'06 Rules Updates from the Convention

[shrekjr]

Yes, Texas plays by NCAA rules. Also only one of two states that plays by NCAA football rules. It just makes it so much easier to make the transition for players, coaches, officials and fans! A lot of college football officials that work in conferences all around the country come from Texas because they already know the rules. Would be nice if that could happen for lacrosse too!

[LaxRef]

Am I correct though that the Federation book doesn't have that nice out for us. It says "Section 29 Restarts Following a Timeout - All restarts following a timeout must be as close as possible to the spot where the ball was at the time play was stopped". Fortunately I think our buddy Shrek is playing under NCAA in Texas HS - correct? For us Fed users, the out will be "the spot I'm putting it back in play from is as close as I think is possible..."

My response is, "Coach, that spot outside the box is as close to the spot as I can restart it. Don't worry, I'll move it to the closest point outside the box from where it was when the whistle blew and not a foot farther.

[defense_wins_championship]

Am I just imagining this or last year, was there a switch to no whistle until possession was lost on a flag down situation. And when I mean possession was lost I mean that the defensive team touched the ball not the offensive player lost the ball. I could have swore we went over this situation at the league meeting. I thought we had it called that way a few times, but mostly the whistle was blown as soon as it touched the ground. Obviously this would be done away with by this years rules but can anyone clarify this for me or like I said am I just imagining things? Thanks.

[shrekjr]

A lot of leagues tested it as an experimental rule in the fall of 2004. I guess the results were well enough received to make it an official rule beginning in the spring of 06. That being the case, several leagues began using it again in the fall of 05 to get used to it.

[defense_wins_championship]

So it will be an official rule this year? I hope so, if I'm understanding right. I have to say that I do like that though, despite the fact that I play defense, it is a good rule. I hate when our attack man would loose the ball on a stick check and just quit because it hit the ground.

[laxfan25]

Am I just imagining this or last year, was there a switch to no whistle until possession was lost on a flag down situation. And when I mean possession was lost I mean that the defensive team touched the ball not the offensive player lost the ball. I could have swore we went over this situation at the league meeting. I thought we had it called that way a few times, but mostly the whistle was blown as soon as it touched the ground. Obviously this would be done away with by this years rules but can anyone clarify this for me or like I said am I just imagining things? Thanks.

Hi Jared,
I think you are imagining things (and no, there are no pink elephants in the room either). In the regular season last spring it was still flag down until the ball carrier lost the ball - then there was a whistle right away.
Few of teams (none that I did) used the new rule in the fall, just the faceoff rule. Yes, the new flag down slow whistle will be in use this spring.
By the way, what are you going to be doing this spring? Coaching anywhere? I thought you were talking about putting on the stripes? There's karma for you! If so, better get to these upcoming training classes - we can use your skills out there.

[shrekjr]

This is my fault. It says:

(Exception: On a timeout or an out of bounds on the endline, the ball restarts inside the attack area at the spot where the ball was when play was suspended.)

This should be parsed as "(On a timeout or an out of bounds) on the endline" as opposed to "On (a timeout) or (an out of bounds on the endline)." I've asked that they sent out a bulletin with the phrasing "On a timeout on the endline or an out of bounds on the endline. . . ."

This was discussed in the District 8 COC meeting today and told to restart outside the box. This only applied to a shot out of bounds on the endline or a timeout called prior to that restart.

LaxRef - Is that the proper interpretation of the way it was meant to be written?

[LaxRef]

This is my fault. It says:

(Exception: On a timeout or an out of bounds on the endline, the ball restarts inside the attack area at the spot where the ball was when play was suspended.)

This should be parsed as "(On a timeout or an out of bounds) on the endline" as opposed to "On (a timeout) or (an out of bounds on the endline)." I've asked that they sent out a bulletin with the phrasing "On a timeout on the endline or an out of bounds on the endline. . . ."

This was discussed in the District 8 COC meeting today and told to restart outside the box. This only applied to a shot out of bounds on the endline or a timeout called prior to that restart.

LaxRef - Is that the proper interpretation of the way it was meant to be written?

Actually, the intent was that if you're standing very close to the endline and you call a timeout, the restart would be at that spot. However, this maybe isn't entirely clear from even the revised wording.

[shrekjr]

I guess it is a little more clear from the revised wording, but then you get into what is "close to the endline"...within 5 yards, anything behind the goal, etc.? I understand what you're trying to accomplish, but I'm sure like every district in the country, we have our 1-2 officials here that just nitpick every rule in the book and try to analyse word for word. We had a couple today that just had to give their personal interpretations of every ******* rule discussed.

[tamu33]

Even though I wasn't at our COC meeting, I bet I know who nit picked every rule.

[LaxRef]

Even though I wasn't at our COC meeting, I bet I know who nit picked every rule.

I don't know who you are or to whom you're referring, so you may have a valid point. However, some of us think it's important to know what the rules say and do not say, especially when the rules are new and potentially confusing or poorly worded. Consider the new flag down rule:

Slow-Whistle Technique
SECTION 8. If a defending player commits a foul against an attacking player and an attacking player has possession of the ball, and if the act of fouling does not cause the player in possession of the ball to lose possession, the official must drop a signal flag, make the verbal signal “flag down” and withhold his whistle until:

a. A goal is scored by the attacking team.

b. The ball goes out of bounds.

c. A player on the defending team gains possession of the ball.

d. The ball enters the goal area or is in the goal area at the time the foul occurs and thereafter moves out of the goal area.

A.R. 28. A1 gets pushed while in possession of the ball by B1. Before the play is stopped, A1 slashes B1. A1 gets one minute for the slash and B1 serves 30 seconds for the push. A1 interferes with the goalkeeper, play-on. B1 then slashes A1 and the play is stopped. A1 serves 30 seconds for intererence and B1 serves one minute for the slash. RULING: In both cases, play shall be resumed with the ball being put back into play from the spot where the second foul occurred, with the 20-yard rule in effect.

e. A player loses any of the required equipment in a scrimmage area, and the official is required under the rules to blow the whistle.

f. A player on the attacking team commits a foul.

g. The ball is in the defensive half of the field, and the team in possession fails to clear the ball.

The slow whistle shall be used whether the foul is committed against the player in possession of the ball or some other member of the attacking team.

In a situation where a flag is down, and once possession is established in the attack area, play shall not be stopped unless the ball leaves the attack area, a whistle is blown, or a change of possession occurs.

In this situation, once the ball enters the attack area, all technical fouls (including loose ball technical fouls) against the defensive team are time serving.

Based on this rule, what if A1 is in the attack area, is slashed by B1, and drops the ball in the attack area? Does play continue, or is there an immediate whsitle? Is what the rule says to do the same as what we're supposed to do? Is it "nitpicking" to want to know for sure what we're going to do so we can be consistent?