Our league has the coaches ref as well. Is it typical to call a game as if it were a high school contest or is it common practice to allow travels, double dribbles that dont give the player a real advantage-Thanks for a great site

At that age it could be a whistle contest..... If it were me, I would just want them to be able to have some sort of flow.... NOT beating on each other and blatanly travelling ... maybe do some "preventive" officiating... telling them what they are doing wrong as the game continues? Varsity refs will say things like "get out of the lane, hands off etc."

First, at that age, it is almost impossible to find the perfect balance. You don't want a whistle contest, but at the same time you do want to teach the kids how to play. My thought is that it has to be worked out with the coaches, the league and the refs. Start the season lienient and get tougher as the kids get more experience. Certainly you need to call the blantent stuff, but the problem always comes up about a travel or double dribble in the back court (with no defense). I'd let it go at the begining. I would focus more on physical fouls -- especially at the younger ages as they tend to mob each other.

The problem with not calling a close game is that the kids never learn to play properly. I have a kid this year who is really playing football out there, not basketball. He was never called for it last year. My projection is this year (new level) he'll foul out in the first quarter. How else will he learn. Good luck.

I coached 1-2 grade last year and the coaches were the refs. I tried to call every single travel, double dribble, whatever from the early stages and I tended to harp on my own team about these things in practice. Towards the end of the season I found myself having to blow the whistle in games less and less.

This year I have 3-4 grade and we have paid officials. Game 1 we had a pretty good ref, she was even calling 3 seconds a few times, but she called nearly every travel, double dribble, foul, etc.

Game 2, we had a ref that honestly could have had a blow pop on the end of his whistle lanyard because that's about all it was good for. Very phsyical game, bodies all over the place at times, constant double dribbles, travels, etc not called. Really upset me. We won the game but it kind of felt wrong.

The following practice I noticed those things that went uncalled were becoming our "style" of play, as far as the physicality and sloppyness. I decided to nip it right then. Gathered the troops and gave them a stern, but instructional, talk about the proper way to play defense, we move our feet, we dont stand straight up and try to bully our man, etc.

I'm all for physical defense, boxing out, getting after loose balls and everything, but things were on the verge of becoming a rugby game on a basketball court.

Mtomoletz, you nailed it. If the Refs. don't call a reasonable game the kids don't learn. So if a kid gets smacked in the face a few times, it might be a good idea to call a foul? One thing I found out, even though they are kids, they will take the "officiating" into their own hands if the Ref. isn't doing his job. Good luck.

Guys,

Thanks for the response. I think I have got a good feel for calling fouls, but the real issue is with conflicting ideas between coaches on calling traveling and double dribbles. One coach will call every player 2-4 grade regardless of skill on everything. I on the other hand will call it tight on the highly skilled to get them ready for the next level, and I am much more apt to let the new to the program kids slide on travels and double dribbles. I appreciate thoughts on how it is done in our members perspective leagues. Also, our league is boys and girls.