Question Number: 31330

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 3/9/2017

RE: Rec High School

Salvador Flores of Indianapolis, IN USA asks...

So if a player gets the ball from an opponent but also he pushes or trips the player at the same time, is it a considered a foul?

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Salvador,
If a player pushes or trips a player, this is a foul under NFHS rules. It doesn't matter if the player gets the ball as well - in fact one of the easiest ways to win the ball, is to foul the player in order to do so.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Salvador,
A foul occurs if in the opinion of the referee he sees it as such!
A push is a foul as is a trip .
You can not do either to win the ball or away from the ball but a coming together in a challenge can cause an opponent can be knocked over by a fair charge or fall over the ball or run into the player who checks him off the ball which is NOT a foul.

The opponent can be deprived off the ball unfairly, which is a foul if the action performed was done in a careless, reckless or excessive manner where a referee sees the action as a trip or tackle or charge or push that is the cause of the effect . Not that a fall is a result. The old adage ,I got the ball ref, does not guarantee no foul but it is a prerequisite to not be a foul that the player is not contacted unfairly or unsafely.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Salvador
Players will often say * But I got the ball ref*. Winning the ball is not the only consideration. How the ball is won in the challenge is every bit as important. So if a player has to push, trip an opponent to do so it is a foul.
Now that should not be confused with situations that are comings together of players. The game allows for certain contact between players. For instance a clean slide tackle can result in the ball being played cleanly first and then the opponent falls / trips over the tackler. That is not a foul. However in the same instance the tackler trips the opponent first, then plays the ball that is a foul. May look alike yet significantly different. Recognising the difference is the referee skill of foul recognition.