Rule Changes for Next Season
 

See the following (I like the change regarding lag time):

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (April 19, 2006) - Beginning next season in high school basketball, only one warning will be given for any of the
four delay situations before a technical foul is assessed, including the
newly approved delay situation for water on the court following a
time-out.
This change was one of five rules revisions approved by the
National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Basketball
Rules Committee at its April 9-10 meeting in Indianapolis. The rules
changes subsequently were approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
In addition to the new delay situation for water on the court following
a time-out, the other delay situations in Rule 4-47 are for throw-in
plane violations, for a huddle by either team and contact with the free
thrower, and for interfering with the ball following a goal.
Previously, a team could receive a warning for each of the other three delay situations before a technical foul was assessed and two free
throws awarded to the opposition.
"The elimination of three warnings for various delay-of-game
situations into one warning will better assist with the flow of the
game, as well as the administration of the rule by officials and
scorers," said Mary Struckhoff, NFHS assistant director and liaison to
the Basketball Rules Committee. "With new tactics of additional
delay-of-game situations increasing, such as wiping up the floor
following time-outs, the rule gives coaches and officials clear
direction on limiting these situations by allowing only one warning
prior to administering a team technical foul."
In another major change, the exact time observed by the referee
may be placed back on the clock when an obvious mistake is made by the
timer in starting or stopping the clock.
"With this change in Rule 5-10-1, it eliminates the lag
time/reaction time of the clock operator," Struckhoff said. "If the
referee observes the time on the clock when an error occurs, the exact
time will be able to be put back on the clock."
Two equipment changes were approved by the committee. In Rule
3-5-2, the guidelines for headbands and sweatbands were altered, and in
Rule 3-6, the school logo/mascot now will be permitted on pants,
compression shorts, sweatbands and headbands.
Headbands and sweatbands must be white or similar in color to
the torso of the jersey and must be the same color for each item and all
participants. Only one item is permitted on the head and on each wrist.
Sweatbands must be a maximum of four inches and worn below the elbow.
"Increasingly, headbands and sweatbands have become items of
concern, mainly on how and where athletes have worn them," said Nate
Hampton, assistant director of the Michigan High School Athletic
Association and chair of the NFHS Basketball Rules Committee. "Many are
concerned that these items are worn mainly for decorative reasons or
individual identification rather than for a useful purpose. This change
will give a clearer direction on where sweatbands may be worn, and the
colors will be more reflective of team and school."
Among the five rules changes was the addition of a new signal
for a team-control foul. The mechanics for this signal will be extension
of the arm with the fist punched. Struckhoff said the new signal should
eliminate confusion at the scorer's table, as well as with players,
coaches and fans.
"Today's game of interscholastic basketball is in the best
position ever," Hampton said. "The great work done by so many
knowledgeable and caring previous committee members has made for the
great game we enjoy today. This year's committee discussed at length
many proposed changes with an eye on how each proposed change would
affect the game as it is coached, played, officiated and understood by
the various levels of participation in interscholastic programs across
the nation."
In addition to the actual rules changes, six major editorial
revisions were approved by the committee, along with five points of
emphasis for the 2006-07 season.
Among the editorial changes is a revision to Rule 5-11-2 which
prohibits on-court entertainment during a 30-second time-out.
In addition to the point of emphasis on the Proper Procedures
for Handling Apparent Concussions that is being emphasized in all NFHS
sports rules this year, the Basketball Rules Committee issued four other
areas of concern: uniforms, time-outs, intentional fouls and rule/signal
enforcement.

Hooray on the elimination of lag time, and the "punch" signal on team control fouls.

Boo on the addition to the fashion police duties.

But, oh well, change is always for the better, right? ;)

This is a good idea, which I (and I'm sure many others) suggested, at least for a signal given at the spot of the foul.

What I'm wondering is if this signal will also be given while at the table reporting similar to a PC foul, or if you should go ahead and give the push/block (or whatever appropriate) signal for the foul you had -- say for an illegal screen or a pass and crash (probably 90% or more of the TC fouls).

The only problem I see at the table, and this may be minor, is that if I punch my fist toward the table, it may not be picked up as well as it would when given on the floor in direction of the new offenses' basket. But if this is the biggest issue that comes out of rules/mechanics changes this year, we are all in great shape.

As far as the bands go, I'd prefer not to have to worry about them. I fear that certain officials took it upon themselves to enforce rules that didn't exist by prohibiting certain bands (say, on the upper arm) and the committee heard about it and wanted things to be consistently enforced. I don't know this to be true -- its just my speculation.

What constitutes an obvious mistake? :(

Where is the link to this on the NFHS website?

Thanks,

Z

Perhaps the "obvious mistake" of the timer not stopping the clock at the instant the whistle sounds?

I don\'t have the link, as it was forwarded to me via email and I cut and pasted it. You\'ll notice on the date that it was just released today so they may not have posted it as of yet on the website.

So for the team control foul, you don\'t come straight up with a fist to stop the clock... just a whistle and a punch?

I\'m going out on a limb here and say they are adopting the NCAA-W signal, which is a whistle, then the punch in the new direction. If they keep in line with other Fed. signals, they might do a "hybrid" approach with the fist in the air to stop the clock for the foul, then the punch.

I guess we\'ll have to wait and see what comes out on the website.

Oooh, the anticipation! :D

For every foul call, you should have a simultaneous whistle and fist straight up. What you do after that is based on the situation.

from www.nfhs.org click on Sports and Rules Information and then click on Basketball

And what constitutes "the instant the whistle sounds"? Are you going to put 1/10th back on the clock?

Why would you think that?

Because the article stated the following: "The mechanics for this signal will be extension of the arm with the fist punched."

Didn\'t say anything about killing the clock... just wondering.

I may be mistaken, but the Fed Mechanics chart shows that ALL fouls are initially signalled by the fist in the air, followed by the appropriate signal for the foul committed...much like the PC foul call, it\'s whistle/fist first, and then the PC signal.