Netball: umpire

umpire DRILLS
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Use of the "advantage" call

Hi all, I would like some clarification regarding the "advantage" call which appears in the rules as follows%3A3.1.6 (viii) [The umpire] Shall refrain from blowing the whistle to penalise an infringement when by doing so the nonoffending team would be placed at a disadvantage. An umpire shall  call  â€œadvantage” to indicate an infringement has been observed and not penalised. Having blown the whistle for an infringement, the Umpire must award a penalty unless a goal is scored which is to the advantage of the non-offending team.  Recently I asked my netball centre why advantage was being called when the non-offending team had not been successful in passing or shooting the ball. The response was that the advantage call is made when the umpire believes that the player should have been able to get the ball away successfully. To my reading, the rule is quite clear that advantage is called only when the non-offending team would be disadvantaged by pulling the ball back to the infringement point. Even supposing both interpretations were valid, I am perplexed as to why a decision based on an objective question (has the player gotten the ball away successfully) is not favoured over a subjective question (does the umpire think the player should have gotten the ball away successfully).  For example, suppose a defending player contacts, obstructs or goes offside, and in doing so prevents the attacking player from making a safe pass, instead forcing an unsafe pass that is intercepted or a held ball. If "advantage" is called at the time of the offence, effectively the offending player's team gets an advantage from breaking the rules.  I'm sure I've seen the advantage pulled back to a penalty pass or shot at international level, but my YouTube searching has turned up nothing. I would appreciate any clarification of this rule, especially an explanation of why the subjective interpretation might be more fair, or any precedent for this being the correct interpretation. Cheers!

Archived User Coach

netball coach movements

can a netball coach move up and down outsidew court a few metres to encourage certain players while a game is in play

Archived User Coach

Intimidation?!

My GD was do face marking in a game and doing a fantastic job at blocking the GA entering the circle and not being able to shake her off, the umpire for the other team repeatedly called her for intimidation.To me it did not appear to be intimidation and the player herself umpires and sees this in many of the high level games. She is not pushing, no arms are used in fact it is the other players pushing into her. Is this intimidation I thought that was a pretty tough call. What constitutes as intimidation?

Archived User Coach

Rules question: Breaking on a centre pass... Can someone please clarify?

When going for the centre pass, as a WA I was taught to lose your player behind the transverse line then sprint to the line and as long as I was in the air (over the transverse line) and not grounded in the centre third when the whistle blew, I was not breaking... This used to work brilliantly and gave me a head start on my defender. However now it seems that just being in the air when the whistle is blown is considered breaking from the umpires point of view .......can someone please clarify the ruling on this?? Thanks

Archived User Coach

Help! I'm 14 and am umpiring my first game this weekend!

Hello. I am a 14 year old girl. I have never umpired before, and i am expected to umpire this weekend.  I will be starting on 10-12 year olds. As you can see i dont have much experience at umpiring and i am pretty nervous that im going to stuff up or call the wrong award for the infringment that occured. I have read the Netball Australia umpiring book but some of the words are too fomral for my liking, i dont quiet undertsand. ANY TIPS PLEASE?!

Archived User Coach

Stepping in the centre circle

My centre was penalised for stepping in the centre circle - she took her centre stance and after the whistle was blown she stepped out with one foot. I didnt think a centre had a 'landing foot' at a centre pass, providing both feet are in the circle when the whistle blows, but the umpire said when she returned to the circle she put her left foot in first so that became her landing foot even though play had not been started. I told her just to stay in the circle but I would like to know if the umpire was correct or if she had it wrong

Archived User Coach

Can the umpire award a penalty goal after time has gone?

Is it right that an umpire can award a penalty and a shot for goal after the hooter for time has blown, and that goal counts?

tracy Coach, New Zealand

Coaching juniors from the sidelines - can we communicate with players?

While coaching my 9-12 yr olds recently I was told by the nearest umpire that I was not allowed to call helpful tips out to my players while games is in play. Is this correct procedure for "Adult" games or was the umpire being a little strict for the age group?Thankyou Christina WA Coach

Christina Mills Coach, Australia

Contact ruling and short passes.

Now please correct me if Im wrong, but I played a game of netball today, and there was so much contact and obstruction that was not being picked up. Both teams were complaining about it, and when we asked the umpire why none of it was being picked up, she replied, that its only contact if you have complete possession of the ball. So basically if you do not have the ball you can push your player out the way and that isn't contact (by this state umpire....apparently) we were absolutely floored and were having a huge laugh at this. Is this what netball is coming to? I have never heard this before and would love for some opinions if i have completely got contact and obstruction wrong. Secondly, I have recently taught my U11s shooters to pass around the goal post for a back line throw in. My question is, what constitutes a short pass in this instance, as they apparently (I was on the opposite side of the court) didn't have much between their hands when they passed, but didn't get called and the umpire was right there. GF is this weekend and would hate for them to do it and get called, so just wanted to get some clarification from some of the umpiring gurus on here.

Lee-annes Netball Coach, Australia

Contact on the Ball by GD?

My GD is tall and has a very good stretch when marking the shoot. She anticipates well, and when she sees the shoot about to release the ball, times her action and from her stretch, flicks her hand to try to deflect the ball from its path. In a recent game, she was continually pulled for contact when doing this. She felt either the shoot had raised the ball up into her hands (and it should have been the GD's possession), or the shoot had actually released the ball before she then deflected it, rather than her knocking the ball from the shoots possession. The umpire after the game was happy to discuss and said the GD had been penalised for knocking the ball out of the shoots hands, and should have stuck with the stretch and not added the flick. Any advice?

Susan Donald Coach, England

Question about a netball rule

HiRecently I was umpiring a very challenging game.I was questioned about a decision i had made during the game, to which I said that if a further explanation was required that the player should approach me at quarter time. This particular player and a number of others on court continued to be extremely challengingAt quarter time this player approached me not to ask for an explanation but to challenge my decision and it would seem the tone that I had put on my decision, which she seemed to think was made by me with a harsh tone.I explained that i would not tolerate her attitude on court. She then said that as i had made my point that she wanted to make hers. My understanding of this is that, although I do not have to give an explanation I did because sometimes it helps with the attitude of players if they know what they had done wrong. On this occasion the player concerned wanted to make her point, this is what I need clarification on.She said that she was going to report me to the league as I did not allow her to have her say.I was not aware that my tone was harsh, and did ask the other team if they felt I was, to which they said that they absolutely did not.This player was a defender, and the only thing I can think of is that when she asked for an explanation for my decision I was running back to the centre line as a goal had been scored, I was at this point running back, entering the score, calculating whose centre pass it was, so may be my tone may have been a little rushed.Although I feel that I am was happy with my decisions on the day, I was wondering where I stand when something like this happens. Are players allowed to voice their opinion, I didn't think they were, but can not find anything in the rule book that definitively says one way or the other.I am a firm umpire, and feel that I know the rules thoroughly having played at a very high level myself int he past.I am a grade C umpire and the team was in one of the higher divisions, so really should know better.

Maria Massey Coach, England

offside at a centre pass

Need some help on a dispute on a decision I made during a match I was umpiring recently.A player was tying her shoe laces in my half of the court. A goal had been scored in the half I was umpiring. Centre stepped in the centre circle whilst this player was still attending to her shoe lace. So in affect she had not got herself on side and then gone off side she just did not get on side.I blew the whistle to start play as the centre was ready. As the player who was in my half and was off side, I blew for offside.Can I have clarification on this please, was I correct, or should the other umpire have called this offside even though the player was in my half?Secondly, a reputable umpire told me a couple of months ago, that the umpire blowing the whistle to start the game at a centre pass, controls both sides for off side? I.e. All players that go offside at the centre pass, to the left and right of the centre circle. I was not suite about this so need clarification on that too.Thanks in anticipation.

Maria Massey Coach, England

how many contact obstructions?

how many contact obstructions are you aloud to have?

Brodee Swanson Coach, Australia

Contacting the ball in a player's hands.

The opposing centre was touching the ball when marking the centre pass. However, on three occasions my centre was called for contact with the umpire saying she was initiating the contact by pushing the ball into the players arms. Maybe she was, but how can an umpire be sure who is initiating this? my centre was reduced to tears after being called for the third time (we are talking U12 here). Any ideas?

John Hipshon Coach, England

As an umpire I need to know

If a player at the other end to which I'm umpiring grabs a player and throws her to the ground . There umpire doesnt blow her whistle or do anything. Is there something I can do ?Can I stop the game ask to meet the umpire in the middle of the court and ? Asked using Sportplan on Mobile

Siubhan Hodgson Coach, Australia

Intimidation debate - GK blocks view with back to attacker.

I'm very new to netball having grown up playing basketball and rugby at high levels and recently was getting taught by a 'more experienced coach' as this is mixed netball and the dynamic is very different. He said to the men that to minimise being called by umpires for being too close as the height difference percieves they're, one tactic is to turn your back and to get up close and to stare at the hoop. He said if he were umpiring he wouldnt count this for intimidation as there no eye or physical contact, simply blocking some of their view. I saw one of the men try this in a match yesterday and the umpire called them for intimiation? I'm trying to learn the margins as it seems every umpire/coach has their own opinion of this.Thanks in advance!

Billy Coach, United Kingdom

Help! I'm 14 and am umpiring m...

Hello. I am a 14 year old girl. I have never umpired before, and i am expected to umpire this weekend.  I will be starting on 10-12 year olds. As you can see i dont have much experience at umpiring and i am pretty nervous that im going to stuff up or call the wrong award for the infringment that occured. I have read the Netball Australia umpiring book but some of the words are too fomral for my liking, i dont quiet undertsand. ANY TIPS PLEASE?!

Archived User Coach

Question about a netball rule ...

HiRecently I was umpiring a very challenging game.I was questioned about a decision i had made during the game, to which I said that if a further explanation was required that the player should approach me at quarter time. This particular player and a number of others on court continued to be extremely challengingAt quarter time this player approached me not to ask for an explanation but to challenge my decision and it would seem the tone that I had put on my decision, which she seemed to think was made by me with a harsh tone.I explained that i would not tolerate her attitude on court. She then said that as i had made my point that she wanted to make hers. My understanding of this is that, although I do not have to give an explanation I did because sometimes it helps with the attitude of players if they know what they had done wrong. On this occasion the player concerned wanted to make her point, this is what I need clarification on.She said that she was going to report me to the league as I did not allow her to have her say.I was not aware that my tone was harsh, and did ask the other team if they felt I was, to which they said that they absolutely did not.This player was a defender, and the only thing I can think of is that when she asked for an explanation for my decision I was running back to the centre line as a goal had been scored, I was at this point running back, entering the score, calculating whose centre pass it was, so may be my tone may have been a little rushed.Although I feel that I am was happy with my decisions on the day, I was wondering where I stand when something like this happens. Are players allowed to voice their opinion, I didn't think they were, but can not find anything in the rule book that definitively says one way or the other.I am a firm umpire, and feel that I know the rules thoroughly having played at a very high level myself int he past.I am a grade C umpire and the team was in one of the higher divisions, so really should know better.

Maria Massey Coach, England

How to deal with an unfair and...

I play in a back to netball league, the various other teams also agree that one of the umpires is rude and overbearing with a lot of the players. Her decisions are not explained and she doesn't answer any questions we have. We don't feel we learn anything from her. She also shouted a sarcastic comment across the court to me during the match. Is this something we can complain about? We look to her for guidance and encouragement and she just snaps back and is rude. Advice what to do about this situation would be good. Asked using Sportplan Mobile App

paula xox Coach, England

offside at a centre pass | Spo...

Need some help on a dispute on a decision I made during a match I was umpiring recently.A player was tying her shoe laces in my half of the court. A goal had been scored in the half I was umpiring. Centre stepped in the centre circle whilst this player was still attending to her shoe lace. So in affect she had not got herself on side and then gone off side she just did not get on side.I blew the whistle to start play as the centre was ready. As the player who was in my half and was off side, I blew for offside.Can I have clarification on this please, was I correct, or should the other umpire have called this offside even though the player was in my half?Secondly, a reputable umpire told me a couple of months ago, that the umpire blowing the whistle to start the game at a centre pass, controls both sides for off side? I.e. All players that go offside at the centre pass, to the left and right of the centre circle. I was not suite about this so need clarification on that too.Thanks in anticipation.

Maria Massey Coach, England

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