Quote:
Originally Posted by SNIPERBBB
Our state interpreter doesn't know that the elbow contact intentional/flagrant "rule" doesn't exist in the rule book/case book.
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I believe that SNIPERBBB is correct.
Contact Above The Shoulders only appeared as a "one and done" Point Of Emphasis, and except for a minor rule change, never fully appeared in the rulebook and/or casebook.
2012-13 Points Of Emphasis Contact Above The Shoulders
With a continued emphasis on reducing concussions and decreasing excessive contact situations the committee determined that more guidance is needed for penalizing contact above the shoulders. A player shall not swing his/her arm(s) or elbow(s) even without contacting an opponent. Excessive swinging of the elbows occurs when arms and elbows are swung about while using the shoulders as pivots, and the speed of the extended arms and elbows is in excess of the rest of the body as it rotates on the hips or on the pivot foot.
Examples of illegal contact above the shoulders and resulting penalties.
1. Contact with a stationary elbow may be incidental or a common foul.
2. An elbow in movement but not excessive should be an intentional foul.
3. A moving elbow that is excessive can be either an intentional foul or flagrant personal foul.
While I personally believe that the "specifics" of this Point Of Emphasis are still valid, how is an official with less than ten years of experience suppose to know these parameters?
Here's the rule change (two years later).
2014-15 NFHS Basketball Rules Changes
4-19-3-D: An intentional foul is a personal or technical foul that may or may not be premeditated and is not based solely on the severity of the act. Intentional fouls include, but are not limited to: Excessive contact with an opponent while the ball is live or until an airborne shooter returns to the floor.
Here's the rationale behind the rule change.
The rules committee also expanded the definition of an intentional foul in Rule 4-19-3d, which now states that an intentional foul is “excessive contact with an opponent while the ball is live or until an airborne shooter returns to the floor.” ... this revision will address the issue of contact with the elbow and should reduce the subjectivity in making rulings on intentional fouls.
Personally, while I believe that the 2012-13 Contact Above The Shoulders Point Of Emphasis is still valid (especially for experienced veterans that were around ten years ago), I don't believe that the 2014-15 NFHS Basketball Rules Change went far enough to explain the "specifics" of the Contact Above The Shoulders parameters, especially for officials with less than ten years of experience.
Of course, those experienced enough to be appointed/elected as interpreters/trainers should be "aware" of the "specifics" of the Contact Above The Shoulders parameters, and teach such to all officials, both experienced and inexperienced. However the lack of these specific parameters permanently ensconced in the rulebook and/or casebook could lead to the purpose and intent of this Point Of Emphasis "falling through the cracks".