[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

The rule was not deleted from the NFHS 2000-01 Rules Book. What was removed from the Rules Book was the Question and Answer in R3-S3-A2.

Question: Following substitutions, should the official line up players to aid them in locating opponents?

Answer: This shall be done at the request of a captain when three or more substitutes for the same team enter during an opportunity to substitute.

Questions and answers within the Rules Book are nothing more than Case Book Plays/Rules Interpretaions that are placed within the Rules. Case Book Plays are routinely removed from the Case Book to make room for others, but this does not mean the Case Book Play is no longer in effect. The only way for a Case Book Play to become null and void is for the Rule to which it applies, to be changed subsequent to it being removed from the Case Book. The same goes for a Q/A that is removed from the Rules Book.

If the Rules Committee wants to change the Ruling in a Q/A when the Rule that applies to the Q/A has not changed, then it would stand to reason that either the Q/A would be changed in the Rules Book, or the Q/A is removed from the Rules Book and an editorial comment would be included in the Rules Book (and a Case Book Play could be added).

The Q/A for the play in this posting is still in effect.