I know that for 8 minute quarter HS varsity games the overtime period is 4 minutes.

Someone recently told me that overtime is supposed to be 1/2 the length of a quarter. Is that true? I've always thought that for JV games (7 minute quarters) the overtime should be 3 minutes, but the person that told me this "1/2 rule" says it should be 3:30. Has anyone else heard of this rule?

By rule, it should be 4 minutes.

5-7-3
The length of each extra period shall be four minutes. For games played with six-minute quarters, the length of each extra period shall be three minutes.

Since the rule does not address 7 minute quarters, 4 minutes should be correct.

Interesting. Funny thing...I guess I've never had an OT in a game with 7 min qrts. Never thought of it.

Boys JV game, part of a 6-game Saturday schedule, went into double overtime. The first OT was 4 minutes, the second was 2. The officials told both coaches before the second OT if the game was tied at the end of the second OT, it would be recorded as a tie. One ref looked suspiciously like Bud Selig.

Since the rules do not specify the length of OT in a 7 minute quarter game, the decision is completely up to the league or other governing body. In my county in NY we routinely play 7-min. quarters at the junior high level and the OT is 3 minutes. Also, by decision of the governing body, if there is a second OT in these games, it is sudden death.

What's an "overtime"?