Fans on sideline is touched with ball

[BillyMac]

KYcat1: great post. Generated a lot of good discussion.

For the good of the cause, I would like to make a slight change in KYcat1's original play. I bring this up because this new play is based on one of those "unannounced" changes made by the NFHS a few years ago, and there are probably a small percentage of Forum members who may not be aware of the change.

A-1 is dribbling up the sideline and he or she, not the ball, touches a player, coach, official or fan, who is out of bounds. The call: No violation.

A few years ago the NFHS rule stated that a dribbler could touch a player who was out of bounds and not violate the out of bounds rule. Within the past few years the NFHS has changed the rule, I believe "unannounced", so that a player may now touch a person, any person, not just a player, without violating. By "unannounced", I mean that the change was made without being included in the annual rule changes, editorial changes, and points of emphasis.

Forum members: When did this change occur?