Tripping on purpose should be an automatic report.

I don't know what dom comp your son plays for .. but I've seen dirty play from a player we come against from regularly. He has elbowed my son's face in a dead ball scenario & lifted his knee as one of my son's teammates were dribbling down the court at speed. This sent our guy A over T & into a tumble that looked ominous for a while. Yet he gets away with dirty play like this as well as charge calls that he should have.

But be careful how you approach this. At the end of the game where he elbowed my son, I approached the ref & was very upset about the lack of duty of care.. I got reported for my troubles.

In short .... approach your son's club formally to complain.

This is an interesting topic. I copped a knee to the ribs last week when I was defending straight up and someone stuck out their knee and got me good in the ribs. I subbed out and haven't played since. I Might have a bruised/cracked or even broken rib although haven't got a x Ray or ct scan to find out.

Got me thinking though. About what type of foul it should have been. I think my conclusion was that it was probably just an offensive foul, if anything. But he got me more on the side than the chest end of the ribs, and although I was in defensive position it wasn't *super hard* contact, more just an unlucky angle for me I think...

But on the other hand, sticking out a knee is a dirty play so I'd actually like to see a ref warn anyone who does it, and offer to call an unsportsmanlike if they re offend. It just seems odd and inconsistent that we have automatic free throws for fast break clear passage fouls, and a hard hit on the ball can be called an unsportsmanlike if there's enough contact, yet sticking out a knee when shooting is unlikely to result in the same.

Huh??

I agree with the idea of calling unsportsmanlike fouls for a knee raised deliberately, deliberate elbow to the face, deliberate tripping, etc. Sadly, few refs have the confidence to call it, and if there's any chance of having to front a tribunal then they'll probably back off and not call it.

It's obvious some of the contributors here don't have kids. My son has a pin inserted because of a dick-head, I've had to pick a kid up after he was sent into the back wall on a layup and seen his badly-broken arm flopping, I've had to help kids off after they've done their knee due to dickheads hitting them from the side or taking them out in mid-air.

In short, if you don't have kids and don't know what you're talking about, leave the blogging to those who care enough and have the experience. Contribute in order to help others, not because you have an ego problem.

Our referee's are not really equipt, educated, supported enough on the importance of where to allow contact. Two hands on blow a whistle joey, kid going up for a layup mid air and defender moving into his space causing kid to tumble to the floor dangerously = no call.

There is a reason defenders in the NBA give up on defending when they are a not in a true defensive stance.

TOTALLY lay blame at COACHES for not teaching and educating their players on the art of safe defence, but the referee is needs to blow the whistle.

Anon 994 (nice to see you can't even put on a username)


I failed to see what that crack about the daughter was all about.

If its because I mentioned my "son" or the OP's "son" .. it'll be because its in context.

Don't pretend that you're bright.

Isn't it a technical or unsportsmanlike foul if you are not actually playing at the ball?

I have seen an unsportsmanlike foul given when a player places two hands on an opponent and gently pushes them out of bounds, so I would have thought a deliberate trip was at least worth an unsportsmalike.

Weird...

Anon^, I have seen a trip on court too and I agree, it is always called a foul, not unsportsmanlike, however in my opinion I will agree with you that in essence it is just that.

Now we have identified a problem, what do we do about it?

I suggest if it is an issue you have observed at your local Association you write in and let the committee know about it.

If you get no answer, I would ask to speak directly with the referee supervisor or write to the head referee coach if there is such a position there, or at least that equivalent.

I am not a referee, but I must admit next time I see one I will ask the question too, just to see what the answer should be...

If I mentioned only sons it was because the the incidents that I brought up & the OP brought up had the commonality of sons being involved.

Of course the same course of action should be taken regardless of gender.


I enjoy a good joke.. so post something funny & I'll larf.