Fight

[ronny mulkey]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Yet the rules regarding fighting and the behavior of bench personnel are written in the context of it not being an intermission. I don't think you'd treat the 5 people who were the players as if they came off the bench when a fight occurred. They were legally on the floor having been players. You might treat them as bench personnel so far as indirect T's go, however, but not for the purposes of disqualification if they do not participate.

Also, if the true bench personnel were heading towards their locker room, they'd be authorized to do that too. So, I would have no problem not treating them as leaving the bench for a fight unless they showed some sort of aggressive action related to the fight.

I never want to be just a black and white type official when there is gray involved. For example, the instant that the clock shows 00 is the 10 people/team members/players now team members because it is now half time? THE VERY INSTANT? And, just because it is now halftime, is it okay for "people" (you choose the right word) to rush toward the fight? How does an official know other than actual fighting if the kid is merely headed to the locker room or is leaving the bench area because a fight broke out? One team's locker room path led toward the fight and the other led away from it.

We teach our officials to get eyes on the bench. When they did, there was nobody on the bench. There is no way to determine a kid's intention. In my opinion, he is either headed towards the locker room or headed toward the fight. Also, there wasn't enough time elapsed (from shot,horn and whistle) to altercation for the coaches to state that the kids milling around the fight were merely headed to the locker room. 10 minutes later, kids were still not in their locker room for halftime purposes?