Technical Fouls

[Chris Whitten]

Due to having crap for a memory, I am attempting to create a more user friendly version of the technical foul chart in the back of the NFHS rules book. Whatever comes of this exercise will be offered to my high school association and the rec league I call in for instructional purposes. Your additions or deletions are encouraged. Just want a good, solid way to remember it. Here it is so far:

All TFs count toward the team foul count. The exception is the Indirect TF which may be viewed as an "also assessed to" TF meant to penalize the head coach for action of his bench personnel or illegal activity during warmups.

All TFs on players or bench personnel count toward their 5 personals.

Head coach always loses standing privilege after a Direct or Indirect TF.

The Team shall be assessed a TF for the following (No TF to the coach):
*Book changes/Not having book ready
*More than 5 players on the court
*Excess timeouts
*Violation after delay warning
*Team not ready to start the half
*All players not returning at approx. the same time

[Welpe]

You might want to categories the administrative techs where they are "one and done". In other words, if a technical is administered to a team for adding a player to the book, that is the only one they will receive for the game, even if they add another player later.

[BillyMac]

I'm still working on this, but this is what I've got so far:

Administrative Infraction Technical Foul Penalties

Basketball officials do everything in their power to prevent administrative infraction technical fouls. For example, the officiating crew arrives on the court at least fifteen minutes prior to game time. Officials observe each team during pregame warmups, looking for illegal uniforms, and counting the number of members on each team. The referee meets with the table crew and reviews table responsibilities with the home scorekeeper, the visiting scorekeeper, and the timer. The referee also reviews the scorebook, looking for duplicate numbers, illegal numbers, and verifies that the number of team members in the scorebook coincides with the number of team members warming up. Once the game starts, substitutes eager to enter the game are given a “stop sign” and are only beckoned when allowed by rule. Officials count players after each substitution to ensure that there are only five players from each team participating before allowing the ball to be put into play. Finally, officials notify teams, and their coaches, whenever a team is granted its final allotted charged timeout.

Despite officials taking all the above steps to prevent administrative infraction technical fouls, these types of infractions still occur. An official may, all of a sudden, realize that there are eleven players participating. The horn may sound at an odd time, and the officials are informed that a player’s uniform number is not recorded in the official scorebook. Excess timeouts are requested, and granted. When these administrative infractions occur, officials must be prepared to deal with them, and penalize them, in the proper manner, within the proper time frame.

Some administrative infraction technical foul situations can occur before the jump ball is even tossed. If a team fails to supply the official scorer with its roster, and/or designate its five starting players at least ten minutes before the scheduled starting time, then a team technical foul is charged. This team technical foul is charged when it occurs, after the ten minute time limit. A maximum of one technical foul is charged for both requirements (roster and/or starters).

If a team changes a designated starter (with exceptions) after the ten minute time limit, then a team technical foul is charged. If a player starts, and that player was not designated to be a starter, the infraction has to be discovered, and penalized, before the ball becomes live to start the game. Once the ball becomes live, it is too late to penalize this specific infraction, and no penalty can be assessed. As a reminder, the ball becomes live when: on a jump ball, the tossed ball leaves the referee’s hand; on a throw-in, it is at the disposal of the thrower; and on a free throw, it is at the disposal of the free thrower.

Many administrative infractions can involve the scorebook and rosters. If a team adds a name to the team roster after the ten minute time limit, then a team technical foul is charged. When such a player legally enters the court, the player’s name and uniform number must be entered into the official scorebook. In order to penalize this infraction, the offending team member must be one of the five players currently in the game. In addition, if a team requires the official scorer to change a team member or player’s uniform number in the official scorebook (with exception), after the ten minute time limit, then a team technical foul is charged. If there is no request for change, or if a team member does not become a player, thus avoiding the change, there is no penalty.

Similarly, if a team requires a player to change to a number in the official scorebook after the ten minute time limit, then a team technical foul is charged. A maximum of one team technical foul is charged regardless of the number of players, and substitutes, not wearing the number indicated in the official scorebook. Each player must wear the number indicated in the official scorebook, or change the official scorebook number to that which the player is wearing. Any additional substitutes who become players and require the changing of the number indicated for them in the official scorebook will not result in a penalty, as the one maximum technical has already been charged to the team for this administrative infraction. If there is no request for change, or if the team member does not become a player, thus avoiding the change, there is no penalty.

Three scorebook situations: adding a name to the team roster, changing a name or a number in the official scorebook, and/or having a player change a uniform number, are penalized with a team technical foul when they occur, after the ten minute time limit. These infractions occur when the scorer is advised to add to or change the official scorebook. The foul must be charged when it occurs and enforced when the ball next becomes live. Once the ball becomes live, after such changes have been made to the scorebook, it is too late to penalize. Remember, the ball becomes live when: on a jump ball, the tossed ball leaves the referee’s hand; on a throw-in, it is at the disposal of the thrower; and on a free throw, it is at the disposal of the free thrower.

After the ten minute time limit a team is charged with a maximum of one technical foul regardless of how many infractions of the following are committed: changing a designated starter, adding a name to the team member list, requiring the scorer to change a team member’s or player’s number in the scorebook, requiring a player to change to the number in the scorebook, and/or having identical numbers on team members and/or players. Each player must wear the number indicated in the scorebook, or change the official scorebook number to that the player is wearing. Any additional substitutes who become players and require the changing of the number indicated for them in the official scorebook will not result in a penalty, as the one maximum technical has already been charged to the team for that team’s administrative infraction

If a team has identical numbers on team members, and/or players, after the ten minute time limit, then a team technical foul is charged. This infraction is charged and penalized upon discovery of identical numbers. Only one team member may wear a given number; the other must change to a number not already in use before participating.

Technical fouls for illegal uniforms (including illegal numbers) are not charged to the team, but are charged directly to the head coach. If a team member participates as a player while wearing an illegal uniform, then a direct technical foul is charged to the head coach, who will lose the coaching box privilege for the remainder of the game. This infraction is penalized when discovered, and the team member with the illegal uniform may participate without further penalty and is not required to change the number. A maximum of one technical foul shall be charged directly to the head coach regardless of the number of offenders.

If a team requests and is granted an excess timeout, then a team technical foul is charged. The penalty for an excessive timeout is assessed when discovered.

If a team has more than five team members participating simultaneously, then a team technical foul is charged. This infraction is penalized if it is discovered by the officials while being violated, in other words, the officials had knowledge that more than five team members were participating as players in the game while the clock was running, whether, or not, the ball was dead, or live, at the tme of the discovery.

If a player participates after changing a number without reporting the change to the official scorer and an official, then a player flagrant technical foul is charged. This infraction is penalized if it is discovered by the officials while being violated. In other words, it can only be penalized when the offending team member is one of the five players currently in the game, and is not bench personnel.

If the head coach permits a team member to participate after being removed from the game for disqualification, then a direct technical foul is charged to the head coach, who will lose the coaching box privilege for the remainder of the game. This infraction is penalized if it is discovered by the officials while being violated. In other words, this can only be penalized when the offending team member is one of the five players currently in the game, and is not bench personnel.

If a substitute enters the court without reporting to the scorer; and without being beckoned by an official, except between periods, then a technical foul shall be charged to the substitute. Each illegal substitute gets one technical foul per instance, whether they didn’t report, or entered the court without being beckoned, or both. However, two technical fouls are not charged if the illegal substitute doesn’t report and enters without being beckoned. A substitute technical foul is charged if recognized by an official before the ball becomes live following the first dead ball. Once the ball becomes live, the substitute is a legal player at that point, the foul is not penalized. Remember, the ball becomes live when: on a jump ball, the tossed ball leaves the referee’s hand; on a throw-in, it is at the disposal of the thrower; and on a free throw, it is at the disposal of the free thrower.

Officials must continue to diligently prevent administrative infraction technical fouls from occurring. Nevertheless, when these administrative infractions occur, officials must be prepared to deal with them, and to properly penalize them, within the correct time frame.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I'm still working on this, but this is what I've got so far:

My problem involves more than five team members participating simultaneously. Read on:

I’m having problems fully understanding the administration of the 10-1-6 (more than five team members participating simultaneously) penalty. Here’s what I originally wrote: If a team has more than five team members participating simultaneously, then a team technical foul is charged. This infraction is penalized if it is discovered by the officials while being violated, in other words, while more than five team members are currently participating as players in the game.

Here is the rule that it’s based on: NFHS 10-1-6: A team shall not: Have more than five team members participating simultaneously. If discovered while being violated.

Here’s the only casebook play involving more than five team members participating simultaneously: 10.1.6 SITUATION: With Team A leading 51 to 50, a held ball is called. A6 properly reports and enters the game. Time is then called by Team A. The clock shows two seconds remaining in the game. After play is resumed by a throw-in, the officials: (a) recognize that A has six players competing, but cannot get the clock stopped; or (b) do not notice Team A has six players on the court. Following the throw-in, time expires. Team B now reports to the officials that Team A had six players on the court. RULING: In (a), since one of the officials had knowledge that Team A had six players participating simultaneously and this was detected prior to time expiring, a technical foul is assessed against Team A. In (b), since it was not recognized by either official, but was called to their attention after time had expired, it is too late to assess any penalty.

Here’s my problem. I wish that the NFHS was more definitive about what "participating" means, as well as what "while being violated" means. If there are six team members participating, does it matter whether, or not, the ball is dead, live, clock running, clock not running, or if there is, or isn't, a timeout (not an intermission)? What defines whether, or not, a player is participating? Does it have to be during a live ball, clock running, situation? Can it be during a live ball, clock stopped situation, i.e., ball at disposal of free throw shooter? Can it be during a dead ball, clock running situation, i.e. dead ball immediately after a made field goal? How about during a dead ball, clock stopped situation, i.e during a timeout?

Here are some situations that are confusing me:

A) Head coach of Team B requests, and is granted, a timeout, at which point he immediately complains to the officials that Team A has six team members participating. The sole purpose of his timeout is to call attention to the officials that Team A has six team members participating. Officials, who have been unaware that six team members have been participating up until that point, count six Team A members on the court before they head into their timeout huddle. The ball is dead, and the clock is stopped. What’s the call? Please note that in 10.1.6 SITUATION (b) (above) the officials were not aware of the additional player until after time expires, which, to me, means the same as an intermission, when all team members are bench personnel. The situation that I have described here in not during an intermission, but is during a timeout.

B) Team B head coach yells to nearest official that there are six Team A players participating. Official sounds whistle to stop the action to count the players and discovers that there are six Team A team members on the court during this dead ball, clock stopped, situation. What's the call?

C) Team A has six team members participating, which goes unobserved by the officials. Official calls a travel violation on Team A. There are no substitutions after the whistle. Before administering the throw in, officials observe that Team A has six team members participating. The ball is dead, and the clock is stopped. What’s the call?

D) Team A has six players on the court. Officials are unaware of this infraction. Team A has been awarded two free throws. The first free throw is missed. No substitutions are made. Before bouncing the ball to the free thrower for his second free throw, the officials realize that Team A has six players on the court. The ball is dead, and the clock is stopped. What’s the call?

E) The last Team A free throw attempt is successful. The clock hasn't started. Six team members on Team A are setting up a full court press. Officials become aware of the extra player before the ball is at the disposal of Team B for a run-the-endline throwin. The ball is dead, and the clock is stopped. What’s the call?

F) Team A has six players on the court. Officials are unaware of this infraction. Team A has been awarded two free throws. The first free throw is missed. No substitutions are made. After bouncing the ball to the free thrower, and with the ball at the free thrower's disposal for his second free throw, the officials realize that Team A has six players on the court. The ball is live, and the clock is stopped. What’s the call?

G) Team A scores a field goal. Six team members on Team A are setting up a full court press. Officials become aware of the extra player before the ball is at the disposal of Team B for a run-the-endline throwin. The ball is dead, and the clock is running. What’s the call?

At the very least, this should emphasis why officials must take their time, and do everything that they can possibly do, using good mechanics, to prevent situations like these from happening.

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by Chris Whitten

Due to having crap for a memory, I am attempting to create a more user friendly version of the technical foul chart in the back of the NFHS rules book. Whatever comes of this exercise will be offered to my high school association and the rec league I call in for instructional purposes. Your additions or deletions are encouraged. Just want a good, solid way to remember it. Here it is so far:

All TFs count toward the team foul count. The exception is the Indirect TF which may be viewed as an "also assessed to" TF meant to penalize the head coach for action of his bench personnel or illegal activity during warmups.

All TFs on players or bench personnel count toward their 5 personals.

Head coach always loses standing privilege after a Direct or Indirect TF.

The Team shall be assessed a TF for the following (No TF to the coach):
*Book changes/Not having book ready
*More than 5 players on the court
*Excess timeouts
*Violation after delay warning
*Team not ready to start the half
*All players not returning at approx. the same time

My first bit of advice is to use and teach as specific terminology as you can. It will help you keep the technical foul chart straight.

1. Technical fouls NEVER are personal fouls. Use the term "individual" fouls. I know that the chart says that a player technical counts toward 5 "personal" fouls, but it really counts towards the five INDIVIDUAL fouls each person can accumulate.

2. A player is one who is legally on the court during the game. You cannot have more than five players. That is impossible. There can be more than five team members.

3. The head coach does lose his right to stand. He merely loses the coaching box privilege. The head coach may stand even without a coaching box for certain situations. See 10-5.

4. All team members are bench personnel during warm-ups, so that is why the head coach would get an indirect if one of them did something warranting an individual T. However, there could be a situation in which a T is charged to the home team during warm-ups and the head coach wouldn't be penalized. (Perhaps the crowd throws stuff on the court at the visiting team. They aren't bench personnel.)

5. All team members are bench personnel between quarters, but the five players remain players during a time-out, unless they are replaced by substitutes. Keep track of who was on the court when granting a TO as this could matter for an indirect.

6. Once a team member goes to the scorer's table to report, he/she becomes a substitute and is no longer bench personnel, so any T committed by that individual would not be charged to the head coach.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I'm still working on this, but this is what I've got so far:

The OP was looking for "a more user friendly version".

What you've created seems just the opposite of that, to me.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

The OP was looking for "a more user friendly version".

What you've created seems just the opposite of that, to me.

Might be easier to just memorize the chart.

[Rob1968]

Quote: "6. Once a team member goes to the scorer's table to report, he/she becomes a substitute and is no longer bench personnel, so any T committed by that individual would not be charged to the head coach."

Nevada, is there a reference for this? The statement seems to put the substitute in a third status, somewhere in between players and bench personnel. I've always understood that the actions of anyone associated with the team, and not currently designated as a player, would come under the bench personnel status, and the responsibility of the head coach.

Let's suppose that the substitute does/says something that warrants a T. Are we to understand that there would be no indirect T assessed to the head coach?

[Indianaref]

The Head coach is responsible for his/her own conduct and behavior, as well as substitutes, disqualified team members and all other bench personnel.

[Adam]

The chart is very specific that the head coach does not get an indirect when a sub enters the court without being beckoned or without reporting. (10-2 and penalty chart) The wording at the beginning of 10-4 indicates that the substitutes' behavior, however, could warrant an indirect for the coach. There really isn't much clarity on this beyond that, however.

[Indianaref]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

The chart is very specific that the head coach does not get an indirect when a sub enters the court without being beckoned or without reporting. (10-2 and penalty chart) The wording at the beginning of 10-4 indicates that the substitutes' behavior, however, could warrant an indirect for the coach. There really isn't much clarity on this beyond that, however.

Yes, this is what I meant to convey. I was in a hurry.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

The chart is very specific that the head coach does not get an indirect when a sub enters the court without being beckoned or without reporting. (10-2 and penalty chart) The wording at the beginning of 10-4 indicates that the substitutes' behavior, however, could warrant an indirect for the coach. There really isn't much clarity on this beyond that, however.

Correct. When they violation the provisions of the substitution rules by improperly entering the game, the coach is not charge. But for other actions such as unsportsmanlike conduct, there is no basis for excluding the coach.

[bainsey]

Ultimately, I just break the T's down into the five categories: Team, Player, Substitute, Bench, and Head Coach. The last two always result in the coach losing the box (which our state has). The bench always results in indirects.

From there, you just have to know which foul goes to which category, and why. (Reasons tend to jog the memory.) Writing a brief list of each helps.

[billyu2]

Originally Posted by Chris Whitten

Due to having crap for a memory, I am attempting to create a more user friendly version of the technical foul chart in the back of the NFHS rules book. Whatever comes of this exercise will be offered to my high school association and the rec league I call in for instructional purposes. Your additions or deletions are encouraged. Just want a good, solid way to remember it. Here it is so far:

All TFs count toward the team foul count. The exception is the Indirect TF which may be viewed as an "also assessed to" TF meant to penalize the head coach for action of his bench personnel or illegal activity during warmups.

All TFs on players or bench personnel count toward their 5 personals.

Head coach always loses standing privilege after a Direct or Indirect TF.

The Team shall be assessed a TF for the following (No TF to the coach):
*Book changes/Not having book ready
*More than 5 players on the court
*Excess timeouts
*Violation after delay warning
*Team not ready to start the half
*All players not returning at approx. the same time

Hey, Chris. If you have time for a pre-game with your partners just skim down thru the chart-only takes a minute. Or make a copy and have the scorekeeper put it in the scorebook. If a situation involving a technical comes up and you still can't remember how to handle it, then you can always take a peek at the chart. Memorization is not always the answer. Memories have been known to fail during the pressure and anxiety of a game. IMO, the chart is as concise and practical as I have seen.

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

The OP was looking for "a more user friendly version".

What you've created seems just the opposite of that, to me.

Ain't that the d@mn truth.

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

The chart is very specific that the head coach does not get an indirect when a sub enters the court without being beckoned or without reporting. (10-2 and penalty chart) The wording at the beginning of 10-4 indicates that the substitutes' behavior, however, could warrant an indirect for the coach. There really isn't much clarity on this beyond that, however.

And that exception exists because the coach can hardly be expected to be responsible for the sub enters without being beckoned.