Substitute or suffer penalties?

[jasmunich]

I heard of the most bizarre situation and wanted to get additional opinions:

A coach has a few potential subs warm up on the sidelines during a high school game. After the "subs" have warmed up, they go and stand near the coach. The ball goes out of play. The coach makes no indication whatsoever to the ref that he wishes to sub. The ref, however, misconstrues the mere presence of the players on the sidelines as a desire on the part of the coach to substitute the players. The ref stops play and asks the coach whether he indeed intends to sub. The coach politely declines. The ref cautions the coach that according to state rules, he HAS to sub, and offers him the "lesser penalty" of a yellow card if he will only go ahead and sub. Further, the ref says that if the coach refuses to sub, he will stop the game. The coach declines and calls the decision "ridiculous". The ref red-cards the coach and stops the game. The coach is fined.

I have never on God's green earth heard of such a surreal situation. Have 'non-FIFA' rules and regulations become so numerous and draconian that officials spend more time punishing off the field than managing the flow of the game on the field? Any thoughts?

[CecilOne]

Total nonsense.

[Nevadaref]

If the teams are located on the same side of the field, NFHS rules provide an area at midfield where players go when they wish to enter as substitutes.
If the teams are on opposite sides, they are to stand near the touchline at midfield.
Most high school games are conducted without an official scorer, so the players are to notify the nearest official when they wish to enter. However, in practice, the players are considered to have reported when they are standing in the above positions.
Now there is also a requirement in NFHS that a substitute must enter after being beckoned onto the field by the referee. See pages 19-20 3.4.1 Sit A
All of this said, the most I could possibly conceive of as a penalty would be to caution either the coach or the substitute if he refused to enter. If the player did enter, I wouldn't penalize anyone, since no rule has been broken. Maybe, one could say that the game has been delayed, maybe!!! But I doubt it.
This official took a simple rule and created a monster. That was very poor game management.

[jasmunich]

Nevadaref,
Indeed, that was an important detail I didn't mention. They were on opposite sides of the field.

Thank you for that specific reference!

This is apparently a case where a rule was created to facilitate the flow of the game. But when administered by a ref who was obviously not a mental giant, it flies in the face of the spirit of the game.

I think they ought to change the rule, pronto!
Thanks again!

[CecilOne]

Originally posted by Nevadaref
... snip ... Now there is also a requirement in NFHS that a substitute must enter after being beckoned onto the field by the referee. See pages 19-20 3.4.1 Sit A
... snip ...

Correct, must "sub" because once beckoned the person is a player, no longer a substitute.

The problem here is that the subs had not reported and were just standing near the coach. The underlines below (mine) are the key to what makes this asinine, unless there really is a state rule somewhere that makes standing near the coach a report-in. On opposite sides of the field, teams are allowed to be at midfield. If the coach is in the official area, the players would be and some say taht means they have to enter. I have never found a rule or case to that effect, so even then the ref was wrong.

The coach makes no indication whatsoever to the ref that he wishes to sub. The ref, however, misconstrues the mere presence of the players on the sidelines as a desire on the part of the coach to substitute the players. The ref stops play and asks the coach whether he indeed intends to sub. The coach politely declines. The ref cautions the coach that according to state rules, he HAS to sub,

This part is nonsense:
"offers him the "lesser penalty" of a yellow card if he will only go ahead and sub. Further, the ref says that if the coach refuses to sub, he will stop the game. The coach declines and calls the decision "ridiculous". The ref red-cards the coach and stops the game. The coach is fined.
"

[jasmunich]

I agree the whole thing is too bizarre for words. But even if you grant an iota of legitimacy to the "violation", here's how the ref might have handled it:

"Are those subs, coach? If they are, please send 'em on, if they aren't, please sit 'em down or move 'em away from the midfield line!"

Thanks for that clarification, CecilOne!

[Nevadaref]

Originally posted by CecilOne
On opposite sides of the field, teams are allowed to be at midfield. If the coach is in the official area, the players would be and some say taht means they have to enter.

CecilOne,
While I certainly agree with you, this whole episode merely highlights the importance of having the team area/benches located the proper 10 feet away from the touchline. When the team is this far back, it makes it quite obvious when a team wishes to substitute and when it does not because the team members wishing to enter the game will be only a yard or so away from the touchline at midfield, while the rest of the team will be much further back.
Good game management of the team benches will greatly ease an official's task in a game. In Nevada high school games a team is allowed to have up to four adults along with their team members in the team area and they all have to be listed on the game card. If they are not, I instruct the coach to have them leave. This keeps the number of people over there quite manageable. There are no parents or media personnel, players who are hurt and not dressed, etc., in this area; just the team.

[CecilOne]

Does anyone else have the problem of being accused of missing the game or being ticky-tacky when trying to manage the bench presence, 10 foot rule, substitution procedures, etc.?

What about what I mentioned above, subs having to enter if they are in the official area? Can anyone find such a rule?

[Nevadaref]

Originally posted by CecilOne
Does anyone else have the problem of being accused of missing the game or being ticky-tacky when trying to manage the bench presence, 10 foot rule, substitution procedures, etc.?

Yes, but it is worth it when your game runs smoothly without incident and other officials are wondering why they are having so many problems. Also, in my opinion, control on the field starts with control of the sidelines. If you let spectators and jv players be in the team area for a varsity match (or varsity players sit there during the jv game), you are asking for trouble. Keep it organized and simple, and all will go smoothly.

Originally posted by CecilOne


What about what I mentioned above, subs having to enter if they are in the official area? Can anyone find such a rule?

First, it is my understanding that there is only an official (or technical) area when the teams are on the same side of the field. When they are on opposite sides this area seems to either disappear or becomes located directly in front of the team areas on each side. See rule 1-5-1,2,3 + the exception.
Second, the way I read the rule that I posted above is that the team members may withdraw after reporting without penalty, but once they have been beckoned onto the field by a referee they must enter the game.

[jasmunich]

Nevadaref,
You have presented several excellent ways to apply the rules fairly and how to set the stage so as to prevent misunderstandings in the first place. Your approach makes a lot of sense.

As for the referee in question, we can only hope he never becomes a waiter in a spaghetti parlor:
Customer with menu in hand: "I'm thinking of having linguini...actually, I need more time...just bring the drinks and we'll decide later."
Waiter: "Lady, you said you wanted linguini!! Now are you going have linguini, or do I have to call the police?!!!"

Anyway, Nevadaref, it sounds as if there is a market niche out there for a good book entitled "Effective Game Management". Have you ever thought of becoming an author?

[CecilOne]

Originally posted by Nevadaref
First, it is my understanding that there is only an official (or technical) area when the teams are on the same side of the field. When they are on opposite sides this area seems to either disappear or becomes located directly in front of the team areas on each side. See rule 1-5-1,2,3 + the exception.

It's always my undertanding that the area in front of the team area is the official area when they are on opposite sides.

Originally posted by Nevadaref
Second, the way I read the rule that I posted above is that the team members may withdraw after reporting without penalty, but once they have been beckoned onto the field by a referee they must enter the game.

That's what I've thought as well.