A couple of years ago when I was in St. Louis we had a field like that, and the R, who was a mechanics clinician as well, moved the visiting team to the home team sideline and set both boxes on one side of the field, 20-45. He said it wasn't safe to put the visiting team sideline where it was. I loved it, I worked HL, had the quietest sideline ever. On that side of the field there was me and 4 chain crew guys.

There is no real right or wrong.
 

Whether you use a flag or a verbal warning is actually up to your crew, who you work for and the state associations that make decisions. Outside of that it is up to each individual how they want to handle those situations. I usually will verbally warn most things that are minor in nature and throw the flag to the things that are big time violations of rules.

Peace

Friday night the V head coach got a sideline warning flag for being in the box during a play, and about 4 plays later got a 15 yarder for actually being a step or so onto the field during a play. First two flags we have seen for the box rule all season.

He was told another one would cause him to be ejected, so he stayed out of the box the rest of the night.

Since the 15-yard foul is a USC charged to the head coach, he was informed correctly.

We mention the rule regarding the RZ during our pregame conference with the coaches and then both sets of sideline officials will mention it just prior to the opening kickoff RFP whistle, as there's always some clutter there it seems. We have only had one 15 yarder for an assistant who was walking thru the zone during a sweep to that side and our HL got caught up with him. I'm pretty sure we've had sideline warnings in almost every game with at least one or both teams and have had a few of the 5 yard initial varieties. For some reason, certain programs (up here anyway) have always seemed to let the coaches run amuck along the sideline or partially on the field in years prior to this and the last few. Something that has been hard for a few coaching staffs to break and they're finding out the hard way now. To the contrary, some coaches have been sticklers with it and it helps to keep the kids and other coaches or staff out of their way and they actually applaud it (the RZ). If we stick at this one, it'll be one of the best rule changes in a long time.

The best teams on the ones that have created their own dual boxes- either marking it themselves or using the soccer sidelines on the turf fields- to put the players further back behind the coaches. The smart coaches figured it out pretty quick: without the kids in the way, it doesn't squeeze them up towards us.

I've thrown only 3 or 4 initial SLW's this season and those were mainly for assistants who just checked out mentally and failed to respond or hear my "get back coach" warning. I don't think I've thrown any 5 yarders and know I've not had to go "nuclear".

Hopefully the Fed leaves this one alone except for one thing. I'd like to see the "tick marks" two yards back off the sideline added as a requirement for the chains.

Based on the title of this thread, I'm curious, just where is there a "3 yard Box"?:confused:

Early word on rule changes for next year should help.

"Starting in 2010 the restricted area will be surrounded with the INVISIBLE FENCE tm system. Coaches will be outfitted with a battery powered collar. At the beginning of the game the collar will be set on the lowest setting. The system is activated by the ready for play whistle and deactivated by the whistle ending the down. Each time the coach is in the restricted area he will receive a safe but painful electrical shock to the neck. With each violation the setting is increased one level. If the coach reaches the maximum setting on the collar, it will be removed and attached to the body part of the officials' choice." NFHS Rules Committee-2009

I think I would return 1 game check to any school who buys this system:D:D

Yep.

Since it was the Visiting Coach, I didn't really care that much. Would have been fun to see, maybe...we have had no issues with it. Not even had to be warned...the only time anything was said to us was when I was out on the field during a time-out (out at the huddle with the players) and one of the other coaches stepped out to yell something at me and was warned for being on the field.

Not sure why this whole "box" thing is suce a big deal to some of these coaches.

I think I know: are you familiar with the concept of territoriality?

If the coach had that happen, I don't think I'd be paying attention to the game. I'd probably be sitting in a lawn chair, with popcorn, laughing at the coach when he gets zapped in his....I better shut my mouth right here. :D

Amen and Amen

Good catch Jaybird, its a 2 yard box...6 feet.

Don't encourage him! I've only seen this side of the forum for a couple of weeks and Jay definitly does need to be encouraged.

It comes from the fact that I recently switched from being a head coach to an official and when I ran my program the box was at 3 and 5 yards and that was for years prior to the current rule. It was 3 for the assistants and 5 for the players and more than once i sent an assistant to the press box for stepping into the 3 yard box. It was a slip when I started the thread.