Do you allow the coaches to enter the field for a conference during this stoppage of play?

Nope. Water break only.

I see no problem in letting the players go to the sideline to get the quick water break, and coaches can instruct them from there. No advantage gained since both teams can go to the sideline.

If a coach wants an opportunity to instruct his players, he needs to request and be granted a timeout. If the official calls a timeout for heat/waterbreak, there is nothing to justify allowing the coach out to talk to his kids. If he can yell it from the sidelines, then that's all he's allowed to do.

3-5-7-h...An official's time out occurs...For unusual heat...

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

So yes coaches can hold either kind of conference during a heat time out.

I tend to disagree, the team may either go to the sideline or one coach and 3 attendants can come on the field.

Rule 3-5-8
An authorized conference may be held during a charged time-out or an official's timeout (7h, 7l and 7m only). Only one type of conference may be used by a team during any one time-out.

Rule 3-5-7h For unusualy heat or humidity

Dang you beat me to it by a few seconds.

However, great minds think alike.

We discussed this last night in our meeting. Coaches can go out during water breaks.

Maybe Whistle & Stripes is from Ohio and heard Refman's ruling. ;)

http://www.nfhs.org/scriptcontent/va...c;f=9;t=000906

It is legal for a coach to go out for a heat/humidity timeout.

Legal. This is one of the three officials timeouts in which a coach may hold an authorized conference.

The three are:

1. Heat and Humidity Timeout.

2. TV/Radio Timeout

3. The one minute intermission between the 1st and 2nd period and the 3rd and 4th period and following a try, successful field goal or safety, and prior to the succeeding free kick.

(Pulls out soap box)
I don't see why guys so adamently won't allow it. First,the rule is clear that it is allowed. Second, the coach is probably the best person to determine if a player is acting out of sorts. Heat can kill. Allow the coach out there to determine if the players are okay.
{Puts Soap Box Back)

For those of us on NFHS, we're having Deja Vu all over again!

Yes, coaches can come onto the field during this break. Rule 3-5 whatever.

9- whatever (long day, don't want to get rule books) about the three attendants only is there to prohibit a coach from acting as an assistant during these timeouts.

However, there is disagreement from state to state on whether the coach is allowed on the field. NFHS book says yes, some states say no. Might have to seek the answer from the higher-ups.

I was shootin from the hip earlier. I was wrong. I'll let em on the field.

Canadian Ruling
 

No, but water boys are allowed. Players may visit the coach, though.

We found an easy way around the questions and gripes from coaches about what they can and can't do during an official's timeout for heat. Just tell the teams to go to their sideline, take off their helmets and get water. The players always do because the guys in stripes told them to go there.

After spending some more time in my rulebook, I now wish to retract my previous retraction:

Rule 9-8-2:

Three attendants, <b>none of whom is a coach</b>, may enter the field to attend their team during a charged time-out or a TV/Radio timeout, during the one minute following a try, a successful field goal or safety, and prior to the succeding free kick, between periods and <b>during an official's time-out for unusual heand and humidity</b>.

Sounds to me like coaches ARE NOT allowed on the field during these heat and humidity timeouts.

3-5-8 is the rule everyone is looking for
 

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).

It's unbelievable how many people still don't know this rule.
 

Wrong.

This simply means that during an authorized conference, a coach cannot come on the field masquerading as an attendant.

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

3-5-7
An official's time-out occurs during a dead ball without a time-out being charged to either team:
h. For unusual heat or humidity which may create a health risk to the players.

Are you reading the rulebook backwards, Whistles & Stripes?

Some people just like to come up with their own interpetations is all ;)

I never have kept a coach from coming out to talk to the players during my time out for water. As stated before, I just send the players to the sideline so all the instruction/water can be given by both teams by as many coaches as they want in that conference.

I also have been lucky in that I have had very little problems with the heat related issues, such as cramps, in my games as I push for the intake of fluids as much as possible. For example if there is a score I holler to go to the sidelines for water, my heat time outs, injury time outs, etc. Always hollering for water. I wear out the attendants.

i wish only sideline timeouts were allowed. it would make things easier. every time that i have had problems with a coach, it was where he was in the middle of the field and started jawing at the referee or umpire.