2 overtimes

[gtwbam]

It seems everytime I see a college or High school game which goes into 2 or more overtimes, each overtime period is played at the same end of the field.

My question is...

After a team chooses their option to go on either offense or defense to start the 2nd Overtime, does the opposing team still have the option to decide which end of the field the ball is put in play?

Interested in both NCAA and High School ruling.

[FBullock]

Yes, they still have the option of the end of the field in Both NCAA and NFHS. Typically, they stay at one end due to wind, field conditions, etc. I have seen them change ends.

[JugglingReferee]

CANADIAN RULING:

The officials meet with team captains and the visitors call the coin toss, Heads or Tails.

The winner of the toss decides if they wish to (and any subsequent odd-numbered innings):

• start on offense
• start on defense
• which end of the field which both teams will play

If after this inning, the score is still tied, the loser of the coin toss to start overtime decides if they wish to (and any subsequent even-numbered innings):

• start on offense
• start on defense
• which end of the field which both teams will play

[Robert Goodman]

What bothers me is the naming of these tiebreaking frames "overtime" when they're not.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

What bothers me is the naming of these tiebreaking frames "overtime" when they're not.

Interesting. Tell me more...

(I think "overtime" refers to playing over the regulation time limit.)

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by JugglingReferee

Interesting. Tell me more...

(I think "overtime" refers to playing over the regulation time limit.)

I guess if you look at it that way. But to me, "overtime" means "extra time", and these tiebreaking frames are not timed, as overtime periods in all other cases are. The word "tiebreaker" is apt and covers it all.

Even in sudden death methods of tiebreaking, where there isn't a time limit, the overtime is broken into periods which are timed. It grates to hear the tiebreaking frames in NCAA referred to as "periods". A period is an amount of time. "Frames" works (and is a term used by some, from scorekeeping practice); even "innings" would be better than "periods".

"Shootout", a term borrowed AFAICT from the NASL, is silly as applied to American or Canadian football, but still not as misleading as "overtime period" when they're this kind of tiebreaker.

"Playoff" saw some use in referring to tiebreakers, but unfortunately has another meaning that would just lead to confusion.

Robert