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Rule of the day: Disc space
As a thrower, you have rights. You have the right to some space around you – space known as “disc space”. This phrase is thrown around all over the place, both correctly and incorrectly, so you should know what it is. Disc space is neutral space between the marker and the thrower. Both players must respect it, but in my experience the marker violates the thrower’s disc space more often than the other way around. The disc space rule:
XIV.B.3 If a line between any two points on the marker touches the thrower or is less than one disc diameter away from the torso or pivot of the thrower, it is a disc space violation. However, if this situation is caused solely by movement of the thrower, it is not a violation.
So if the line between the marker’s toes goes through a disc placed at the thrower’s pivot foot, or a line between the marker’s fingers goes through a disc placed at the thrower’s torso, or the marker’s chest is within a disc space of the thrower’s chest, the marker is not respecting the thrower’s disc space.
However, if the marker is positioned such that none of the above are true, and the thrower steps forward, pushes out, or does anything else that breaks one of the disc space rules, it is not a disc space violation.
If you have the disc and the marker is violating your space, say “disc space.” Play does not stop; the marker must get out of your space and drop a stall count (“stalling 1, 2, 3 (disc space) … 2, 3”). You may call this as many times as you want, and keep getting your space (and stall count). However, if the marker either doesn’t drop a count or violates your space more than once, you can call a violation (say “violation”), which does stop play. Explain why you’re calling it (“you didn’t drop a count”, “you were still in my space around my pivot foot”). Then the stall count comes in on zero. If there are observers, the marker can talk to them, but otherwise a marking violation cannot be contested.
Also note that as a thrower you can call a foul if there is contact caused by an illegal mark. Use this to your advantage as a thrower. The rule:
XVI.H.3.3 Any contact that occurs due to the marker setting up in an illegal position (XIV.B.3) is a foul on the marker.
If you have questions or disagree with my interpretation of the rules, leave a comment below. Thanks for reading.
You are correct that you cannot contest a marking violation, but you may have misread the difference between marking violation and general defensive violation. According to XIV.B disc space (and double team, fast count, vision blocking) are all marking violations in themselves.
So to call “disc space” is to call a marking violation.
For the second call, if instead of calling disc space again the thrower calls “violation”, which is then treated as a ‘general defensive violation’ (XIV.B.8).
Rule XVI.B (regarding violations and fouls) states that “A player called for an infraction may contest that call if that player believes the infraction did not occur.”
Looking at XIV.5.a.3 (regarding a contested violation) we find that a “Contested foul or violation: Count reached plus 1, or 6 if over 5”.
I hope that this helps clear anything up.
—Box 211 days ago