Quote:
Originally Posted by WVBasketballRef
Where do the teams go during a 30 second time-out? Bench or stay on the floor. I am not a referee (yet) but I am trying to learn some basic rules to determine if I want to take the next step -- taking an officials class
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Allow me to give you a little more information and some background on time-outs protocol.
The NFHS has gone through quite a bit to reach where it is now with the administration of time-outs.
This year an editorial change was made to define a "time-out area" within this rules.
1-13-3 . . . The time-out area shall be the area inside an imaginary rectangle
formed by the boundaries of the sideline (including the bench), end line, and an
imaginary line extended from the free-throw lane line nearest the bench area
meeting an imaginary line extended from the coaching-box line.
Last season this was called the "bench area" in that rule.
The rules also now specify that the team must do certain things in this area during the time-out.
5-12-5 . . . The 60-second time-out conference with team members shall be
conducted within the confines of the time-out area. Players shall remain standing
within the confines of the time-out area during a 30-second time-out.
There are a couple of reasons behind the above rules. For many years teams had simply huddled at their benches for instruction during time-outs, but recently loud spectators made it difficult for them to communicate, so teams began to move their huddles out into inbounds area of the court. This created some issues with entertainment and clearing the court for the resumption of play in a timely manner. Therefore, the NFHS defined an imaginary rectangle within which each team had to conduct its time-out conference. That area was known as the bench area until this season when it became the time-out area.
Also, previously, 30-second time-outs were only twenty seconds in length and the NFHS was having a difficult time getting the players back onto the floor in a timely manner. The length of this short time-outs was improperly being extended by teams delaying their return. So the NFHS decided to lengthen the short time-outs to 30-seconds, have a warning horn 20 seconds in, and put in a requirement that the players had to remain standing during this period. The idea was to give the teams their full 20 seconds to communicate, but to ensure that they were ready to resume on time. The warning horn has now been moved to 15 seconds remaining for both the 60 and 30 second time-outs.
The specific wording of the new editorial change raises a question--what if the team does not wish to conference during a 60-second time-out or a 30 and instead desires to simply remain out on the floor? The rule does not require the players to be anywhere for a 60 it merely states that the conference must occur within the specified area, but it does mandate that the players go to the time-out area and stand there during a 30. Is this really to be enforced if the team is immediately ready to play? Do they have to go over there anyway, and if they don't what is the penalty?