[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by Manny A

Well, I read the case play as saying that players cannot be outside the confines of the field, so the designated warm-up areas must be within the confines of the field.

There has to be some semblance of control of the players by the coaches. They are ultimately responsible for them, and they cannot maintain control if their players are away somewhere where they cannot see them. That's why the rules require the players to stay within the confines of the field, as the case play answer (b) states. If they must stay within those confines at all times, then it's counter-intuitive to have a designated warm-up area that is outside of those confines.

I cannot believe that NFHS would allow players to warm up somewhere where they cannot be supervised. Imagine a bullpen that is behind a copse of trees beyond the parking lot, where nobody can see a pitcher and catcher warming up unless he/she crosses the lot and walks on a path through the trees. Who's going to check to make sure that catcher has her helmet/mask on when she's in a crouch? Do you think NFHS would say that's okay? No way I would consider that a legal "designated warm-up area".

[Edited to add:] If it is okay for a designated warm-up area to be outside the confines of the field, then I would expect the answer to (b) in the case play to say something like, "If the players are in a designated warm-up area that is outside the confines of the field, the umpires have no jurisdiction to enforce the helmet/mask requirement for the catcher, but should inform the coach that the catcher is not wearing the proper equipment," which is similar to the ruling in case play 10.1.2 Situation A. Since there is nothing in the answer that even suggests that a designated warm-up area can be outside the confines, it's pretty clear to me NFHS's position once the game begins. I don't need something definitively written in the rule book to tell me that the warm-up area has to be within the confines of the field. From a safety and well-being of the players point of view, it must be somewhere where the coaches and umpires can see them.

It says OR, meaning the warm-up area might not be in the confines of the field.

How is this any different from a field where warm-up ares are hidden under the stands?