This puzzles me because I have worked with partners who have done this both ways and both insist that they are right. After the whistle and arm signal to serve some officials have made all the other players stay set and still until the serve while others have let the other players move so long as they don;t overlap. Both insist that they are right. I'm so busy with basketball right now I haven't had time to check the book thoroughly. Help me out please.

refnrev, there is no requirement in any of the rules sets that requires the players to be set (i.e., not moving) at the moment of serve. (Perhaps your partners who are insisting the players be set at the moment of serve are football officials???? ;) )

Per NFHS Rule 6, the only requirements are that at the moment of serve, all players shall be within the team's playing area and be in correct serving order. The only problem that could exist is if a player waves arms, jumps, moves sideways or stands close to the server and the ball is served directly over the player(s) which would constitute a screening violation (NFHS Rule 6.4.1.a).

So, as long as the players do not create a screen nor move so that they are overlapping at the moment of serve, there is no problem whatsoever.

To illustrate, I was refereeing a Boys' National Qualifier this past weekend and, in one match, the right front player on the serving team broke to his left as the server was tossing the ball. By the time the ball was contacted, the RF was not only overlapping the center front, but he had also overlapped the left front. Of course, I whistled the overlap as soon as the ball was contacted and, I am happy to say, that player did not do that during any of the remaining matches that I had their team during the rest of the day.

Shame on you, Jan. You know that by rule, there is no such thing as RF overlapping LF. :p

Felix...I know the overlap only applies to the adjacent player (in this case, the CF)...but that is how far he was out of position! Although he was supposed to be the RF, at the moment of serve, he was in the LF position! :D

[Edited by MCBear on Jan 27th, 2005 at 11:43 AM]

MCBear,
As a matter of fact he does do football -- and basketbal, softball, and baseball, too.

refnrev, I sort of thought so! That tells me that he is confusing the moment of serve with being set at the snap of the ball!!! LOL :p