mon Feb 04, 2008 2:18 pm

LaxRef wrote: You are probably right. I didn't want to overstate the situation since I haven't seen it in writing. Those "word of mouth" things can get us into trouble if we aren't careful.


Great point.

Hopefully, we will get some A.R.'s on this soon!
Webmaster
Image
Image
User avatar
Sonny
Site Admin
Site Admin
 
Posts: 8183
Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2005 3:18 pm
Location: Atlanta, GA

Postby laxfan25 on Mon Feb 04, 2008 3:59 pm

I just took the online COC test, and this was one of the questions:

The 20-second count for advancing the ball beyond the center line will continue until:
a. A loose ball touches the ground on the midfield line.
b. A loose ball touches the ground across the midfield line.
c. A loose ball breaks the plane of the midfield line.
d. Answers (a) and (b).

I had to look it up to make sure what the book said, and I answered D. By the book, the ball (or ball carrier) has to touch the ground on or over the midline, but the smart mechanic is to use the plane - youll catch a lot less grief that way. The same ruling and principle applied for teams advancing the ball into the attack area.

And I concur that the 10 count begins as soon as the 20 stops - no need for possession anymore.
User avatar
laxfan25
Scoop, Cradle, & Rock!
Scoop, Cradle, & Rock!
 
Posts: 1952
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2005 12:06 pm

Postby LaxRef on Mon Feb 04, 2008 4:58 pm

laxfan25 wrote:The 20-second count for advancing the ball beyond the center line will continue until:
a. A loose ball touches the ground on the midfield line.
b. A loose ball touches the ground across the midfield line.
c. A loose ball breaks the plane of the midfield line.
d. Answers (a) and (b).


I wish whoever writes these questions would stop writing them like this. The question as written is flawed, since there are other things that stop the count. A corrected version without this flaw would be:

laxfan25 wrote:The 20-second count for advancing the ball beyond the center line will stop if:
a. A loose ball touches the ground on the midfield line.
b. A loose ball touches the ground across the midfield line.
c. A loose ball breaks the plane of the midfield line.
d. Answers (a) and (b).


The NFHS test last year was littered with errors like this.
-LaxRef
User avatar
LaxRef
All-America
All-America
 
Posts: 1381
Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 7:18 am

Postby shrekjr on Tue Feb 05, 2008 2:45 am

laxfan25 wrote:I just took the online COC test, and this was one of the questions:

Hey, real quick if you don't mind, what did you get for the other 99 answers? :wink:
User avatar
shrekjr
Old ugly deaf blind ref
Old ugly deaf blind ref
 
Posts: 718
Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2005 1:40 am
Location: Texas

Postby laxfan25 on Tue Feb 05, 2008 8:50 am

shrekjr wrote:
laxfan25 wrote:I just took the online COC test, and this was one of the questions:

Hey, real quick if you don't mind, what did you get for the other 99 answers? :wink:

100%!
User avatar
laxfan25
Scoop, Cradle, & Rock!
Scoop, Cradle, & Rock!
 
Posts: 1952
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2005 12:06 pm


Return to Lacrosse Rules & Officiating

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests


cron