coaches box foul

[referee20]

With the new rule on coaches not being in the coaches box during a live ball. If the coach is in the "box" during the play is this a live ball or dead ball foul?

[infj23]

It's a live ball foul, but also a non-player foul, so the enforcement spot is the succeeding spot.

[GPC2]

...and I know it may seem like minor semantics, but it is now called the "Restricted Area" - you may want to refer to it as that, especially when talking to coaches about it. If we continue to say "Coaches Box", the coaches may in some subconscious way feel the right to be in that area, even though the rule is changed. If we say "Restricted Area", that gives a clear indication that a coach has no right to be in there (during a live ball).

[referee20]

Good point

[Canned Heat]

This one is going to be a real rough one for this year. 5 years ago you had a tough time keeping a HC off the edge of the playing field, better yet, in the box. I wonder how many long time coaches are going to get hammered on this one throughout the year.

[ajmc]

Originally Posted by Canned Heat

This one is going to be a real rough one for this year. 5 years ago you had a tough time keeping a HC off the edge of the playing field, better yet, in the box. I wonder how many long time coaches are going to get hammered on this one throughout the year.

Probably only the few who insist on being unreasonable or irrational.

[GPC2]

Originally Posted by Canned Heat

This one is going to be a real rough one for this year. 5 years ago you had a tough time keeping a HC off the edge of the playing field, better yet, in the box. I wonder how many long time coaches are going to get hammered on this one throughout the year.

For the fields that are properly marked - especially those artificial turf fields, it should be pretty easy. The white is clearly marked, so I don't think it will be that big a deal. We did it during spring games and it worked fine. This week we start scrimmages - we'll see how it works out.

[HLin NC]

For the fields that are properly marked - especially those artificial turf fields,

At our scrimmage Saturday night, one of the BJ/Wingmen brought up a point.

We were on an artificial surface with the white border. About 10 of our schools have gone to Field Turf in the last 3-4 years. Only two of those stadiums were started from scratch, a third has a track around it and an awesome soccer program so that field is wider. The rest were built on existing fields, inside the confines of the existing stadium.

None of these field's borders have the NFHS specified 2 yards or more restricted area marked. My guess is these borders measure out at about 4 feet wide. One or two fields may be half that.

This BJ began pointing to a soccer sideline beyond the border and declared that was closer to 6 ft and that should be the restricted area if he were on a wing. I responded that the border area, while not within the NFHS specs, was certainly more discernable, and I, a wing, could more than live with that space. Its certainly more room than I've had in the prior 15 years.

I'll be interested to see how well the grass fields are marked. One school in particular is little more than a glorified cow pasture. My feeling is the grass fields will actually be marked to the 2 yd. spec since they have to be painted and those coaches will be further back than games on turf. (Not that I care)

It's a live ball foul, flagged at the snap (if they're still standing in the restricted area at that time) or during the play. Remember the three-tier penalty: Warning on 1st offense, 5-yards on 2nd, and 15-yards USC on head coach subsequent offenses. I was told the other day that a crew actually flagged this about 6 times during a scrimmage, just to teach the team a lesson. I have a feeling the first couple weeks might see some flags for this and then it'll subside.

[ChickenOfNC]

As an aside, here in NC we have been instructed to have coaches out of the restricted area after the RFP.

[HLin NC]

And also in NC we've been notified that if an official makes contact in the restricted area during a live ball with a coach, player, or other team personnel, we go to DEFCON 1, flag it, skip the SLW, and assess the USC to the head coach and then follow the normal progression for further sideline infractions.

[ChickenOfNC]

Yep. Hope tomorrow night goes smoothly in that regard. I have my doubts though

[Jim D.]

I like the approach we're taking in Missouri; I think we'll have few problems. Since the coach is legally allowed to be in the area up to the time the ball is snapped, we aren't going to worry about it at all during the dead ball period. There is really nothing to enforce (other than 3 coach maximum). Once the ball is snapped, our attention must be on the field. We'll catch this when the ball goes near or crosses the sideline. As we run down the sideline or if a player goes out of bounds, the BJ, wing and R will throw the flag if anyone is in the restricted zone.

We will go with the 3 phase approach, even if we run into a coach ( no automatic 15 yards)

[infj23]

Not sure how well it's going to work, but my crew is going to work it this way:

At the ready-for-play signal, the wings (who would be on/near the sideline anyway), will back up to the front line of the team box. A quick glance either way will let them know if anyone is in the restricted area. If necessary, a call of "back up so you are behind me" will be used once or twice. After that, the first flag comes out, and we start counting from there. Once the snap is immenent, the wings move back up to just inside the sideline.

We'll try it out tomorrow night! Any other thoughts on mechanics for this?

[Jim D.]

Originally Posted by infj23

Not sure how well it's going to work, but my crew is going to work it this way:

At the ready-for-play signal, the wings (who would be on/near the sideline anyway), will back up to the front line of the team box. A quick glance either way will let them know if anyone is in the restricted area. If necessary, a call of "back up so you are behind me" will be used once or twice. After that, the first flag comes out, and we start counting from there. Once the snap is immenent, the wings move back up to just inside the sideline.

We'll try it out tomorrow night! Any other thoughts on mechanics for this?

The problem is that the when the R signals RFP, the coach is standing in front of you in the box signalling in his play. You tell him to get behind you and he politely but sternly reminds you that he has a perfect right to be there and will continue to stand there until the ball is snapped.

He's called your bluff and you must either flag him for something he's allowed to do or you must back down.