NFHS Rules Book for First-Timer
 

Hi all. When my son played HS basketball, I often visited this forum to read about the game from the official's side of things, and to learn more about the rules. I have learned A LOT from all of you, and I thank you for taking the time out from your busy lives to post here.

Now that I am in my cadet training class, I am dealing with an issue that I wonder how you handled (or still deal with).

Simple question from the 2006 exam, #30 "Team A has their school logo on their game pants. Official rules this is allowable. Is the official correct?"

I saw in Rule 3-4-2a that a logo is permitted on the team jersey, so I answered no, but the answer was yes. In class I asked why, and it took awhile, but eventually we found in the rules 3-4-5, which talks about logos on pants.

So. . . . .here is my question. . . .how do you all handle the issue of important related information sometimes being found in different places in the rules book? I have run into this several times already....thanks!

I hope you meant the 2016 exam. :eek:

You just have to go through and read for specifics sometimes. Also, a lot of times we have to adjudicate plays based on a combination of rules.

By browsing through the hard copy rule book from time to time (and, when I was new, it was almost every day). You find stuff you didn't even know you were looking for.

If you use the electronic book, you might find the answer to a specific question by searching for a key word, but you'll miss all the other stuff you just stumble across.

*Good point BJ...it is like when I go to the library looking for a certain book title, then when I get into that catalogue area while browsing for it, invariably I come across other titles that heretofore I was unaware of which then I became interested in.

To ChuckS: Our Rules Book is a cornucopia of information. Also peruse the Case Book under the general title of your question, the Case Book takes the "rules" and applies them/interprets them to many unique situations.

Two approaches:
1) Some find it a good investment to purchase the book "Rules by Topic" which clusters all the various rules and casebook citations on any topic together in one place for easy cross reference and comparison.
2) Others write references in the rule book when they find other places that refer to the same situation. For instance, next to the title bar at Rule 4-9 in my book is written: "cf. 4-4-45; 4-35-2,3; 7-1,2,3; 9-3-1,2,3". Next to 4-20 it says, "cf. 9-1 for violations". Next to 4-1 is "cf. 4-41-1 Act of Shooting, 4-11 Continuous Motion." Those notes then are transferred to the new rulebook when it comes out.
I'll work on a video and post it in a little while so you can see what this looks like.

Not Exactly Cecil B. DeMille, But . . .
 

Hastily produced perhaps, but here's one person's novice attempt at an answer to your question . . .

Some Ways to Make Your Rulebook User Friendly

Thanks very much for all your helpful replies.....especially the video! Definitely would win an Oscar for the category "Very-Short Features on Annotated Sports Rulebooks".

This will help me as I study for my Nov. 30 exam.

NFHS Rules Book for First-Timer
 

Speaking of things you wouldn't notice unless you perused through the book, now for some comic relief. When doing exactly that yesterday, I noticed Rule 2-1-1 was in conflict with the picture on the back cover of the very book in which it was written.

Go figure. Another fine bit of NFHS irony.


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This is why I still read my local newspaper in broadsheet. (Albeit with my reading glasses!)

Ahhh... a first timer.... You were probably left scratching your head as to how the NFHS morons have decided that you will attempt to score on your "own" basket....