Rules test for coaches

[Mark Padgett]

I think I may have posted this a few years ago, but I thought I'd throw this out again. It's a "simple" rules test I give to new coaches in our local kids rec league. We use NF rules with some modifications for grade level, like no backcourt guarding in 3rd and 4th grade, running clock, etc., but in general, it's NFHS rules. I've never had a newbie coach get all 10 questions correct in more than the ten years I've been using it. Feel free to use it in your rec league if you want. BTW - there's a "characteristic" about this test that makes it even more fun to administer.


RULES TEST – ANSWER TRUE OR FALSE TO EACH QUESTION

1) ON AN INBOUND PLAY, IF THE INBOUNDER MOVES MORE THAN THREE FEET BACKWARDS BEFORE INBOUNDING, IT’S A VIOLATION
2) A PLAYER CANNOT BEGIN A LEGAL DRIBBLE BY PUSHING THE BALL TO THE FLOOR WITH BOTH HANDS
3) PLAYERS MAY PLAY WITH EARRINGS AS LONG AS THEY ARE COVERED TIGHTLY WITH MASKING TAPE
4) WHEN INBOUNDING IN THE FRONT COURT, IT IS A VIOLATION TO INBOUND THE BALL TO A PLAYER IN THE BACK COURT
5) IF A PLAYER DIVES FOR A LOOSE BALL, GRABS THE BALL AND CONTINUES SLIDING, IT IS A TRAVELING VIOLATION
6) IF AN INBOUNDER IS HOLDING THE BALL OUT OF BOUNDS AND A DEFENDER REACHES ACROSS THE LINE AND PUTS BOTH HANDS ON THE BALL, IT IS RULED A JUMP BALL
7) IF A PLAYER SHOOTS AN AIR BALL, THAT PLAYER CANNOT BE THE FIRST TO TOUCH THE BALL BEFORE IT COMES DOWN AND HITS THE FLOOR
8) IF A PLAYER IS HOLDING THE BALL AND A DEFENDER SLAPS THE BALL HANDLERS HAND CAUSING THE BALL TO BECOME LOOSE, IT IS A PERSONAL FOUL
9) IF A PLAYER REACHES OVER ANOTHER PLAYER’S BACK TO GRAB THE BALL, IT IS A PERSONAL FOUL
10) IF A PLAYER IS DRIBBLING AND BOUNCES THE BALL OFF THEIR FOOT, THEY CANNOT RUN AND RECOVER THE LOOSE BALL

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

I think I may have posted this a few years ago, but I thought I'd throw this out again. It's a "simple" rules test I give to new coaches in our local kids rec league. We use NF rules with some modifications for grade level, like no backcourt guarding in 3rd and 4th grade, running clock, etc., but in general, it's NFHS rules. I've never had a newbie coach get all 10 questions correct in more than the ten years I've been using it. Feel free to use it in your rec league if you want. BTW - there's a "characteristic" about this test that makes it even more fun to administer.


RULES TEST – ANSWER TRUE OR FALSE TO EACH QUESTION

1) ON AN INBOUND PLAY, IF THE INBOUNDER MOVES MORE THAN THREE FEET BACKWARDS BEFORE INBOUNDING, IT’S A VIOLATION
2) A PLAYER CANNOT BEGIN A LEGAL DRIBBLE BY PUSHING THE BALL TO THE FLOOR WITH BOTH HANDS
3) PLAYERS MAY PLAY WITH EARRINGS AS LONG AS THEY ARE COVERED TIGHTLY WITH MASKING TAPE
2) WHEN INBOUNDING IN THE FRONT COURT, IT IS A VIOLATION TO INBOUND THE BALL TO A PLAYER IN THE BACK COURT
5) IF A PLAYER DIVES FOR A LOOSE BALL, GRABS THE BALL AND CONTINUES SLIDING, IT IS A TRAVELING VIOLATION
6) IF AN INBOUNDER IS HOLDING THE BALL OUT OF BOUNDS AND A DEFENDER REACHES ACROSS THE LINE AND PUTS BOTH HANDS ON THE BALL, IT IS RULED A JUMP BALL
7) IF A PLAYER SHOOTS AN AIR BALL, THAT PLAYER CANNOT BE THE FIRST TO TOUCH THE BALL BEFORE IT COMES DOWN AND HITS THE FLOOR
8) IF A PLAYER IS HOLDING THE BALL AND A DEFENDER SLAPS THE BALL HANDLERS HAND CAUSING THE BALL TO BECOME LOOSE, IT IS A PERSONAL FOUL
9) IF A PLAYER REACHES OVER ANOTHER PLAYER’S BACK TO GRAB THE BALL, IT IS A PERSONAL FOUL
10) IF A PLAYER IS DRIBBLING AND BOUNCES THE BALL OFF THEIR FOOT, THEY CANNOT RUN AND RECOVER THE LOOSE BALL

Mark:

You are a devious SOB giving the coaches such a difficult test, .

MTD, Sr.

[Nevadaref]

I'm sure that the coaches have the most difficulty with question #4.

[grunewar]

and even I had trouble with #4. A real head-scratcher that one!

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

I'm sure that the coaches have the most difficulty with question #4.

Ya' got me.

[Judtech]

Originally Posted by grunewar

and even I had trouble with #4. A real head-scratcher that one!

Yeah, but you have to take a second look at #2

[NoFussRef]

#3 is True, only if the masking tape is of matching team colors, and/or all payers wearing masking taped ears are wearing the same color.

Furthermore, any tape, band-aids, or other adhesive material worn to conceal jewelry MUST be the same color as the player's compression sleeve(s).

Violations are penalized by assessing one T-foul for each ear.

[JugglingReferee]

Truly truly Mark, there are no false motives in your tests!

[bainsey]

I think I'll try this on our state's fan forum.

[bainsey]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

7) IF A PLAYER SHOOTS AN AIR BALL, THAT PLAYER CANNOT BE THE FIRST TO TOUCH THE BALL BEFORE IT COMES DOWN AND HITS THE FLOOR

I seem to recall that this is a violation in the NBA. Can anyone confirm this?

[APG]

Originally Posted by bainsey

I seem to recall that this is a violation in the NBA. Can anyone confirm this?

This is correct. In the NBA, it is a traveling violation to touch the ball first if a field goal attempt does not touch the backboard, basket ring, or another player first.

[bainsey]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

2) A PLAYER CANNOT BEGIN A LEGAL DRIBBLE BY PUSHING THE BALL TO THE FLOOR WITH BOTH HANDS

I'm struggling to find an NFHS case play for this one. A little help?

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by bainsey

I'm struggling to find an NFHS case play for this one. A little help?

IIRC, you don't need a case book.

In the rule book, it defines a dribble as "forcing the ball after it rebounds from the floor". Since the first dribble hasn't yet rebounded from the floor, the criteria for a legal dribble haven't yet commenced, and therefore the restriction of using only one hand is not yet in place.

[ontheway]

i just read that while inbounding the alotted space is 3 feet wide theres no restriction as to how far back an inbounding player may go.

Am I missing something?

[APG]

Originally Posted by ontheway

i just read that while inbounding the alotted space is 3 feet wide theres no restriction as to how far back an inbounding player may go.

Am I missing something?

This is correct.