Designated TO area?
 

Had a first last night. During a TO, coach tells team to stay out because "you don't listen anyway". Do the players and the coach have to stay in the designated TO area or can the players stay out and just the coach is restricted to the area. Looked through the rule book after the game and couldn't find a reference to this situation. BTW, I allowed the players to stay out, while the coach sat on the bench.

If he conducts his TO, he must do so within the area. There's nothing that requires him to do so, however. He can send his players out onto the court at any point, as long as they all return at approximately the same time.

There's nothing that says the players have to be there if the coach isn't conducting the timeout. Envision the situation where one of the teams, during a timeout, finishes early and wants to resume play early. They'll head to the court early and there's no penalty in doing so.

The location of the timeout area is defined in NFHS rule 1-13-3. Just keep 'em all somewhere within that area.

You handled it just fine. I would do exactly the same thing.

Disagree. If what you say were true, the players could be in the other team's timeout area. And I think you'll agree that they can't be there. Since the only distinctions are the indicated timeout areas, the players need to be in them during a timeout whether the timeout is being utilized or not.

I was envisioning the players staying on their half of the court. But you are correct.

So, when Team A is ready to go after 10 seconds of a 60 second timeout, you're going to force them to remain in the TO area? How early is too early?

I'll agree they can't be in the other team's huddle, but that can easily be enforced without forcing them into their defined TO area.

Dont trouble trouble...

That's my thought. I'll keep them out of B's huddle, if necessary, but that's as far as I'm going with it.

5-12-5 says the timeout conference shall be conducted within the confines of the timeout area.

If there is no conference, as far as I'm concerned they can stay out on the court.

They can stay out on the court, no matter what. Part of the time-out area is out on the court.

Rules citation?

True. I should have said that they can stay out on the court in position and ready to resume play. So you agree with me? Did you bump your head this morning or something?:D

There's no rule that I know of that says the players must go to their bench area during a TO. I wouldn't let them stand by the other team's huddle though; that's just asking for trouble. There's no specific rule on that either afaik but I'd call that an unsporting act. Warn 'em first. Iirc we had a long thread on that years ago.

Which also brings up the question....

Just before a FT, both the offense and defense usually have a quick strategy huddle. What do you do, if anything, if an opponent decides that he/she would like to join the opposing team's huddle?

Nothing. I'll give them their privacy during a TO, but not here. I'd rather they not huddle anyway, and addressing this will only delay the game. If they want privacy, they can request a TO.

Are we talking the actual rule or the practical application of the rule?

By rule, they must be in their timeout area.

In practice, I'm not going to say anything about it as long as they're not closer to the other team's huddle than they should be and aren't otherwise doing something they shouldn't.

2008-09 NFHS Exam, Part 1, Question 75 (assuming my source is accurate)...

Players may sit or stand during a 60-second time-out, but must remain in their bench area.

The provided answer is "True".

So, by rule, at what point are they allowed to return to the playing court outside of their respective TO areas? I'm sorry, but it seems to me that rule is meant for a coach's decision to conduct his timeout some place outside the TO area. If he's not conducting it, I've got nothing by rule or by application.

If a team spends 10 seconds in their TO, are they allowed (by rule) to set up their offense regardless of where the throw-in will be held? 20 seconds? 30 seconds? After the warning horn?

The warning horn. That is the signal to return to be ready to play. Before that, they can linger around their own bench/timeout area but not beyond.

In practice, as long as they're not infringing on the other team's timeout area, I'm not going to address it if they come out early.

Well, at least we agree in practice. :)

Nothing but make my presence felt. Had it this past weekend in JuCo game. Coach was worried opposing player would instigate something. I told HC that's why I was standing right next to the huddle.