NFHS altercation penalties question

[hamnegger]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Here's the guidance we get from our local board:

Fighting - Rule & Penalties
Be aware of signs of escalating tempers, gestures, actions, words from players,
coaches and possibly spectators. Penalize when discovered, no warnings are
necessary. Warnings most times carry little weight. Technical fouls and double
technical fouls are deterrents. Our stripes are the deterrents! Get yourself close to
the situation. In situations where rough activity might follow (players diving for
loose balls, hard contact fouls, held ball situations, player(s) being knocked to the
court), when you blow your whistle remain at the scene. Don’t over-react but pause
before leaving to report a foul or signaling a violation.

Fighting is a flagrant act and can occur when the ball is dead or live. Fighting
includes, but is not limited to acts such as:
- An attempt to strike, punch or kick an opponent with a fist, hands, arms,
leg or feet regardless of whether contact is made.
- An attempt to instigate a fight by committing unsporting acts toward an
opponent that causes an opponent to retaliate by fighting.

Players In Fight:
If A1 and B1 fight during a live or dead ball, they are charged with flagrant
technical fouls and disqualified from the game. There are no free throws since this
is a double foul. Charge each team with one foul toward the bonus and use the
alternating possession arrow to resume play unless there is player/team control.

Bench Personnel:
a. Leave Bench and Participate in Fight
If bench personnel leave the bench during a fight and participate in the fight
those bench personnel are charged with a flagrant technical foul and disqualified.
The head coach is charged with an indirect technical foul for bench person
who participates in the fight and is disqualified. A team foul is charged for each
disqualified bench person. If the same number of bench personnel from both teams
leave the bench, there will no free throws.
b. Leave Bench and Do Not Participate in Fight
If bench personnel leave the bench during a fight or when a fight may break out and
do not fight, they are charged with a flagrant technical foul and disqualified. The
head coach is charged with one indirect technical foul regardless of the number
of offenders. A team foul is charged for each disqualified bench person.

Reminders
1. Players or bench personnel who are ejected due to Fighting are ejected to the
bench area, not the locker room.
2. When fighting by bench personnel leads to coach ejection, the coach must go
the locker room.
6. Do not get physical with the players, bench personnel or coaches.


After the chaos – Officials should convene near mid-court as a crew to discuss the
situation and maintain bench supervision. Do not allow coaches to enter this
discussion. Ask for input from other game officials (scorers & timer) as you deem
appropriate. Get the numbers of the fighters. Apply the rules and know exactly
what you are going to say when you call both head coaches together to explain the
situation. This is not a discussion period. Tell coaches they will be able to include
their discussion points in their follow-up report and that our charge is to resume
play in a safe environment and in a timely manner. If you do not believe you are
able to resume play in a safe environment, write pertinent information in the
scorebook and suspend the game. Report to your assignment commissioner after
game concludes.

Thank you. Good read.