Officials time out for heat

[wisref2]

Knowing the lingo helps. A coach on the field meeting with players is an authorized conference:

3-5-8: "An authorized conference may be held during a charged time-out or an official's time-out (7h,l and m only)."

7h - for unusual heat or humidity.....
7l - During a coach-referee conference........
7m - Intermission between periods, and following a try, successful field goal or safety and prior to the succeeding free kick.

The rule on three attendants cited in another post is not meant to keep a coach off the field. It only means that during an authorized conference, three attendants (none of whom may be coaches) can ALSO be on the field to attend to the players. That prevents two coaches from being in the huddle.

To expand on my previous comment - by sending the teams to the sidelines, you are allowing the coaches to coach - and that is what high school football is all about - learning. You are also moving the conference to the sideline where any number of coaches and players may confer (2-6-2a) during an authorized conference. If anyone questions whether they can have a conference during a heat time-out, you can also cite 9-8-1F "(Note): between downs, communications between players and coaches near the sideline are not an unauthorized conference." Translation - when the ball is dead any number of players can go to the sideline to talk with the coach (one of the smartest rule changes ever).