Quick Q...5 Players?
 

Hey All,

Been a while. Happy Holidays!

Quick question. State sancitoned girls varsity game. Team A has only 5 players. Team A coach chooses to pull A1 off the court for their own displinary action (not DQ or ejection). So, Team A coach wanted to play only 4 of her players.

Understanding that a team can play with only 1 if they have the ability to win, the question for this situation: Is there a requirement in the NFHS rules to play all 5 eligible players? If so, please help with citation/caseplay.

Thanks in advance,
VS

3.1.1 addresses this situation.

Team must have five players participating as long as it has that number available.

In an JV Boys game, I have, in fact, allowed a team to play with 4 players and to allow the disciplined player to sit on the bench. I discussed the situation with the opposing coach and with partner, got approval by all and played on.
In my game, the player was being disciplined for escalating aggressiveness while on the floor.

I've done this as well; it was around 6-7 years ago, at a BV game.. Same situation: team only had 5 players; this one player was way OOC. There was about 17 seconds left in the half. My P and I got together and permitted the coach to play with 4 for the remaining of the half. IIRC, we did not consult the other coach, but rather I had my P (she was the R) tell him what we were going to do.

Agreed. but "available" isn't defined.

And if coach says the one player isn't available?? Possible for coach to suspend the player for a quarter?

This isn't Hoosiers. :rolleyes:

I'm leaning towards the theory of "If the coach says he isn't available, he isn't available."

I Don't Even Play A Lawyer On Television ...
 

Good theory. Nowadays, anybody can sue anybody for just about any reason, and even if you're in the right, you still have to hire a lawyer.

Coach: "He's unavailable".
Official: "You need five out here".
Several seconds later:
Player: "Ouch, I broke my ankle"
Several days later:
County Sheriff: "You've been served".

Although you can be sued for anything, a lawsuit against an official who enforced the rules within reason ain't going anywhere.

I agree. If the coach doesn't say the player is hurt, you're not responsible.

"The person who defends himself has a fool for a client." ...
 

Correct. But you still have to hire a lawyer. Hopefully the insurance that your local, or state, board carries, includes liability, and attorney fee coverage. In fact, once a parent finds out you have liability coverage, that may increase the chance that you'll get sued, possibly offering a bigger payday.

Thomas Paine Had Common Sense, Not Our Legal System ...
 

Common sense would tell me the same thing. But will the same conclusion be drawn by a parent out for a big payday, a parent's attorney who's out for a big fee, or a school's attorney trying to avoid liability.

Just tell the parent that if their kid ever wants to get a call again, they'd better just drop it. :cool:

The Snaqwells Theory, Will It Win Him A Nobel Prize ???
 

Then why your theory?

Five Versus Technical Foul ???
 

Similar situation:

For whatever reason, illness, injuries, disqualifications, ejections, very late, in a close game, a team is down to four players, however, there is one player, way down on the end of the bench, in uniform, who's, for whatever reason, name, and number were not in the book at the beginning of the game, unnoticed by the officials, and unknown to the coach, until he sends him to the table to sub in as the fifth player, when the scorekeeper announces to the coaches, and officials, "He's not in the book". The coach, whose team has the ball for the next throwin, considers the advantage of having a fifth player, versus, the disadvantage of adding a name, and number, to the book, earning a technical foul, losing the ball, the opponent getting two free throws, and the ball back. Can the coach refuse to sub him in for the reasons above? If not, can the coach just say, as in previous posts, "He's not available."?

Calm down Chicken Little's! No one is going to get sued here, but if the helos are sueing anybody it would be the coach for not letting Johnny play when he is eligible to play, is not hurt, and by rule has to. Not to mention the lost scholarship at a D-1 University.

It has nothing to do with legality and lawsuits and everything to do with wanting to stay out of the drama.

__________________
And if a coach tells me a player is not available, the player's not available. Could be grades, an attitude adjustment, illness, injury.. I don't need to know. That's a coach, team, school thing.

_________
You left out the multi-million dollar signing bonus when he goes to the NBA.:D

Does NFHS really allow a team to play with one player? In FIBA rules if you have 2 players and one fouls out, gets injured etc, then that team forfeits. With only one player it would be impossible to inbound the ball legally etc....

IMHO - If he's not in the book, then he's not a player, therefore the coach can choose not to sub him in (and thus prevent earning a technical foul).

A team may play with one only in the case where the officials believe that team still has an opportunity to win. Obviously that team would have to have a considerable lead and/or have very little time left in the game.

Coach can add anyone to the book at any time for the cost of a technical foul.

He can sit there on the bench and it's ok with me. "He's our mascot," or whatever. But once he gets to the table, it's too late to say he's not available.

Impossible?
Bounce it off an opponent.

Let an opponent shoot and get a rebound, then dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble..., for three minutes? For 15 seconds?

Not Available, Not Eligible / Available, Eligible ???
 

Correct, he's not a player, but:

4-34-4: A team member is a member of bench personnel who is in uniform
and is eligible to become a player

Not to argue, just want to make you go hmmm...

Coach: "He's not eligible."

Hmmm......Not in FIBA: