Avoidable hinder calls can be obnoxious. I have to blame some of this on the pro players who often hold up for the rally hinder. Sometimes it is hard for me to watch due mostly to my old school experiences which often included throwing a half-nelson on your opponent to get them out of the way!
But when the amateurs begin holding up it can become laughable at times. Case in point-two pros blasting the ball at mid court and one holds up for a ghost hinder and gets the call. Believable-why? They can kill the ball, that’s why! Next scene-two C players at mid court and one holds up in a similar situation. Unbelievable! Why? They cannot kill the ball and have not killed a ball the entire match and have gone to the ceiling almost every shot. But they have watched pros play and/or often were coached up on the art of hinder begging.
Just yesterday a video popped up with an offended player all upset that a replay was called not an avoidable. I do agree with the offended player but there is an unwritten law in racquetball that is controversial but true. At local levels, play on because the rally hinders are not called as much as replays. The exception is when a good referee is in charge of the match.
There is a fine line between rally hinders and “ghost hinder” begging!
I know for a fact many coaches teach their beginners this art of stealing points. So now I am forced to take my newbies and teach them about point stealing–ie holding the racquet up between serves; looking to both players in doubles, not just the one on your side in case they have their racquet up, and hinder begging. I hate doing that but I am sick of watching my athletes get robbed in rallies.
Note to coaches-spend more time teaching forehand and backhand and less time teaching hinder begging. It is in bad taste not to mention poor court etiquett