Last week in one of my games I had a coach use his substitutions to delay the game in my mind. He would send one substitute to the table and she would come in and when the player she replaced was about 5 feet from the bench he would tell another girl to report so she would get to the table just as the other player would reach the bench. Then that player would be beckoned and the process started over.

After the 3 new players were in the game, the 2 players that remained in the game probably got close to a minutes rest with the way the game was delayed. One time he substituted 2 players and just when we were ready to resume play, he called a full time out. Probably got an extra 30 seconds rest for the other 3 players.

Has anyone heard or seen a coach do this? I never have. I'm sure he did this intentionally. Should I have said something to him about this? I don't think there's anything in the rules that applies to this and since the opposing team also got the same break I didn't say anything to him even though we could do nothing right in his mind.

mj

I need some help here because I cannot find the information but a few years ago the NFHS and the NCAA came up with a ruling that after the second substitution in the situation that you described, the third substitute would have to wait till the next opportunity to substitute.

This is what is called.............
 

"playing the game."

Coaches do not send subs at once, but have more than one. As an official you do not have to allow this at all. If they do not sub all at once, you can stop them. If you fell it is done intentionally than stop it. Tell the coach, have all subs in at once. You might allow the other team to send a sub, but do not let it continue. You do not have to. We are the supreme authority over the game.

Peace

I stopped reading right there. I allow only the subs that have already reported and are ready at the "X" to enter the court. The rest of them will have to wait until the next time I beckon (unless there is an unusal delay for some reason, I will beckon more). Referees should NOT wait for these late subs who try to come in at their whim. Be in control.

Is there documentation in the rules about restricting subs in a case like this? I fail to find any. I see this as a little quirk that gives this coach a small reason to feel that he is accomplishing something, so let him. The amount of time lost here does not seem significant to me. Also, a series of substitutions involving both teams could easily occur in a similar way. Coach A sends in A1 to give his team additional height, speed, whatever. Seeing this Coach B counters with B1, etc.

I can think of several reasons why a coach might choose to substitute in this manner, and only one of them is to intentionally delay the game.

Just as some officials (not naming any names :D) like to deride coaches for not understanding the rules of the game, this could easily be flipped around to say that some officials could be ripped for not understanding the strategy of the game. Each substitute for either team can provide opportunities to take advantage of matchups, ball pressure, foul situation, etc. I could at sometimes be guilty of what you described. Figure out the matchup and substitution I want to make, send the sub to the table, then realize I don't have a good shooter in to break their zone, so I send a second sub to get a shooter in. Oops, now I have no ball-handler. Need to sub again.

This can be even more so if the opponents sub during this sequence as well. Depending on their personnel, I can sometimes anticipate their strategy and counter it with substitutions of my own.

Don't always assume the coach's actions are just to pi$$ you off.

Very good points PA coach.
Thank you

mj

Ditto

This is why when I bought a new (okay, new-to-me) car in September, I got a bumper sticker to put on it that says, "Stop Serial Substitutions!!"

Actually the issue isn't that big of a deal for me. If a coach pulls this on me, I just stop the subs until the next proper occasion. But I love the sound of the words,

"STOP SERIAL SUBSTITUTIONS"

I'm also sending for a "Save the Skeets" bumper sticker. It's gonna look great!

Will you be getting another new car for that sticker? :)

I think that on this board, we need to stop the violins and simply visualize whirled peas.

I think that you will be hunted down after that one,for a mass,public puking-on-shoes ceremony.
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Mark -- I AGREE!!!