PSYCHO!!!!!!

[Indy_Ref]

Joe, with 1:31 left on the 4th quarter clock, and the visitors coming back from a huge deficit, AND the fact that no one reminded you about the time deadline UNTIL the home coach was about to lose...

I might have T'ed up the coach and the AD for unsportsmanlike conduct, given the visitors 4 shots, and if they would have made them, called the game...visitors win!

Of course, you might not have "made it out of Dodge", but it would have made a great story for your grandchildren some day!!

[JoeT]

Originally posted by MREUROREF
the school's time rule was a violation of the (Fed) rules?

(Finally, a subject on which I can offer a credible answer!)

In addition to doing high school ball, I both officiate and coach at the middle school level. The problem (as I see it) is that the Fed rules do not explicitly govern middle school contests. Each league, tournament, etc. adopts its own rules at the middle school level. They are usually expressed as addenda to the Fed rules. Some of the rules even start by saying something like, "NFHS rules apply with the following exceptions...."

For most coaches and refs who do MS ball, "special" rules are not only the norm, but change from league to league and tourney to tourney. Like you, I have been caught being underinformed about local rules. I now usually won't begin a game without seeing the league's rules in print. It is the coaches' and league's responsibility to provide them, and they certainly have no right to complain if they cannot show you the printed rules.

If I cannot see the rules in print, I do a quick pregame with the coaches and say, "my understanding is that this game will be governed by NFHS rules. Are there any exceptions to those rules that I should know about?" If the coaches come up with a crazy rule later on that I was not aware of, I bring the coaches back together and remind them of our previous conversation.

Here are some of the more common rule changes from my experience:

* Clock rules (shorter quarters, running clock, time limit, etc.

* 3 second call (often extended for younger players)

* No 3-point basket

* Shortened free throw line

* Various full-court press restrictions (a REAL trouble spot, IMHO. Every league around here has its own crazy press rule with ill-defined specifics and penalties)

* No shots on a "T" - just award two points and the ball

* Number, length of time-outs

I'm probably forgetting some, but these are the main ones I've come across.