Change Balls on Every Play
 

Here's a question, NFHS rules

Pre-game officiating crew is asked to approve 4 game balls because coach wants to change the ball on every play. Considering the weather is absolutely perfect for football, and they're playing on a synthetic surface.

How is this dealt with? Please include rules support or case situations to support your position or opinion.

Comments seem to lead one to believe this will be a more frequent request in the next few years.

Thanks, & I hope all had a great Thanksgiving Holiday.

Look at 1-3-2 (and the case plays 1.3.2 Situations A through D). A team doesn't get to decide when to change footballs in conditions you speak of. Ball mechanics and the changing of the football is at the prerogative of the officials, EXCEPT for a new series of downs or for a try when B scores a TD.

To this day, teams still try to use a "kicking ball." That's fine for kickoffs if the ball meets the legal requirements (and that includes inflation pressure -- and my crew checks that, too), but we had a punter a few years ago who wanted to bring a new ball in to punt with and I told the coach "only if it was the ball that was used on third down."

I know for a fact that I wouldn't tolerate having my wings be ball boys on every play. It would affect the pace of the game and would affect the efficacy of my wing officials. And better yet, I have rules support to deny the request.

I had a ball girl ask if she could have a new ball brought in on punts. I told her no unless we had a long incomplete pass or a runner going out of bounds on their sideline on 3rd down. There were 3 instances where that happened and she gave us a new ball. It was never the ball she said her punter wanted to use. I guess she didn't understand my instructions.

Teams attempt to do this for a couple of reasons.

1. They get more time to call their plays because the play clock is not running.

2. They get to burn more time off the clock while the ball is being changed.

The best thing to do is cite the rule to the coach and let him know that you'll swap the ball out when it needs to be.

We rotate a new ball in (if the ball boys are paying attention) when a play ends in their side zone or an incomplete pass or when the umpire tells the wings he needs one.

The things that amaze me are 1) ball boys never carry towels anymore, we actually have to tell them to go get one. 2) some teams don't even carry towels to the sideline. 3) most teams will hand us two balls to check, and they are totally different- one leather, one synthetic; one 3 years old, one brand new; one Nike, one Wilson. Back in the day, we always had Spalding J5V's that were broken in during camp and never used except for games. Most schools now look like they hand you whichever two came out of the ball bag first.

"Sorry coach."

1-3-2
Each team may use any referee-approved ball of its choice to free kick or start a new series of downs. If a touchdown occurs following a change of possession and the scoring team did not put the ball in play, any referee-approved ball may be used for the try.