Comments On NFHS Changes

[Brad]

I think that allowing the coach to call a time-out is a good thing. How many times have we been standing next to the coach during a free throw at the end of a game and the coach says, "Ref, give me a time-out on the make." If the NFHS changed the rule, this would technically not be allowed.

I've gotten in the habit of making sure that I glance towards the bench during those game situations where we "know" that the team probably wants a time-out - i.e. when the other team goes on a run, or the team turns the ball over several times giving the other team momentum, etc. Many times as soon as I look over I see the coach requesting the time-out. Most times the players have not yet realized it yet and it would take extra effort on the coach's part to get his players' attention and have one of them call the time-out.

As Rut said - bottom line is that the onus falls on the coach. Simply saying, "Time out!" is not enough - from a player OR a coach, unless the official can clearly see who is requesting the time-out. If we simply make an effort to realize the situations where a team is likely to call a time-out I think that we avoid most problems.