Interesting rules
 

Many of the offseason tournaments around have special rules that they like to insert, usually modifying NFHS rules. I worked a freshman girls tournament that had some interesting rules I thought you might get a kick out of.

I would also like to hear your stories of weird rules a tournament used.

• No one can foul out
• Running clock until the last minute of each half
• All shooting fouls will be two shots (clarified later in the paragraph that missed three-point attempts resulted in three shots)
• If the score is tied at the end of regulation, a sudden death overtime will be played where the first team to score wins
• If a player was fouled and the ball went in, the extra free throw was not shot (we ignored this rule)

Every rule you mentioned except for the last one is a common rule in the summer. And not every rule mentioned is used by every league. It varies so much what rules summer leagues choose to use at any one time, there really is not anything special about each rule that is unusual.

Peace

For 3 seasons in the mid 80's Minnesota expirimented with a no foul out rule. A team that kept a player in after 5 fouls and then committed a 6th foul or beyond was penalized as if the said player had committed an intentional foul. In other words the team that was fouled had the fouled player shoot 2 free throws and then got the ball back. So a player COULD stay in after committing 5 fould but the coach had to make the decision if keeping the player in the game was worth more than the penalty for having a player commit a 6th foul(or more)

Combining these two rules is just asking for lots of whistles to be blown, especially if someone has worked 3-4 games in a row.

Or so I've heard... ;)

JetMet, this tournament was at a camp run by a guy who assigns NCAAW and high school. There were three of us using NFHS mechanics, and everyone else used NCAAW. I can't imagine having to switch back and forth between the two like you do.

Speed up rules. Not uncommon at all. Lots of games to be played in a single game.

Another one I've seen used, which I rather like for running clock games, is that shooting fouls are only one shot with the first shot automatically counted as good (or first 2 for a three shot foul). So count one point, shoot for the 2nd, get back to the game.

I like when they go 10 & 13 instead of 7 & 10 for team fouls. And of course I like running clocks.

But past that I'm not trying to work venues with a whole bunch of rules modifications.

In an adult summer church league that I work:

Anyone assesed an unsporting technical foul is diqualified for the remainder of the game and suspended for the next game. It's the main reason I agreed to work the league.

They also use the "running clock except last 2 minutes" rule.

Completely standard...

except for the "we ignored this rule" part. We're hired to officiate - if they have a rule that is weird to you, you have three options:
1) Call by that rule anyway.
2) Clarify with the assignor or TD that you're understanding their weird rule and they really want it called that way.
3) Leave.

By no means do you ignore it because you simply disagree with it.

A kiddie tournament I worked my first year of officiating had these rules:
1) 20-minute running-time halves (no stoppages in the last minute or two minutes like I've normally seen for running-time games). Fair enough.

2) REQUIRED substitution stoppages at 15- 10-, and 5- minute marks in each half. That is, at these points, the horn would sound and the clock would stop, regardless of what was happening on the court. (player is shooting a free throw? Too bad, now your replacement takes over and shoots the free throw).

Yes, I asked if they really meant "substitutions at the first dead-ball opportunity after the allotted time has passed"... nope.

Shooting fouls
 

I like the rule where on shooting fouls, allow the fouled shooter one free throw and the scorer then gives him 2 or 3 pts on the make depending upon the shot location. Miss the free throw and no points awarded.

Worked a tournament a few weeks ago where no free throws were attempted. Any shooting foul was automatically 2 (or 3) points for the offended team. After 7th, any non-shooting foul was automatic 2. Fewest fouls I have ever called in summer ball games.

That I like. It really makes up for the can't-foul-out situation where some players think they can play football on the hardwood.