Rules Questions and Rulings
Here are some of the rules questions we have received this season to [email protected] and the rulings that were made.
Please be sure to familiarize yourself with these situations and interpretations.
Universal Field and Goal Posts
NFHS Rule 1-1 Note 2
Officials should note that a Universal Field that has soccer goal posts on the endline, MUST have padding for the contest to be played. “If playing on a 120 yard Unified field, padding shall be used if a permanent goal post rests on the end line.”
Officials have the authority to have objects moved away from the field in the interests of player safety (see Rule 1.2.9 situation). Similarly the coaches, administrators and officials are tasked with working together to make sure the field is safe and playable (Rule 2.6.1 Situation B). Once the game begins, officials have complete authority to delay, suspend or terminate the contest.
It is the ruling of the State Rules Interpreter, the GLOA and the GHSA, that if soccer or football goal posts are on or near the endline, and are not able to be moved, these posts MUST be padded as well.
Penalties in Running Time Games
Rule 3-1-2, 7-2-Situation E
Penalty time in a running clock situation (2nd half with a ten goal or more differential) begins with the next whistle resuming play and only stops for timeouts and injuries.
A player is the box serving a penalty during a running clock whose penalty time expires during a dead ball may release from the box and substitute into the game. A player whose penalty time has expired during a faceoff must wait for possession to be called before they enter the field.
Field without Centerline
Rule 1-2-1 Note
In the event a field is not properly marked, officials are asked to work with coaches to fix any issues. If the issues cannot be addressed, the game is to be played without penalty and an incident report filed ASAP on the http://galaxref.com/contact/incident-report/
The ONLY exception is if a field does not have a properly marked centerline. This is an illegal procedure foul and the home team loses the first faceoff.
Mouthpiece Violation on Equipment Check
Rule 6-5-x
Two years ago the foul went from being a 1 Minute NR foul to a technical foul.
FDSW
Rule 7-7-8
“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 shall drop a signal flag…and withhold the whistle until…”
Situation: A has possession at midfield and clearing. Riding middie, B, attempts a wrap check of A’s stick and simultaneously holds by playing with his free hand. Ball goes loose.
Ruling: Officials should allowed the play to continue until the FDSW ends (i.e.GOODIES). A foul committed while the ball is loose results in an immediate whistle, but a foul that causes the ball to become loose (i.e. player was in possession) that should be allowed to continue.
FDSW Goal Scored, Fouls Waived Off
Rule 7-8-3, Situation 7-9-2-a
Situation: Team A is fouled (slash with possession), FDSW and play continues. As A13 goes to the cage, shoots and scores. While in the act of shooting, A13 is pushed from behind.
Ruling: Second flag is during an imminent scoring opportunity, so officials should withhold whistle until Team A is not longer attempting to score, or goal is scored. In this case, one fouls is a personal and the second a technical. The personal is assessed, the technical is wiped out by the goal. Team B is one man down with faceoff pending.
Faceoff Shaft Color
Rule 4-3-n
A contrasting color between the head and the top glove must be visible on the shaft at faceoffs. The circumference of the shaft shall not exceed 3.5 inches.
Note: This can be accomplished with the original shaft color, paint, a single wrap of tape or other material. If you can see the glove, shaft and head then you are good!
Player Released Early from Penalty Area
Rule 5-2-e, 7-13-2 Situation A, B, C, D
If the officials become aware the table has released a player early by mistake, the officials should suspend play when there is no immediate scoring opportunity and return the player to the penalty area to serve the remainder of his penalty time. Since this was the result of the table’s mistake, there would be no additional penalty time for that player. However if a player releases early of his own accord an additional 30 seconds should be added to their penalty time.
A goal scored by Team A would wipe out any remaining releasable penalty time and the additional 30 second technical foul. A goal scored by Team B would be disallowed.
Things to do to prevent this from happening:
- In pregame you can ask how the table does penalty time. Personally I prefer game clock.
- If there is ever a question the official scorer should know what time the foul occurred and thuse when it releases.
- When setting up the field for a man down, especially a NR foul, loudly announce when the foul will be released for player, coaches, and partners to hear.
- That way, when a coach screams how much time you can answer.
- You can confirm when you notice teams are even by glancing at the clock
- And if you suddenly have transition the other way, you know how many to count for offsides
FDSW and Foul Causes Ball to Become Loose.
Rule 7-7-8
“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 shall drop a signal flag…and withhold the whistle until…”
Should a player have possession and the foul causes the ball to become loose, official should allowed the play to continue until one of the GOODIES situation occurs.
Uneven Situations at End of Quarter
Rule 4-3 Exceptions
In the event of an extra-man situation or a flag-down creating an extra-man situation at the conclusion of any period, the “next period shall be commenced by awarding possession of the ball in the same relative position on the field to the team that had possession of the ball (or is entitled to possession by a play-on) st the conclusion of the prior period. However, if the period ends with no team in possession, except in the previously mentioned flag-down situation, the ball shall be refaced with all the normal restrictions.”
If is imperative that in uneven situations at the end of periods that officials ascertain whether or not a team was in possession of the ball (carrying, cradling, passing, shooting). Note that a play on gives possession, so even if the ball is loose when the time expires, the play on gives the ball to a team.
Should the ball go out of bounds and there are a few seconds or even milliseconds on the clock (i.e. no horn has sounded), officials MUST restart play to give a team an opportunity to be in possession when the period ends. Do not take away a possession!