While I was reading the NCAA FPSR, I came up with a question for you guys.

NCAA Section-4

C. Actions by a runner are illegal and interference shall be called if;

(3) The runner's raised leg makes contact higher than a fielder's knee when in a standing position.

I find a certain amount of ambiguity here. It's almost as if they're saying it's alright to spike the runner with the lead foot, as long as it's done at a point beneath the knee.

Why was this action put in the FPSR in the first place?

Whether the contact was below the knee or above the knee, if the play was altered, the action is still illegal.


Tim.

The lead foot has to be off the ground to slide, so some allowance needs to be made. The knee provides a good reference point.

Note that the rest of the FPSR still applies -- that is, the portion you quoted only comes into play when the fielder is standing on or in front of (that is, toward first) the base and the slide is otherwise legal. If the fielder is in that spot, the runner is allowed to try for the base.

Note also, that you could aske the same question about the FED rules.

I'm going out on a limb here and saying that they had to set a limit on how high the runners' raised leg could be. They certainly don't want the fielder to get spiked in the huevos rancheros, do they? If they are going to have a rule requiring a straight to the base slide, a certain amount of contact is going to be inevitable. A reasonably talented fielder should be able to make his play, then get the hell out of the baseline before getting spiked. The NCAA is trying to avoid a bunch of wanna-be Ty Cobbs from flashing the high spikes and scaring the bejesus out of shortstops. As long as the slide is legal, altering the play does not get penalized. The runner does have the right to slide directly into the base, regardless of the position of the fielder.