Rules Knowledge
 

Hello All,

When you all are citing to NFHS rules on the forum, is it being done form memory or looking them up? I ask because I have been officiating somewhat high level collegiate intramural basketball for 4 years using the NFHS rulebook, and now am considering taking the next step and becoming certified in my local organization. After reading some of your responses though, I worry that I might not have the rulebook memorized quite well enough although I have read through the rule and case books cover to cover several times.

Thanks for the advice to a real newbie!

If it is "quoted", it is probably not memorized. However, many can come really close to rule book wording just from familiarity. But full, word-by-word quotes are going to be copied from the book.

Welcome to the forum rekent! Intramurals is how I started, and I know you and I are not alone in that sense. A lot of the guys you'll talk to started doing intramural ball while they were in college.

If you have the rulebook memorized, there may be something wrong with you haha. By all means, read it as much as possible and know it cover to cover, but if you try to quote a rule exactly to a coach, he'll look at you like you're crazy.

If a rule (or caseplay) is cited word-for-word, it's almost certainly copied and pasted from somewhere.

With that said, it's like any other subject of study... you'll spend time in the rulebook and eventually you'll "know" the rules. It just that when we answer questions in a forum format, it's a good practice to quote the rule exactly rather than going with your "english language" wording of the rule.