Minnesota to Enforce Rules

[Jimgolf]

In what may seem like a "shoot yourself in the foot" move to some, and an "It's about time" move to others, in an effort to reduce rough play, the MSHSL has decided to ask officials and coaches to play by the rules.

This season in Minnesota, high school officials are being asked to do more. As odd as it sounds, they have been instructed to call the game according to National Federation of State High School Association rules. Specifically, the rules about contact.

The Minnesota State High School League has put a special emphasis on Rule 10.6 for basketball, which states: "A player shall not hold, push, charge, trip or impede the progress of an opponent by extending arms(s), shoulders(s), hip(s), or knee(s), or by bending his/her body into other than a normal position; nor use rough tactics."

Sounds simple, doesn't it? But ask 10 officials or 10 coaches to interpret Rule 10.6, and you might get 10.6 different answers.

And

... guidelines are explained in detail on an audio slide show posted on the MSHSL website (www.mshsl.org). Merkle, who provides the narration, stresses what must be called: "Coaches, you must understand these guidelines and teach them to your players. Officials, you must call the game using these guidelines. This is not optional nor is it up to individual interpretation."

http://www.startribune.com/sports/preps/12567936.html

[chartrusepengui]

is this link correct? (www.mshsl.org) does not work for me

[grunewar]

http://www.startribune.com/sports/preps/12567936.html

ARGH! The ref has facial hair!

[BktBallRef]

The proverbial can of worms.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by chartrusepengui

is this link correct? (www.mshsl.org) does not work for me

His link accidentally included a parenthesis at the end. Try it without them instead. It worked for me.

BTW - read the story requiring coaches to attend a rules meeting and take (AND PASS!) a rules test. Right on!

[rainmaker]

It's ridiculous. As though in the past we haven't been calling "by the rules". It's not a question of "playing by the rules". It's strictly up to agreeing on a common interpretation. The problem is getting coaches to teach their kids to acknowledge their own weaknesses, and learn to play cleaner. Nothing officials do or don't do can change the coaches plans. THey have to do it themselves.

[tjchamp]

Originally Posted by chartrusepengui

is this link correct? (www.mshsl.org) does not work for me

The link to the mshsl site won't do you any good unless you are a state certified official. You would need to be able to login to the officials corner, and in that page there is a link to a powerpoint presentation on how to call the game "by the rules."

The main points of emphasis are no armbars, and no hands allowed. If you have your forearm away from your body, and make contact with your opponent, it's an automatic foul (offensive or defensive). For hands, it's called touch and play. You can use your hand to "find" your opponent, then they must come off. Hands on the opponent after the initial touch is automatic foul.

I've called a few games this year, and the kids pick up on how you call it fairly quickly (most of the time). I talked with an official that called a game with as many as 68 fouls, and one with only 4 total fouls on one team.

So, if the coach can teach his kids to play proper defense, his team will be fine.

[just another ref]

Quote:
... guidelines are explained in detail on an audio slide show posted on the MSHSL website (www.mshsl.org). Merkle, who provides the narration, stresses what must be called: "Coaches, you must understand these guidelines and teach them to your players. Officials, you must call the game using these guidelines. This is not optional nor is it up to individual interpretation."


How can you not have individual interpretation? Does a bell ring when there is a foul?

[tjchamp]

This is the way the coaches in the state want it called. They wanted it called literally, no hands means no hands!

[WhistlesAndStripes]

Originally Posted by just another ref

Quote:
... guidelines are explained in detail on an audio slide show posted on the MSHSL website (www.mshsl.org). Merkle, who provides the narration, stresses what must be called: "Coaches, you must understand these guidelines and teach them to your players. Officials, you must call the game using these guidelines. This is not optional nor is it up to individual interpretation."


How can you not have individual interpretation? Does a bell ring when there is a foul?

No, actually, a whistle is supposed to sound.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by tjchamp

I've called a few games this year, and the kids pick up on how you call it fairly quickly (most of the time).

And it's been that way forever. The players and coaches will adjust to the officials, IF the officials are consistent. If we tighten up, they'll adjust to us.

[BEAREF]

Maybe this link will work...

http://www.mshsl.org/mshsl/sofficial...8/player2.html

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

And it's been that way forever. The players and coaches will adjust to the officials, IF the officials are consistent. If we tighten up, they'll adjust to us.

Who the hell WANTS to tighten up? Advantage/disadvantage is the way the game's been played forever. It's a contact sport. Those that deny that are foolish.

Minnesota wants to turn the sport into the equivalent of no-check hockey. Wonderful in theory, horribly boring in practice.

Edited to add: I've watched the video. Overboard, IMO, but nobody's asking me and I don't live there. Sounds like women's college "guidelines" are creeping into the NFHS game.

[rainmaker]

Originally Posted by tjchamp

This is the way the coaches in the state want it called. They wanted it called literally, no hands means no hands!

They want it called that way on the opponents. No coach ever wants it called that way on their own players.

[mj]

"Carnac says, "2 1/2 hour games and double bonus by the end of the third quarter"...

"What is a high school basketball game in Minnesota..."