NFHS 3 Min. warmup
 

The only reference I can find to the 'mandatory 3-min. warmup' is on the Table 3-1 on p. 37.

What is the proper procedure for this, taking into account factors outside the rulebook like common sense and legal liability on the part of the officials?

If I take it straight from the book, the 3 minutes starts immediately following intermission. So should the clock operator be directed to start the 3 minutes right after the official halftime gets to 0:00 even though one or both teams are not on the field? In other words, are officials covered because we allowed the time or do we need to wait for both teams to be on the field but possibly penalize the HC per 9-8-1-g as it's his responsibility for the team to be on the field for the mandatory warmup?

thanks

DJ

REPLY: Actually, since the 3-minute warm up is mandatory, there could really be two different 3-minutes periods--one for each team. If both teams are out on the field when the halftime intermission ends, those two three-minute warm up periods run concurrently. If either (or both!) teams are not on the field when the intermission concludes, they have already fouled. But you will not start the three-minute timing for a delinquent team until they team show up. They still must be given the full three minutes. This would put them over the alloted time for halftime and make them subject to the USC penalty.

Send your wing men to get them out to the field prior to the expiration of the half time. In other words, don't let one team be late nor the other team dictate the start time of the warmup should they return early.

As to timing the 3 minutes. This seems to vary state to state as to whether one does this or not on the official game clock. I can't recall if we timed it on the board or not last year but I'll find out prior to game #1. Actually, I don't have to worry about it, as the R is in charge. Regardless, once both teams are out, wait three minutes.

I'm not sure I agree. If you send your crew to go get the teams then all of a sudden, it's your fault that they didn't get on the field in time. The coach will be complaining that you didn't get them soon enough, etc. It's the coach's responsibility to get his team back on time.

Second, there is no manditory warm up. It's only manditory that you allow the three minutes for a warm up. If a team wants to have a huddle and discuss politics during the three minute time allowed, that is their business. Other teams will tell you that the hike from the dressing room to the field is their warm up. Maybe they did their warm up elsewhere.

After the half time is over, make sure three minutes are run off the clock for team's to use if they wish.

REPLY: True, they don't have to use that time to warm up, but the three-minute warm up period is mandatory. You need to provide the three-minute period for them to warm up, look at the babe in the fifth row, stargaze, or do whatever they want. Even if both teams say they're ready to go, give them the three minutes.

Our crew will send our wing officials to the locker rooms to get the teams. Once both teams are on the field then our White Hat will direct the clock operator to start the 3 minute warm-up time.

I can't tell you the number of times that both teams have been lined up and ready for the 2nd half kickoff and we are just standing there waiting on the three minutes to expire.

In table 3-1, it states: The head coach is responsible for his team being on the field for mandatory warm-up time a the end of the scheduled halftime intermission.

As a result, the Mandatory Warm up period of 3 minutes should start at the end of the halftime intermission. If BOTH teams are not on the field, we invoke rule 9.8.1.g, and penalize the violating team a 15 yard unsportsmanklike conduct penalty. We synch the start of the halftime intermission with a coach for each team and they know to be out on the field when the clock runs down to zeroes.

In Georgia for years past, we have sent officials to the locker rooms with around 5 minutes left to get the captains, and we have the second half captains meeting with about 3 minutes left. This lets the coaches know when halftime is about over (they usually have one coach who keeps this on his watch anyway). We have had no problem getting the teams on the field before the second half, and then once the halftime clock runs to 0:00, we put three minutes on the clock for stretching, and we then tee it up.

Jimd: we have been going to get teams as long as I have been doing this and that spans 22 years now.
You don't wait until 15 minutes expires. You go get them as early as needed to have then out on the field right about the time the half time expires. There is no waffling on this with the coach. He can't leave his locker room at the 15 minute mark unless the walk is ten seconds or less in my book.

At the NCAA level we send two officials to each locker room. One brings the captains out early, the other brings the team out as time expires. If you are doing you job, there is no issue to be had. At the NFHS level, bring them all out at the same time factoring in any walk time needed.

Yes, MNBlue, the coach is responsible. Preventative officating is used in this case. Last thing I want to do is to wack a team for being late. We (our crew) does not let them be late.

At our local meeting Tuesday night, the word was passed down from the NY state office that we are to (a) time the 15 minutes (or other amount) for halftime on the game clock, (b) penalize the team if they're not on the field when that clock hits zero, and (c) not use the game clock for the 3-minute warmup period. So shall it be written, so shall it be done...

We have been putting 3 min on the block after the intermission time for 2 reasons:

1) to keep the time (easy enough to do on our own watches)
2) to ward off any litigous freak that tries to sue us when a kid gets hurt.

If it is clear that they have had 3 mins to warm up, then there is no question of us doing our job.

I happen to agree that the time should be put on the field clock for all to see.
In my small sectional area we do not. It's my understanding that they don't in other sections either.

Keeping 3 minutes on a watch is good enough.

We don't get the teams but we do ask in the pregame where they are going at half and do they have a coach watching the clock so they're on the field for the three minutes. If they say yes, then it's their responsibility to be there. If they say no, then we tell them they need one.

REPLY: Mark...how do you handle this situation? 15 minute intermission expires and the blue team is nowhere to be seen (you've got a foul). You start the three-minute clock. Blue arrives when the 3-minute clock is at 1:00. When do you start the second half?

When the Blue team is not on the field and the white team is on the field, we drop a flag. When the Blue team arrives, we tell the coach, deal with the argument (there always is one), put 3 minutes on the clock and give both teams 3 minutes. Obviously, the white team had more than 3 minutes, but we have to give BOTH teams 3 at least 3 minutes.