Quote:
Originally posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.
I will bow to the good doctor's medical information concerning diabetics and unconsciousness. But in the play posted, the diabetic athlete was not a player at the time of the seizure. NFHS R3-S1-A1 defines that there a team consists of five players, one of whom is the captain. NFHS R4-S34-A1 defines players as the five team members who legally on the court at any given time. NFHS R4-S34-A3 defines when a substitue becomes a player and when a player becomes a substitute.
Therefore, NFHS R2-S8-A5 (unconscious player rule) does not apply here, and I would seriously advise not trying to invoke NFHS R2-S3 (elastic clause rule) to this case.
I share the doctor's concern about letting this child playing in the game but we has officials do not have the authority to deny him entry into the game.
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Mark, there's a time to use the rule book to the letter and there's a time to use common sense. You are being entirely too legalistic in your approach to this problem. While the rule book may say "player" I'm quite sure it is not the intent of the NFHS to allow a substitute who became unconscious while sitting on the bench to come into the the game. I don't believe you have much of a defense when the boys' parent sue you.
But if you want to be legalistic, I'll give you a different interpretation of the rule. You're being too narow minded in your interpretation. The rule doesn't say that he has to become unconscious while in the game. It says that he can't return to the game if he's been unconscious.
3-3-7
A player who has been determined apparently unconscious shall not return to play in the game without written authorization from a physician.
My Interpretation
If he comes into the game, he is now a player. It has been determined that he was previously unconscious. He is not returning to this game without written consent.
I bet that interpretation will work for everyone else.
For once, use some common sense and interpret the rule sensibly, not legalistically, the way it was meant to be interpreted.