[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

The NFHS and NCAA handles this situation in different ways.

NCAA R10-S3-A7 is an indirect technical foul charged to either a team or a player and deals with purposely throwing debris onto the playing court is prohibited once the officials' jurisdiction has begun. The NCAA has taken a strong stance against throwing things onto the court. The most common item being rolls of toilet paper on the court after the first score by the home team.

Under NFHS rules an official can charge a technical foul against a team for the actions of its followers. BUT be very careful if you go down this path. If you are starting to have problems with fans it is time to get game management involved. I have been involved in games where I would have loved to have banned all of the parents from the gym but I have never called a technical foul on the followers of a team. The NFHS does not want to you not to charge a team with a TF because of the actions of its fans but rather use great care if you go down that path. I would try to everything to NOT penalize the players for the actions of its fans.