This happened last week...

The ball goes out of bounds. I toot my whistle and raise my arm.

"White!"

I pause a second...partly for effect, partly because I need to remember which way to point.

Then I point.

However, in that second I used to gain my bearings, a player for White has snuck in behind me. I forearm her across the face. It's light, but it obviously startled her.

I instinctively put a hand on the back of her shoulder (I know, I know, never touch the players...but when I accidentally pop one in the nose, I'll make an exception). She said she was okay. I just blathered: "Oh, man. In ten years, I've never done that."

After a subsequent time out, I again got confirmation that she was okay. Partner joked around, saying "Come on, I know you've wanted to hit players for years!"..and I begged her not to sue. She promised she wouldn't.