Question Number: 15700

Law 15 - Throw In 6/4/2007

RE: Competitive Under 14

Aubrey Waddell of Maryville, TN USA asks...

I was AR in a recent U13 girls competitive tournament game. Very cleanly played game by both sides, except for one questionable behavior. One team had a routine that they performed on every throw-in. Whichever young lady for this team took the throw, she would start about five yards back of the throwing spot, come running hard forward, pull the ball back over her head, stop at the throwing spot, and perform a furiously hard fake throw, followed by quickly pulling the ball back over her head and executing a throw in a completely different direction. All aspects of these throws were within LOTG. Is such a fake throw considered within the LOTG or is it considered unsporting behavior?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Unless the team wastes time doing this nothing is wrong except their ability to take a "real" throw-in insetad of a "coach" throw-in. Cutsie trick, but nothing untoward.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

Nothing is illegal about this per se. Though, this sounds like a silly tactic.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Sounds amazingly stupid but perfectly legal unless they feint so many times they're wasting time