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Post by cobrien18 on May 11, 2015 23:37:34 GMT -6
3.4.1.3 Trapping- If a Target catches a directly thrown ball, simultaneously, with both their body and any surface of the court, it is deemed a trap. No player is out, no player is in.
3.4.1.3.4 Officials are advised to call a Trap unless the situation clearly dictates otherwise.
Traps are some of the closest plays in our league. It is often difficult to determine whether the ball was caught clean or with the help of the ground, which is why the trap rule is in place. The second part of the rule mentioned even calls for a decision of a trap call when the referee is in doubt. However, I feel that one type of play is called a trap incorrectly and far too frequently.
The play in question is when a throw is low towards the target's feet. The ball initially makes contact with the target's hands as he lowers his hands downward. The target then gains control of the ball once the ball has reached the floor. The way I would describe this action is the target pushes the ball downward and then "traps" it with the aid of the ground. This play is almost always called a trap. However, the target did not catch the ball simultaneously with their hands and the ground, as the rule would dictate for a trap to be called. Instead, the ball first hit their hands and then possession was gained after the target pushed the ball down and it hit the ground. I feel this play should be ruled as the target is out and not a trap, and if you all agree we could either make this a point of emphasis or add an additional rule for clarity.
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Post by peters27 on May 12, 2015 8:56:26 GMT -6
The problem with that is that it's much easier for a referee in that split second to rule it to be a trap vs seeing that the ball hit their hand first and then they pinned it against the ground. Generally more people are fine with it being ruled a trap as well and moving on than if a referee makes a call one way or the other.
I think by trying to move toward what you're saying and placing a higher emphasis on saying it hit their hand and then the ground, you're going to have referees calling players out for hits that were actually traps. Of course this would result in the game speeding up a bit with these types of calls happening and players that would normally be staying in, going out..
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Post by cobrien18 on May 12, 2015 13:22:58 GMT -6
The biggest indicator for whether this situation occurred or not is hand placement. If the target's hands are under the ball and they are able to lift the ball up immediately, I agree that trap is the correct ball. But in my mind far too often a trap is called when the player's hands are on top of the ball and thus pinned it against the ground in the situation I described above. To me, that isn't a trap.
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Post by Zigmister on May 12, 2015 13:35:24 GMT -6
When this happens to me, if I can prove in my minds eye that it hands first then secured on the ground, i'll often call it as an out as it's not a simultaneous Trap. Or look across the Court to the other Asst Ref to get a confirmation on what they thought. There's an internal metronome to every Official, that "instantaneousaity" will range and the Official's interpretation will base because of that.
This might be a good addition to the Casebook. When teaching new refs about certain cases, and new players about this instance (it comes up some of the time when talking about traps) the point of the rule is that it has to be "at the same time". If you can prove to yourself that it hit hands, then hit floor, and it didn't happen in that instantaneous period, the Target is out because they failed to make a clean Catch.
I believe that 3.4.1.3.4 should remain. In many cases its a bit fairer to determine that something really close is a trap over calling someone out without sufficient evidence. It's the Target's duty to go out if they got hit. It's the Official's job to make that call if the Target can't or didn't follow the rule.
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