NCAA vs. NFHS Rule Differences

[CoachRob]

Courtesy of eme, I have attached a table with the differences between the NFHS and NCAA rules. Click on the attached thumbnail photos and they should enlarge in another window.

Thanks eme!! :read:

[LaxRef]

This list is a good starting point, but I'm thinking it's incomplete. I'm going to see what I can find when the 2005 NCAA rules come out (I just got the NFHS rules from another official). For starters, this list does not address the all-important legality of the lime-green ball. :chuckle:

[CTLaxer]

#7 in your chart. What exactly can be asked/clarified in the rule query? Can a call be questioned or explained during this time? We kept getting yelled at last year because before face-offs and during deadballs we'd ask the ref close to us to clarify calls or cite rules occasionally and were threatened by ejection because we were only allowed to talk to officials during half time. I could've sworn that NFHS rules did not mandate this but never looked into it as I forgot about it.

[LaxRef]

#7 in your chart. What exactly can be asked/clarified in the rule query? Can a call be questioned or explained during this time? We kept getting yelled at last year because before face-offs and during deadballs we'd ask the ref close to us to clarify calls or cite rules occasionally and were threatened by ejection because we were only allowed to talk to officials during half time. I could've sworn that NFHS rules did not mandate this but never looked into it as I forgot about it.

You can question the application of a rule ("Sir, you called goalie interference with possession, right? Isn't goalie interference with possession supposed to be a free clear, not just possession outside the box?") but not a judgment call ("You called a slash, but that wasn't a slash!"). If the officials do not agree that a rule was mis-applied, you lose a timeout or, if no timeouts remain, you are charged with a technical foul.

However, I have a little trouble with what the officials did to you. True, you can only really ask the officials questions when 4 minutes remain in halftime (NCAA and, I think, 2004 NFHS). OTOH, the officials need to make sure you understand what they're calling. For example, if I just signal illegal procedure, put your guy in the box for 30 seconds, and leave you to guess which of the 27 or so IP fouls I've called you for, that's unfair. If you are respectful and ask, "Sir, what did he do to get the illegal procedure on the faceoff?" you should get an answer, provided the official is in a reasonable position to answer.

If you yell, "How the (bleep) is that illegal procedure?!" then you deserve what you get. :chuckle:

[ploaref]

This points out one arguement FOR having someone in the post of Scholastic Officials Committee (SOC) Chairman within the MDOC, no? When we get some screwey rule from the NCAA, we get interpretations and mechanics to deal with it. The NFHS Committee has sent this lousey rule out to the world without a lick of explanation or an idea of how to enforce it. This pretty well leaves it up to individual LOA's or state association interpreters to deal with. Talk about inconsistency! This rule, more than any other this year, is going to cause BIG problems, IMHO.

Are we gonna hafta carry our rulebooks with us for these Table Area conferences all throughout the game?

[CTLaxer]

Gotcha, thanks for the clarification. And no, we don't swear at our refs or yell at them, we're quite respectful and reasonable and we don't question judgement calls just rule applications.