1) Can anyone tell me if the NFHS rules book / case book is available on the internet?

2) Are there any "rules of thumb" that may help a less experinced Official to always put the play back into play at the proper spot on the floor? In a recent game there was a disagreement among officials.

Note of thanks - for those who post comments regularly, I've learned a lot!

1. You will NOT FIND an electronic copy of the rules on the internet. It would be an infringement of the copyright statutes. Sales of this material is a major source of funding for the NFHS. To order the NFHS Rulebook, Simplified and Illustrated Rulebook, Casebook, and Officials Manual ($6 each) 1-800-776-3462 Hours 8AM - 6PM (Central Std Time)
If you prefer snail mail:
Order Department
PO Box 20606,
Kansas City, MO 64195-0606

2. Rule of thumb - Inside the 3pt arch to endline; anything else, straight out to the sideline.

[Edited by williebfree on Jan 14th, 2003 at 08:28 AM]

The Rule Book, Case Book, and Officials Manual can be ordered online at NFHS.org.

There is a chart in the Officials Manual which shows where throw-ins are to occur.
Draw a diagonal line from the end of the free throw line (where the free throw lane line meets it) to the corner of the court where the same sideline and endline meet (approx 45 degree angle). Do the same thing from the other side of the free throw line to other corner of the court. Then shade in that entire area, along with the semi-circle above the free throw line. It looks like a big triangle. All violations, held balls, non-shooting fouls, etc. that happen in this shaded area will result in an ENDLINE throw-in even with where the infraction occured (except never in the lane under the backboard).
All throw-ins that occur outside of this shaded area will result in a SIDELINE throw-in even with where the infraction occured.
Boarderline ones, or if you're not sure, just make a quick decision and put the ball in play.

Of course, there are many other times where there is a proper location to put the ball back into play, like at the start of a quarter, after a Technical foul, after a double foul, if there is a throw-in violation where the ball goes out-of-bounds untouched, etc. The book indicates what to do in such situations. Good luck.

In addition to what was said about ordering from NFHS website, there is a tool called Athletic Rules study that provides a CD with sample (prior year) tests and the rule book, case book and illustrated.

http://www.rules-study.com/index.html

Aargh!!

Correction, Sir!
 

Aargh is right Tony. One of the more veteran officials I was working with was trying to convince me of a similar rule of thumb....

When we got out the manual (at his suggestion)... and when he saw my marked up diagram, he swallowed his tongue.

I only have last years books here but Diagram 3 in the mechanics manual (page 21) shows anything below an imaginary line drawn from the ENDS OF THE FREE THROW LINE to the corners of the court OR within the key, including the free-throw semi-circle, goes to the endline. Other positions go to the sideline. Three point line has no bearing.

Guys,
He asked for a "rule of thumb" or an approximation. Therefore, the answer of inside the 3 pt. line is what he was after. We all know that this is not precisely correct, but he did not ask for the exact rule.