Approved Corrections to 2005 Rules Book - Part I

[FMadera]

* Rules Book, Page 45 - POINTS OF EMPHASIS: Overlapping - delete "provided at least one of the feet of the center back player is closer to the backline." - overlaps between front row players and back row players do not reference the endline of the court.

When I went to delete the last part of the second sentence under the overlapping POE, I now question the first part of that sentence. This means the center front may have one or both feet beyond the front foot of the center back. If the CF has both feet beyond the front foot of the CB wouldn't we have overlapping?

No, what it means is the CF can have one foot in front of the CB and one foot in back of both of CB's feet and still be legal. There is no requirement that the CB have part of a foot closer to the back line than the CF, only that CF has part of a foot closer to the center line than CB.

For illustration sake, this is legal...of course, not to scale...

------------------------------------------------ center line
CFL
CBL CBR
CFR

------------------------------------------------ back line

CFL = center front left foot, CFR = center front right foot, etc...

Note center front is closer to back line, but is also closer to center line, so this play/formation is legal.