Coaching Box Q&A

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by BoomerSooner

Out of curiosity, how strictly do you guys adhere to the coach can't leave the box to sit on the bench?

Would you rule that the coach has terminated the right to use the box in any of the following scenarios:

The coach goes to the end of the bench (not within the box) and sits down to speak briefly with an injured player that is receiving medical treatment/attention. The coach returns to the box after assessing the players injury and ability to return to the game.

The coach leaves the box to retrieve a dry-erase marker, pen or some other item that he/she dropped (don't read this as threw in anger, because throwing stuff like a child should result in a TF and the box is gone anyway) or to retrieve some other item (jacket, clipboard, roster, etc) that is not within the coaching box.

No portion of the bench area overlaps the area designated for the coaching box. The coach goes to the bench and sits down for a brief period to rest, get a drink or speak with a player and remains on the bench for (a) while 2 FTs are attempted by either team (b) during an entire possession on either end of the court (c) for multiple possessions (d) during a timeout or between periods or (e) the duration of an entire period.

I ask because I've never seen any official treat the coaching box like it is a magical island that once it is left it can't be found again, but the rule book seemingly wants it to be treated that way. On another note, I've seen the coaching box marked as an entirely solid area contrasting in color with the sideline. Would anyone object to such a method of marking the coaching box?

Where are you seeing this? The only place in the rule book I see the coach losing the box for reasons other than a technical foul is this from 10.5.1 Sit A:

RULING: Legal. The coach is not required to use the optional coaching box even though it has been adopted by the state association. However, if the coach begins the game by sitting somewhere other than where the box is located, he/she may not use the box privileges any time during the game. The coach must begin the game in a position within the box if he/she wishes to stand when *permitted under the optional coaching-box provisions.

[BoomerSooner]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

Where are you seeing this? The only place in the rule book I see the coach losing the box for reasons other than a technical foul is this from 10.5.1 Sit A:

RULING: Legal. The coach is not required to use the optional coaching box even though it has been adopted by the state association. However, if the coach begins the game by sitting somewhere other than where the box is located, he/she may not use the box privileges any time during the game. The coach must begin the game in a position within the box if he/she wishes to stand when *permitted under the optional coaching-box provisions.

10.5.1 A indicates a technical foul is to be issued there as well (unless they changed that this year...I looked it up in last year's book).

I think I was incorrectly taking the ruling that if a coach sits outside the box to start the game, he/she can't use it for the entire game and transforming it into the idea that if a coach leaves the box and sits on the bench outside of the box for any reason he/she loses the coaching box. Q#9 in the OP got me to thinking about this, but in reading the OP again, the answer provided didn't dictate the coaching box be lost. So I went back and reviewed the rules and the previous posts again. I guess my issue is that I've never thought of the coaching box like a prison that can't be left and I guess some of that stems from the fact that it isn't enforced like a maximum security facility. I don't think this whole discussion really change anything, but it does give me a better understanding of the rule.