NFHS 2020,21 POE's

[Freddy]

Originally Posted by Stat-Man

Maybe it's just my part of Rome, but Freddy and others that have observed camps & scrimmages I've attended have discouraged use of the bird dog because the use of a good preliminary signal at the spot of the foul ("White 5 with a push. Blue ball on the side.") tells those involved what they need to know. I can't help wondering what other areas have this philosophy despite the newest POE.

Since those camps and scrimmages referenced by Stat-Man, the state of Michigan adopted a revised set of approved mechanics. The section regarding "At the Site of the Foul" is posted below, not to insist upon one detail right or wrong in comparison to what the NFHS or other states have approved, merely FYI.

At the Site of the Foul

When a foul is observed by an official, the following signaling and mechanic procedure must be followed:

1. Sound the whistle with a single sharp blast while raising one hand, fist clenched, straight and high above the head, the stop-the-clock signal for a foul.

2. Pointing at or to the person who fouls (the “bird dog” signal) must be avoided. If clarification is needed to distinguish between players in close proximity, verbalization must identify the player who committed the foul.

3. While holding the stop-the-clock, move toward the play and near the fouling player, stop and verbally inform the player that he fouled by stating the jersey color and number.

4. Lower the foul signal and indicate the nature of the foul by giving an approved preliminary signal (optional), followed by an indication of whether or not a score must be counted and/or the number of free throws resulting or the location of the subsequent throw-in.

5. If a player control foul is committed, the approved signal sequence is: a. Stop the clock with a raised arm and closed fist accompanied by the whistle. b. Player control foul signal. c. A directional signal with a closed fist (a “punch”) pointing in the direction of the non-fouling team’s end line.

6. If a team control (non-player control) foul is committed, the approved signal sequence is: a. Stop the clock with a raised arm and closed fist accompanied by the whistle. b. A directional signal with a closed fist (a “punch”) pointing in the direction of the non-fouling team’s end line.

7. If the foul is a shooting foul and the try was unsuccessful, give the approved signal for the number of free throws to follow while at the site and verbalize of the type of foul committed. NOTE: Officials should not use any signal or verbiage referencing the shooter being “on the floor” in order to indicate the foul will not result in free throws.

8. Before leaving the site, verbalize the number of the player shooting free throws, if applicable, expressing the number of free throws to the non-calling officials, or point to the location of the throw-in.

9. If a goal has been legally scored, use the “goal counts” signal, followed by either the two or three-point signal, depending on the number of points awarded.

10. If a score is not to be awarded, immediately cancel the attempt with the ”no score” signal. Verbalization of whichever signals are used is recommended.

11. The ruling official must not be in a rush to leave the area if players are in close proximity or on the floor. Attend to the dead-ball situation at the point of the play before leaving to report to the scorer.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by SC Official

I will occasionally bird dog if I feel I need to clarify who the foul was on for the coaches ...

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

We don't however, teach the birddog unless there is a scrum and it helps separate the one person out from the mass.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Also on the bird-dogging front. I still do it from time to time. But I only do it when there is a crowd or there is confusion.

Originally Posted by Freddy

... Pointing at or to the person who fouls (the “bird dog” signal) must be avoided. If clarification is needed to distinguish between players in close proximity, verbalization must identify the player who committed the foul.

Here in 100% IAABO Connecticut, we use IAABO mechanics: When clarification is necessary, extend the other arm, with palm down, toward the fouler's midsection (birddog).

As SC Official, Camron Rust, and JRutledge already stated so elegantly, we don't birddog all the time, only as an option when clarification is necessary.

Regarding Freddy's post, we teach our guys that when clarification is necessary to birddog toward the player's hip, any higher, especially at the head, can be viewed by player as aggressive and an encroachment into his personal space and is to be avoided.

[sdoebler]

I know you copy/pasted but this line is confusing to me:

To obtain initial legal guarding position on a player with the ball, the defender must get to the spot first without contact, have both feet touching the floor and initially face the opponent within six feet.

Since when is six feet a requirement for LGP?

ART. 2 . . . To obtain an initial legal guarding position:
a. The guard must have both feet touching the playing court.
b. The front of the guard’s torso must be facing the opponent.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by sdoebler

I know you copy/pasted but this line is confusing to me:

To obtain initial legal guarding position on a player with the ball, the defender must get to the spot first without contact, have both feet touching the floor and initially face the opponent within six feet.

Since when is six feet a requirement for LGP?

ART. 2 . . . To obtain an initial legal guarding position:
a. The guard must have both feet touching the playing court.
b. The front of the guard’s torso must be facing the opponent.

They left ou the proper wording in 4-23-1 that says,

There is no minimum distance required between a guard and opponent, but the maximum is 6 feet when closely guarded.

They clearly did not use the entire wording of the rule when stating the 6 feet reference.

Peace

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

They clearly did not use the entire wording of the rule when stating the 6 feet reference.

Would it ever make a practical difference? If the guarding player were farther away, what are the chances a block/charge determination would ever be needed?

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

Would it ever make a practical difference? If the guarding player were farther away, what are the chances a block/charge determination would ever be needed?

Actually, it is. There are several block-charge plays that start with the defender in LGP or establish LGP more than 6 feet away, like a fast break. The reference is completely incorrect and not how the rule even reads. Because you have to first establish LGP and you have to maintain it. Requiring 6 feet would change the application of the rule totally.

Peace

[BillyMac]

There is no minimum distance required between the guard and opponent, but the maximum is 6 feet when closely guarded.

Doesn't this only apply to a closely guarded five second count and is not really relevant to legal guarding position and a block/charge call?

In other words, regarding block/charge, it's legal guarding position, not legal closely guarded position.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by sdoebler

I know you copy/pasted but this line is confusing to me:

To obtain initial legal guarding position on a player with the ball, the defender must get to the spot first without contact, have both feet touching the floor and initially face the opponent within six feet.

Since when is six feet a requirement for LGP?

it isn't. They messed up.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Why was the "bird dog" signal in the NBC (boys'/girls' H.S. and men's college) Officials Manual in the first place?

Until the either the late 1970s (or early 1980s; for reasons of which only BillyMac knows, I will not have access to The Attic until mid-June so any dates that I list are from the deep recesses of my mind, but I am betting on the late 1970s when the NBC split into the NFHS and NCAA Men's Rules Committees.) the NBC Rules required the Fouler to raise his/her hand an arm's length above his/her shoulder so that everyone present would know who had committed the Foul. To facilitate this Player procedure, the Official upon judging that a PF had been committed, would simultaneously sound his/her whistle, give the Stop Clock Signal, move toward the Fouler while pointing toward the Fouler's hip, and announcing the Color and Number of the Fouler.

Failure of the Fouler to raise his arm/hand was as TF for Unsportsmanlike Conduct. For the last few or so years that the Arm/Hand Raising Rule was finally removed from the Rules it was a TF for Unsportsmanlike Conduct to raise both Arms/Hands because, while the Rules had not explicitly prohibited the raising of both arms/hands Players were starting to raise both to show displeasure in the Officials Call.

And we know that the NFHS Officials Manual still requires a "bird dog" in the vast majority of PFs. If my memory serves me correct, the NCAA Women's Rules Committee (Women's CCA Manual) eliminated the "bird dog" before the NCAA Men's Rules Committee (Men's CCA Manual) did sometime in the late 1980s (or early 1990s; I am betting on the early 1980s.).

And I admit that when the Women's CCA Manual eliminated I still "bird dogged" in NFHS games while not "bird dogging" in NCAA Women's games, but the time I also started officiated NCAA Men's Div. III jr. varsity and NJCAA Men's games in the early 1990s I stopped "bird dogging" in all of my games at all levels, meaning, like the late Lou Costello: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXMHaYoc9J8

So ends today's history lesson.

MTD, Sr.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

Until the either the late 1970s (or early 1980s; for reasons of which only BillyMac knows ... the NBC Rules required the Fouler to raise his/her hand an arm's length above his/her shoulder so that everyone present would know who had committed the Foul ... Failure of the Fouler to raise his arm/hand was as TF for Unsportsmanlike Conduct. For the last few or so years that the Arm/Hand Raising Rule was finally removed from the Rules.

Ask, and it shall be given you. (Matthew 7:7)

1963-64 Players who are called for personal fouls are asked to raise their arms to make it easier for the scorer to identify who committed the foul (probably NCAA and/or NBA).
1972 Player who fouls must raise hand (NFHS Handbook)
1974 Fouling player not required to raise hand (NFHS Handbook).
1974-75 The NCAA no longer requires players to raise their hand if called for a foul.
1977-78 The NCAA “strongly recommends” that players called for a foul raise their hand.

Today, players will occasionally voluntarily raise a hand to:

Acknowledge the foul to indicate the call was justified. This has the added benefit of building rapport with the officiating crew.

Acknowledge the foul to indicate it was a purposeful (not intentional) act. This type of foul occurs to stop a fast break, to prevent a highly probable basket (like a breakaway layup), or to put a poor free throw shooter on the line.

Take a call away from a teammate who has more fouls. This occurs when more than one player is involved or in close proximity to an offending player.

So ends today's history lesson.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Ask, and it shall be given you. (Matthew 7:7)

1963-64 Players who are called for personal fouls are asked to raise their arms to make it easier for the scorer to identify who committed the foul (probably NCAA and/or NBA).
1972 Player who fouls must raise hand (NFHS Handbook)
1974 Fouling player not required to raise hand (NFHS Handbook).
1974-75 The NCAA no longer requires players to raise their hand if called for a foul.
1977-78 The NCAA “strongly recommends” that players called for a foul raise their hand.

Today, players will occasionally voluntarily raise a hand to:

Acknowledge the foul to indicate the call was justified. This has the added benefit of building rapport with the officiating crew.

Acknowledge the foul to indicate it was a purposeful (not intentional) act. This type of foul occurs to stop a fast break, to prevent a highly probable basket (like a breakaway layup), or to put a poor free throw shooter on the line.

Take a call away from a teammate who has more fouls. This occurs when more than one player is involved or in close proximity to an offending player.

So ends today's history lesson.

Billy:

Thank you for becoming my research assistant, LOL!

MTD, Sr.