NFHS Player leaving bench area

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by deecee

why are they concerend about bench players leaving their bench to get a drink? what concern is that of ours? that to me is the coaches problem and not the officials -- if there is a good reason then let me hear it.

Well, as 26 Year said, it's supposed to be an automatic technical if bench personnel are on their feet, let alone going for a tour. If you allow one to do it, then you gotta allow all of them to do it too. I really can't see the logic in letting 6 or 7 kids from the bench go over and chat up the other team's cheerleaders. Other than that, coaches are supposed to be responsible at all times for their bench personnel if something does happen. And if something ever does happen to a team member that the coach and the officials have allowed to wander, well then both our butts are gonna be in deep doodoo. There's enough crowd control problems around now without our having to worry about players getting up close and personal with the crowd also.

It's not really the idea of just going for a quick drink. It's a matter of the FED wanting to make sure that bench personnel are being properly supervised at all times during a game. And if you don't even know where a kid is, your sureasheck can't say that they're being supervised or under some kind of control.

That's my understanding of the logic behind the POE and the rule restricting a team to their bench.