2014/15
Protocols, Procedures, Clarifications to the NFHS Rule Book
Changes September 10, 2014
Anything not mentioned in this document shall be conducted as described
within the NFHS Rule Book or Case Book
SECTION 1:
UPDATED PROCEDURES re PADDING/COVERING EQUIPMENT/CENTER LINE:
Both the CIF SS and the LACity Sections are concerned about the correct padding, covering of equipment, so it is important to address all padding and safety concerns prior to warm-ups! Liability begins from the time the officials arrive within the visual confines of the playing area.
Southern Section Procedure:
If there is lack of proper padding or covering, or the center line is not marked/no tape, and the school refuses to make it legal by rule…..
The official shall suspend the match time, and call the SS Office to obtain a ruling on the status of the contest
The SS direct line to Assistant Commissioner Brandi Stuart is 562-493-9500 x 226 (corrected area code Sept 11.2014)
Later than night send an email to Joanne Venditto, SCVOA CIF SS Rep and your Area Liaison & Assignor
If you get email from officials after the fact, with/without pictures re the lack of padding/covering, or the center line is not marked and the school does not want to put the line down or pad the appropriate equipment…..
· Forward the email w pictures if you have them to Brandi Stuart, Assistant Commissioner Email is
· Cc the following: Joanne Venditto, SCVOA CIF SS Representative and your Assignor
The Center Line must be marked - The center line must be marked with a line or the shadow line as stated in the rule book. The match cannot take place without the proper court markings. Not all the lines on the court must be marked with tape. The Center line is the concern as this is a safety issue as a specific rule is applied with crossing that line. SCVOA: If the school refuses to tape the floor – Suspend the match – Contact the CIF SS Office
Remember, the official has no jurisdiction to decide the status of the match. The CIF SSection Commissioner(s) makes that determination. The official suspends the match until the problem is resolved. If the team does NOT WANT to comply, then the SS Office should be called. Let the person answering the phone know that you are the official on a volleyball match.
LA City Section Procedure:
It is absolutely vital that all padding and safety concerns are addressed prior to warm-ups! Liability begins from the time the officials arrive within the visual confines of the playing area. If a playing area cannot be made legal then that match will be suspended as the R1 immediately contacts the CIF Los Angeles City Section Commissioner. (818) 767-0800. The Section Office will determine if the game should be played with the padding that is available at the time of play. If no one at the section office can be reached the game will be played and the section office notified by 8:OOAM the following morning. Please take a picture of the problem and included as an attachment.
If the center line is not marked over a logo the game will be played. Please ask the coach to tape the floor so there is a continuous center line. Do NOT forfeit the match or cancel the match. Please notify the Section office by 8:00am the following morning if the coaches refuses to tape the line.
The LA City Section Volleyball Liaison is Myra Einberg. Please send her an email () and include pictures if you can do so. Contact your Unit Assignor via cell phone/text to notify him/her of a suspended match & follow up with an email with pictures if possible. Forward the email w pictures if you have them to: Myra Einberg, LA City Section Volleyball Liaison cc to: John Aguirre Dick Dornan
Only the Commissioner of the Section can determine/rule on the status of a contest. The official suspends the match until the problem is resolved.
SECTION 2: UPDATED RULE CLARIFICATIONS:
· Backboards over a playable surface: In an attempt to help seek clarity regarding the nearly infinite ways that our schools can configure their basketball baskets, I ended up muddying the waters even further. At this point I believe the best path to take is to emphasize to your officials that there needs to be consistency by everyone on what is legal and illegal within the gyms that your officials association work. I will continue to work to get a much more solidified solution for this situation in the future.
· SCVOA: There is no new rule clarification yet, so SCVOA will continue to use the same rule as used in past years. Is the backboard and support vertical? Is it tucked into the wall or up into the ceiling?
· Can the Libero stand in the warmup area when he is not in the set? Or does he have to sit on bench till the rotation comes up that he goes back into the contest? What is the rule reference please? Yes, the libero may stand in the warmup area when not in the set. Rule 12.2.7B
· Can a starter who has subbed out and goes to the bench then go to warmup area when he will be going in on the next rotation? What is the rule reference please? Yes, the starter may go to the warmup area while waiting to re-enter the set. Rule 12.2.7.b.
· ADMINISTRATOR ON DUTY FOR THAT CONTEST
The officials have been instructed to identify who that person is for the match. Please ask that person to identify themselves to the officials.
· TEAM BENCH
If a host school cannot supply enough chairs to accommodate all team members, then the team members would need to be seated on the floor and the area where they are sitting would be considered an extension of the bench and becomes a non-playable area.
· FOOTWEAR DURING WARMUPS
All team members must always wear appropriate athletic footwear while on the playing surface. As adults, coaches are no longer subject to this interpretation (NFHS Casebook Page 12 Rule 4.1 Situation Comment) “Adults participating in a team warm-up are legally responsible for their own well-being”
· ROSTERS & LINEUPS
Per State Adoption, the roster can be turned in at the Pre-Match Coaches/Captains meeting.
The lineup should be turned in no less than 2 minutes prior to the timed warmups. No later than 2 minutes following each set, the coach shall turn in a written lineup to the scorekeeper.
· SCVOA: This is new protocol for teams. Encourage coaches to turn it in at the Pre-Match Coaches/Captains Meeting. Work with them to help them adapt to the procedure.
· SCOREKEEPER, LIBERO TRACKER, LINE JUDGES:
The Host School is responsible for providing the Official Scorekeeper, Assistant Scorekeeper, and Line-Judges for each match. The line judges can be either students or adults. The Scorekeeper & Libero Tracker shall report to the table no less than 10 minutes prior to the match start time. The Line Judges shall report to the Lead Official no less than 10 minutes prior to the match start time.
· RED/YELLOW CARDS
If a head coach receives a yellow or red card during the match, they lose the right to stand, except as designated under Rule 12.2.6 A-C and Rule 12.2.5. SCVOA:
· Southern Section schools: If the head coach receives a yellow/red disqualification and there is an authorized school personnel (specifically another coach, teacher, administrator), this newly designated head coach must remain seated, except as allowed by rule. Also note if any team member (while not a player) receives any card, the head coach must remain seated as mentioned above.
· LA City Section schools: If any Head Coach is ejected before, during or after a match, the match is over. No one else can replace them to continue....not the assistant coach, not the JV coach, etc. This applies to ALL levels and for all sports in the LA City Section
· DURING THE GAME
Neither the team nor coach is eligible for a delay (timeout) or sportsmanship (yellow or red or yellow/red) sanction due to issues with crowd/spectator behavior.
ONLY head coaches are allowed to stand to coach during play. Officials must also understand and enforce the circumstances as to when an assistant coach may stand and what type of information an assistant coach may legally request from the R2. At no time should any coach be allowed to shout across the court or engage with the other members of the officiating crew in an unsporting manner or comment without receiving a verbal warning or a card.
· COMPRESSION SLEEVES/BRACES
Arm and/or knee sleeves/braces are not to be classified as undergarments under rule 4.2 Article 7 and do not need to be of a color similar to the uniform top.
· LIBERO UNIFORM
The rule book states, “The libero must wear a uniform top that is immediately recognized from all angles as being in clear contrast to and distinct from the other members of the team.” The assistant scorekeeper (libero tracker) is absolutely reliant on this visual information when performing their duties.
· BALL HANDLING
It has been decided to ask each official to lessen the severity of their calls as well. Obviously, the gross and egregious, non-simultaneous multiple contacts need to be whistled immediately. But if an official is unsure if they saw a multiple contact then they should error to the side of allowing play to continue. However, this DOES NOT indicate that there should be an artificial increase in prolonged contact or “lift” calls made during a match. It is also extremely important to maintain an even, consistent level of ball handling throughout a match.
This ball handling philosophy is only intended by the CIF State and NFHS for varsity matches. It is the current philosophy of the CIF State and NFHS that the lower levels (junior varsity and freshman) are designated as “developmental” levels. This designation implies even wider latitude of ball handling techniques as well as the extra emphasis and use of preventative officiating techniques and protocol enforcement. This DOES NOT excuse any safety or liability issues.
SCVOA: Some members came up with this...perhaps it will help…..The threshold for borderline sets for the “better setter” should be lowered when the other setter is not strong. That slight wiggle in the hands is often not called for the weaker setter, so allow the “better setter” the same leniency.
· JEWELERY
Look at the Casebook under Rule 4.1.6 Situation D….page 14….Dermal implants has been added to this Situation. If you Google dermal implants, you will recognize what they are. They are defined on this website……. http://tattoo.about.com/od/bodypiercingforbeginners/g/pguide_anchorsimplants.htm
· SIGNALS
Note B: At no time does the R2 initiate the point/winner of rally signal. Only the R1 for the match may initiate this signal.
· DURING THE LINEUP CHECK:
The R2 checks the lineup prior to each set. The Libero does not have to stand at the sideline for the number to be checked. They can either stand at the sideline, in front of the team bench or be sitting in the team bench area. If the R2 needs assistance in visually confirming the libero number then they can ask for the head coach to direct them to where the libero is.
· CONCUSSIONS
The State CIF has an online course that coaches must complete. If any of your Unit members need hours, you could provide this opportunity for them http://www.cifstate.org/index.php/the-latest-news/concussions
SECTION 3: PROCEDURES
Pregame:
If there is more than 1 official scheduled to work a varsity match then BOTH officials must be courtside prior to the end of timed warm-ups. This specifically applies to the varsity match being played after a frosh/JV split. This may not be altered regardless of any official’s or coach’s wishes. The 20-minute warm-up time may be started prior to both assigned officials being courtside.
The pre-game conference is to be brief and concise. The following example is recommended:
“Hi, my name is Jane Tweeter and this is my partner, Joe D’Subber. The non-playable areas for this match are” (clarify). Identify any overhead obstacles and the ruling that applies. Identify all unique playing area issues and the ruling that applies. “Captains, do you have any questions?” Answer as needed. “Coaches, do you have any questions?” Answer as needed. “Coaches, are your teams properly equipped and legally uniformed?” Address as needed. (It is not appropriate to identify the official’s positions for the match). A short sentence emphasizing sportsmanship would be appropriate but is not necessary.
Conduct your coin toss and begin the CIF-SS warm-up protocol.
There must be an assistant scorekeeper/libero tracker available for every match. It is the sole responsibility of the home school to provide the scorekeeper and assistant scorekeeper for each match. The assigning of line judges shall be conducted by following each league’s guidelines. If either coach is unaware of any established guidelines then both schools shall provide a line judge for the match. At their discretion, the visiting team may volunteer to provide an official scorekeeper and/or libero tracker for the match. The only exception to this is when neither team utilizes a libero during the entire match.
The 20 minute warm-up time includes the final 3 minute “dead time” prior to the beginning of the match. This is important because the rosters are to be submitted to the score table by each team 10 minutes prior to the end of the timed prematch warm-up and the starting lineups are due 2 minutes prior to the end of the timed prematch warm-up. Officials must verify with the coaches that their submitted roster is accurate before accepting it. A team must be sanctioned a point/loss of rally for submitting an inaccurate roster. Also, if the submitted lineup is inaccurate that team must be sanctioned with a point/loss of rally.