Fun With An Elbow To The Throat ...

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

2012-13 Points Of Emphasis Contact Above The Shoulders

With a continued emphasis on reducing concussions and decreasing excessive contact situations the committee determined that more guidance is needed for penalizing contact above the shoulders. A player shall not swing his/her arm(s) or elbow(s) even without contacting an opponent. Excessive swinging of the elbows occurs when arms and elbows are swung about while using the shoulders as pivots, and the speed of the extended arms and elbows is in excess of the rest of the body as it rotates on the hips or on the pivot foot.

Examples of illegal contact above the shoulders and resulting penalties.
1. Contact with a stationary elbow may be incidental or a common foul.
2. An elbow in movement but not excessive should be an intentional foul.
3. A moving elbow that is excessive can be either an intentional foul or flagrant personal foul.

Every league was on that bandwagon at that time. The others all explicitly dropped that directive because it resulted in some absurd intentional fouls. The NFHS didn't retract it but they never repeated it either. The rules themselves do not support that direction. So, it is something that, by rule, is still open to interpretation.

IMO, the NCAA-M (and perhaps the W) have it right. If it is a basketball play with normal movements, it is not to be ruled intentional.