GHSA POLICIES, PROCEDURES, & BY-LAW CHANGES

2. GHSA POLICIES, PROCEDURES, & BY-LAW CHANGES

3. GHSA WEB SITE • Important information at www.ghsa.net • The “White Book” is on line • * Constitution and By-laws • * Sports Specific Procedures • * Appendix B – Contest Brackets • * Appendix F – Fine Schedule

4. OFFICIAL STARTING DATES • Date for 1st official practice is October 24, 2011 • Date for 1st official game is November 12, 2011 • (1) official scrimmage at any time after October 24 and prior to the 1st official game of the competing schools.

5. COACHING & GAME ADMINISTRATION • COACHING – A “Community Coach” may not function as a Head Coach of a varsity level team, or be named by the school as the Varsity Head Coach on publications and in the media. • UNSPORTING ACTS – Such acts committed after the completion of the contest shall be the responsibility of the host school Game Administration. If witnessed by a game official, a Game Report shall be submitted to the GHSA Office.

6. SPORTSMANSHIP • EJECTIONS - GHSA By-Law 2.72 (a) – Ejections are based on judgment calls by an official and are NOT reviewable or reversible. • As such, once a player or coach has been ejected from a contest the ejection CANNOT be rescinded after the fact.

7. EARLY ROUNDS OF PLAYOFFS • When a school is hosting both boys’ and girls’ games. . . • The host school may schedule a “boy/girl” doubleheader on either specified date of the respective round • A revised financial agreement is in effect for a double header, and the form is available in the “Forms Book” or GHSA web site HALF-TIME POLICY • Teams are NOT allowed to warm-up on the game court in any manner during the halftime intermission of the preceding game.

8. CANCER AWARENESS WEEK • Host teams are approved to wear pink jerseys/uniforms, headbands, wristbands, etc. during the week of January 30, 2012 to promote Cancer Awareness . • NOTE: Pink attire on all players must match. • * At no other time will pink items be allowed to be worn during games, unless pink is an official school color.

9. ONE-DAY EVENTS • All one-day events in which more than two (2) schools are competing must have the following: • A “host School” must be designated for the entire event. • The host school must provide a “Game Manager” for the entire event. • The host school must schedule “contest officials” through the association assigned to their regular season games. • The event must be “sanctioned” through the GHSA Office.

10. TOURNAMENT & POST-SEASON CONTESTS • ALL post-season games (play-in games, sub-region games, regions games) played to determine the four (4) teams that will advance to the State Tournament, must be scheduled with a minimum of two (2) games at each site. • Officiating crews are not allowed to work “back-to-back” games during the post-season.

11. 2012STATE TOURNAMENT DATES 1ST Round – February 24 & 25 2nd Round – February 28 & 29 3rd Round – March 2 & 3 Semi Finals – March 7 - 9 Finals – March 9 & 10

12. 2011-12 NFHS BASKETBALL RULES CHANGES

13. COURT & EQUIPMENT (Rule 1-3-1) CENTER RESTRAINING CIRCLE • Now permit a minimum of a ¼ inch-wide single line, but a line no wider than (2”) two-inches to designate the outer edge of the circle. • Rationale: Many existing courts already have a center circle that has a single ¼” line. This change will provide consistency in the rule. (Table 1-1, Supplement to the Basketball Court #3)

14. TEAM MEMBERS EQUIPMENT, APPAREL Rule 3-5-3 New • The specifications regarding arm compression sleeves are changed to require the item to be; WHITE, BLACK, BEIGE or a single SCHOOL COLOR. • The item MUST be the same color for each team member • The item may have only ONE manufacturers logo that does not exceed 2 ¼” square inches • Compression sleeves MUST be worn for medical purposes • Rationale: This rule change provides clarification and consistency for enforcement by game officials and uniformity among team members

15. DEFINITIONS Control, Player and Team Rules 4-12-1, 4-12-2, 4-12-6 • TEAM CONTROL now exists during a throw-in, while the thrower has the ball at his/her disposal. • This change affects how penalties for fouls committed by the throw-in team will be administered. (Now a “team control foul”) • Rationale: This change to “team control” from “player control” during a throw-in provides greater consistency in the penalty aspect of the infraction, eliminates confusion on rule application, and will eliminate the delays inherent to free throw administration.

16. TEAM CONTROL DURING A THROW-IN (4-12-1, 2, 6) • The change primarily affects how foul penalties will be administered. • By changing the definition of player and team control to include a throw-in, greater consistency in penalty administration for a common foul is achieved. • The contest will also be expedited by eliminating the delay inherent with administering free throws. • The change does NOT affect any of the following rules: • Three seconds in the lane • Traveling/Dribbling • Backcourt • Alternating-possession throw-in rules

17. NFHS Basketball2011-12Major Editorial Changes

18. BASKET-RING (1-11-2 & 3) OFFICIALS’ JURISDICTION (2-2-4 New Note) * A new note has been added to clarify the administrative responsibilities of game officials through the completion of the contest, and the administrative duties of documentation of inappropriate actions during the contest. NOTE: Similar to current GHSA Policy. • Updated specifications added to basket-ring rules • Basket-rings should be inspected for compliance

19. UNIFORMS(3-4-1c) A new note was added recommending that the visiting team’s dark jersey be the darker of the school’s color scheme or black. Light blue, light gold and light silver visiting uniforms continue to be problematic since they are difficult to differentiate from the home white jerseys.

20. TEAM MEMBER’S EQUIPMENT, APPAREL(3-5-1New Note ) INTENTIONAL FOUL(4-19-3) The definition of an intentional foul was clarified and reorganized to assist in identifying specific illegal acts A new note was added authorizing state associations to grant exceptions to NFHS playing rules for participants with disabilities, special needs and/or extenuating circumstances.

21. RESUMING PLAY DIFFERENCES(8-6-2, 8-6-3 New, 8-7) • Penalty administration was clarified when: • Single fouls occur as part of a multiple free-throw situation, and • A double foul occurs as part of a multiple free-throw situation. • Based on these editorial changes, Section 8-7 became unnecessary and was deleted.

22. THROW-IN PROVISIONS(9-2-10 Penalty 4) Clarified that when an opponent contacts the thrower-in, an intentional foul shall be charged to the offender. Any type of contact on a thrower is an intentional foul. The defender does not actually have to break the boundary plane. This clarification will assist in more consistent enforcement.

23. 2011-12 NFHS BASKETBALL POINTS OF EMPHASIS

24. REPORTING AREA Move around the players, not through the players to report to the table Move quickly to any part of the “reporting area” (Diagram 2-23 in the Officials Manual) Make sure you have a clear line of vision with the official scorekeeper.

25. USING PROPER SIGNALS(Signal Chart) Signals are the verbal and non-verbal means of communication by officials to scorers, timers, players, coaches, as well as spectators. Each time the whistle is sounded, it should be accompanied by the proper signal. Know the official signals and give them promptly and decisively. Avoid using unauthorized signals. Officials should be professional in the use of signals, and should not attempt to draw attention to themselves by the use of unapproved, emotional, or theatrical signals.

26. SUBSTITUTIONS It is the responsibility of the coach to have a substitute(s) at the official table within the proper time to allow a substitution. Officials should be aware of legal substitutes waiting to be beckoned onto the court, but should NOT allow substitutes to report “on the fly”. Multiple substitutes shall all have reported to the official table to be beckoned onto the court. Do not allow a “chorus line” of substitutes.

27. GAME AWARENESS • The officiating crew should not find themselves in situations in which they are surprised by elements of the game. 1. A-typical situations on the court 2. Timing/scoring issues 3. Incidents effecting the flow of the game 4. End of period/game procedures 5. Free throw administration 6. Substitutions/time out requests NOTE: Good communication among crew members provides a higher level of “Game Awareness”.

28. PREGAME SITUATIONS Gatherings intended to motivate a team after the warm-up period, during or following player introductions and post-game celebrations should be performed in the area directly in front of the team bench. If during the pregame or halftime warm-up period one team leaves the floor, the other team should not use the entire court; teams should only warm-up on their half of the court.

29. TAUNTING/SELF PROMOTION • Players are increasingly directing their celebratory actions toward opponents, which should be interpreted as taunting and baiting, and penalized accordingly. • Further, the committee is concerned with the trend toward players "playing to the crowd," attempting to increase attention and praise for their own individual accomplishments rather than toward the game itself and team achievements. • Officials should remind captains and head coaches at the pregame conference that all actions and reactions should demonstrate appropriate sporting behavior.

31. HANDCHECKING/BODY FOULS Tactics using the hands, arms or body that permit any player (offense or defense) to "control" (hold, impede, push, divert, slow or prevent) the movement of an opposing player is a foul. When an offensive player uses the hands/body to push off to gain position or spacing, it is a foul. “Hooking" by an offensive player to gain a distinct advantage, is a foul. Any illegal use of hands, arms or body (offense or defense) that slows, prevents, impedes the progress or displaces an opposing player due to the contact, is a foul and must be called.

32. SCREENING A legal screener must be stationary prior to contact with hands and arms close to the body. When these two requirements are not met, and when there is sufficient contact delivered by the screener to bump, slow or displace, it is a foul on the screener. When screening a stationary opponent from behind (outside the visual field), the screener must allow the opponent one normal step backward without contact. When screening a moving opponent, the screener must allow the opponent time and distance to avoid contact by stopping or changing direction.

33. POST PLAY The offense may "shape up" to receive a pass or to force the defense to assume a legal guarding position at the side, in front or behind the offensive post player. When the offensive player then uses the "swim stroke," pushes, pins, elbows, forearms, holds, clears with the body, or just generally demonstrates rough physical movements or tactics, this is a foul on the offensive player and must be called without warning. The defense can assume a legal, vertical stance or position on the side, front or behind the offensive post player.

34. POST PLAY When a player pushes a leg or knee into the rear of an opponent, it is a foul. When a player dislodges an opponent from an established position by pushing or "backing in," it is a foul. When a player uses hands, forearms or elbows to prevent an opponent from maintaining a legal position, it is a foul. When the defense undercuts (initiates lower-body non-vertical contact), slaps, pushes, holds, elbows, forearms or just generally demonstrates rough, physical movements or tactics, this is a foul on the defense and must be called without warning.

35. REBOUNDING • To obtain or maintain a legal rebounding position a player may NOT: • Displace, charge or push an opponent. • Extend shoulders, hips or knees, or extend the arms or elbows fully or partially in a position other than vertical, so that the opponent's freedom of movement is hindered when contact occurs. • Bend his or her body in an abnormal position to hold or displace an opponent. • Violate the principle of verticality. • Better his or her position by other than legal means.

36. INJURY PREVENTION While the rules of the game can’t always prevent injuries from occurring, coaches, players and officials all have an important role to play in keeping the risk of injury to a minimum. To assist in preventing injuries, the committee has addressed the following areas of concern: Coaches and officials must be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of a concussion, and be well versed in and follow NFHS and the respective state association concussion guidelines.

37. INJURY PREVENTION There are several aspects of the game where injuries may be more likely to occur, but rebounding and defending were specifically noted in the injury data. Officials must adjudicate all rules as written, especially regarding illegal contact in those two areas. An airborne player is especially vulnerable to sustaining a serious injury with the slightest contact. Officials should not hesitate to rule a flagrant foul when “violent” contact occurs against an opponent, especially to the head.

38. 2011-12 NFHS BASKETBALL OFFICIALS MECHANICAL CHANGES

39. OFFICIALS MANUAL“SIGNALS” • 2.2.2.C.6 New – Crew of Two – The “trail” official will mirror the “lead” officials stop-and-start signal. (chop the clock) • 2.4.4.B.4 – A visible signal (point directly to the official timer) is added to indicate when the clock should be started on a time-out, or interval to replace a player (disqualified, injured, bleeding, uniform issue, etc.)

41. 2011-13 MECHANICS POINTS OF EMPHASIS Reporting Area & Signaling Substitutions Game Awareness Fighting Situations

42. UNIFORMS • Committee still concerned with uniforms being worn in an unacceptable manner. • Officials must strictly enforce the uniform standards. • Uniforms must be worn as the manufacturer designed them to be worn • Jerseys MUST be tucked in the shorts • Shorts MUST be kept above the hips • Undershirts must meet specified standards • When a player(s) are guilty of a uniform violation officials shall remove them from the game.

43. ON-COURT FIGHT PROTOCOL When a fight involving players occurs – * The official nearest the fight should attempt to prevent other players from getting involved * The other official(s) shall focus attention to the team bench areas * Head Coaches may be beckoned onto the court to assist in separating the combatants. (Officials shall NOT attempt to physically separate combatants.) * When the fight is stopped direct players/coaches to their respective team bench area

44. ON-COURT FIGHT PROTOCOL Meet as a crew to exchange information, address penalties, and determine the resuming play procedure The “referee” will meet with both head coaches to explain the action/penalties to be administered The “referee” will then meet with the official scorekeeper to insure documentation of infractions and resulting penalties. The crew will then administer penalties and the resuming play procedure The “referee” will submit a Game Report to the GHSA Office within 24 hours of the incident.

45. 2011-12 NFHS/GHSA BASKETBALLRULES