FRONT PAGE UPDATE 

NEW RULE REGARDING FOOTBALL

      There was a new NOCSAE standard for football gloves adopted in 2010, and the NFHS Football Rules Committee determined that the new NOCSAE standard for football gloves would be mandated starting in 2012. However, the Rules Review Committee held a hearing this morning in which the National Sporting Goods Association and the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association appealed that timeline, petitioning for a one-year delay. Following presentation of the information and considerable deliberation by the Rules Review Committee, it was determined that gloves meeting the new NOCSAE standard and those meeting the previous standard would both be deemed legal through 2012. Beginning in 2013, football gloves, if worn, would need to meet the new NOCSAE standard.

High School Football Players Must Sit Out One Play When Helmet Comes Off 

— High school football players must sit out one play next year if their helmet comes off while the ball is live.In cases where the helmet comes completely off without it being directly attributable to a foul by the opponent, the player will have to leave the game for at least one down.This addition to Rule 3-5-10 was one of eight rules changes approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Football Rules Committee at its January 20-22 meeting in Indianapolis. All rules changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors. “The committee made this rules change after reviewing data from multiple states regarding the frequency of helmets coming off during live-ball play,” said Julian Tackett, chair of the Football Rules Committee and commissioner of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association. “It is the committee’s hope that this serves notice for schools to properly fit players with helmets to reduce the incidence of these situations and remind the players not to take steps that alter the fit.”Another significant change next season will be a new interpretation of a legal catch. A receiver now will be required to establish possession of the ball and contact the ground inbounds while maintaining possession – regardless of the opponent’s action. “In previous years, the covering official could have ruled that an airborne player attempting to catch the ball would have come down inbounds, but was prevented from doing so because of contact by the opponent,” said Bob Colgate, NFHS director of sports and sports medicine and liaison to the Football Rules Committee. “Now, the player must establish possession and contact the ground inbounds for a legal catch.”The Football Rules Committee also cleared the way for state associations and their member schools to place corporate advertising and/or commercial markings on the field of play. These types of markings previously were only allowed in the end zones and outside the field. Rule 1-2-3l will state that while corporate advertising and/or commercial markings will be allowed, the markings may not obstruct the yard lines, hash marks or nine-yard marks. A risk-minimization change was made to Rule 2-3-7 that changes an interpretation for blocking below the waist. “The previous interpretation was that it was not a foul for a player to block below the waist if the hand(s) of the opponent was first contacted below the waist,” Colgate said. “This revision changes that interpretation and stipulates that such action is a foul.”After experimentation in Minnesota and Iowa, the committee revised Rule 9-3-8 to prohibit members of the kicking team from initiating contact (blocking) against members of the receiving team until the ball has broken the plane of the receiving team’s restraining line, or until the kicking team is eligible to recover the free kick. The other three rules changes approved by the committee include Rule 1-5-3c(8), which expands the list of illegal equipment to include play cards that are not worn on the wrist or arm, as well as Rule 9-4-3h, which now states that grasping the tooth and mouth protector, as well as the face mask, is a foul. Also, to provide guidance to game officials, the committee clarified Rule 9-4-3k by adding the direction in which the opponent was pulled during a horse-collar. Finally, the NFHS decided to extend the effective date of its new glove rule from 2012 to 2013. During the 2012 season, both gloves meeting the current standard and gloves meeting the new standard will be legal for play. 2012 CIF CENTRAL SECTION SWIMMING       

TIME STANDARDS        

DIVISION 2 SWIM TIMES---

   BASEBALL

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (July 6, 2011) — Rules changes approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Baseball Rules Committee will place more responsibility on coaches for rules-compliant player equipment, effective with the 2012 high school baseball season. At its June 5-7 meeting in Indianapolis, the committee also took steps to define a new tamper-evident protocol for non-wood bats. All changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.Prior to the start of each game, each head coach must now verify to the umpire in-chief that all participants are legally equipped and equipment is in accordance with NFHS rules. Such rules include “compliant bats that are unaltered from the manufacturer’s original design and production and helmets that are free of cracks and damage.” Another rule was added to address unsportsmanlike conduct toward umpires after a game has ended and after the umpires have departed the game site. It calls for state associations to determine appropriate action when dealing with these situations.In addition, umpires no longer will be required to perform pregame equipment checks, as that responsibility will fall to coaches beginning next year. Coaches can still ask umpires at the pregame conference to confirm that equipment is compliant.“The committee is placing a great importance on increased coach responsibility,” said Elliot Hopkins, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the Baseball Rules Committee. “It is one of our top priorities.”Prior to the June 2012 meeting of the Baseball Rules Committee, the NFHS will work with appropriate parties to research and develop a baseball bat tamper-evident protocol for non-wood bats and present the recommendations to the committee for its consideration. The goal for implementation is for non-wood bats manufactured after January 1, 2015.“Bat tampering is illegal and a major problem in high schools,” Hopkins said. “Everyone is looking for a competitive edge. With this note, we want to make sure that the state associations, coaches, teams and the public are aware that we are committed to minimizing any risk for players with bat tampering.”In addition, a minor change to Rule 1-3-5 states that “No artificial or intentional means shall be used to control the temperature of the bat,” based on scientific research that altering the bat damages the bat and poses an unnecessary risk of injury.Changes to Rules 1-5-8 and 3-1-6 deal with players’ equipment on the field. State associations may now authorize exceptions to NFHS rules to provide “reasonable accommodations to individual participants with disabilities and/or special needs and unique and extenuating circumstances,” so long as they do not fundamentally interfere with the sport. Players and coaches must also clean or remove “any” (formerly “excessive”) amount of blood from a uniform or piece of equipment before being allowed back into the game. Other rules changes approved by the committee include:· Rule 6-2-2c Note: The starting pitcher may warm up by using no more than eight throws, completed in one minute (timed from the first throw). This rule applies to relief pitchers as well. At the beginning of each subsequent inning, the pitcher may warm up with no more than five throws, completed in one minute.· Rule 10-1-2: The game officials retain clerical authority over the contest through the completion of any reports, including those imposing disqualification, that are responsive to actions occurring while the umpires had jurisdiction. State associations may intercede in the event of unusual incidents after the umpires’ jurisdiction has ended or in the event that a game is terminated prior to the conclusion of regulation play.· Suggested Double First Base Rules: Runner should use the colored base on initial play at first base (dropped third strike only), unless the fielder is drawn to the side of the colored base, in which case the runner would go to the white base and the fielder to the colored base.

SOFTBALL

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (July 5, 2011) — The use of altered or non-approved bats in high school softball will draw an additional penalty for both players and coaches beginning with the 2012 season. At its June 6-8 meeting in Indianapolis, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Softball Rules Committee also clarified rules regarding ball color and the use of headwear during competition. All changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.The penalty for the use of an altered or non-approved bat, which previously was an out on the batter, was expanded to state, “when the illegal bat is an altered or non-approved bat, the batter and the head coach are also ejected.”“For blatant violations such as this, the committee wants to stress accountability for both coaches and players,” said Mary Struckhoff, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the Softball Rules Committee. “This is a very significant change since safety and integrity issues are at stake.”The committee also deleted “white” from the list of permissible colors for softballs. The ball(s) must now be optic yellow, which will assist schools in ordering and manufacturers in producing the actual product being used for competition.In Rule 3-2-5, “headwear (caps, visors, sweatbands, ribbons, etc.), if worn, must now be white, black, beige or school colors. The colors are not required to be solid nor the same for each team member.” Permitting more colors and options for players regarding headwear is consistent with requirements in other NFHS sports.“The committee wants to allow student-athletes to have more flexibility,” Struckhoff said. “This change will also allow for players to promote more school spirit.”The final rules change involves Rule 1-5-2a, which removes the requirement that the bat knob protrude at a 90-degree angle from the handle. The rule now states that each bat knob “may be molded, lathed, welded or permanently fastened. Devices, attachments or wrappings are permitted except those that cause the knob to become flush with the handle.”“The committee is primarily concerned with the performance portion of the bat – the barrel – especially when other portions do not pose any undue risks to participants,” Struckhoff said.Major editorial changes approved by the committee include:Rule 1-5-1c: Clarified that shaving, rolling or artificially warming the bat barrel are prohibited. Rule 2-4: Revised and updated the definitions of legal and illegal bats. Rules 2-5-3; 3-5-6; 7-5 New: 7-4-12; 8-6-15; 8-6-16: The rules were edited and updated to clarify offensive interference. Rule 3-2-12 Note: 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. Rule 8-9-2 New Exception: Clarified the procedure to follow when the visiting pitcher or catcher of record, having used a courtesy runner in the top half of the first inning, is injured/disqualified and unable to play defense in the bottom half of the first. Rule 10-1-2 New Note: A note was added clarifying the administrative responsibilities of umpires through the completion of required reports.

TRACK AND FIELD

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (July 5, 2011) — The penalty for wearing jewelry during high school track and field competition will shift from the team to the individual competitor beginning next season.In its June 8-10 meeting in Indianapolis, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Track and Field and Cross Country Rules Committee addressed the jewelry rule and clarified two rules in the pole vault among its nine major changes. All changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.The revised jewelry rule states that “for the first violation, the competitor shall be required to remove the jewelry before further competition and be issued a warning that a subsequent violation shall result in a disqualification from the event.”“The rule still prohibits the wearing of jewelry, but the members of the rules committee and results of the questionnaire strongly support the penalty applying only to the competitor involved as opposed to the entire team,” said Becky Oakes, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the Track and Field Rules Committee.In Rule 7-5-2, requirements for pole vault competitors were changed. The rule eliminates the limit of only two layers of tape on the grip end but still requires any tape placed on the pole to be of uniform thickness on the grip end.In addition, Rule 7-5-25 clarifies who may touch or catch the pole and under what circumstances touching the pole is not allowed. The rule reads, “No person shall be allowed to touch the vaulting pole except an assigned official, assigned pole catcher or the competitor, when circumstances warrant, but never to prevent the pole from dislodging the bar.” “The competitor or designated official can catch the pole, but the touch or catch by the competitor that prevents the crossbar from being dislodged is still a foul,” Oakes said. The committee also made updates to Rule 9-1-1 regarding the method of measuring a cross country course that reflect trends in the sport. The cross country course shall be measured along the shortest possible route that a runner may take, as opposed to measuring down the middle of the course. Another change now makes it legal for competitors to wear visible undergarments that have a contrasting stitching to the color of the single, solid color of the undergarment. The stitching must function in the construction of the undergarment and not as a design. Other rules changes approved by the committee include:· Rule 3-4-2: The referee retains clerical authority over the contest through the completion of any reports, including those imposing disqualifications, that are responsive to actions occurring while the referee had jurisdiction. State associations may intercede in the event of unusual incidents after the referee’s jurisdiction has ended or in the event that a contest is terminated prior to the conclusion of regulation play.· Rule 5-7-3: The starting command for individual races – or opening relay legs of 800 meters or more outdoors and 600 meters or more indoors – shall be to instruct all competitors to take a position three meters behind the starting line or dashed arc behind the line. With “On your marks,” the competitors step to the starting line.· Rule 7-4-10: The games committee may assign competitors to flights of no less than five for preliminary competition or may conduct the event in continuing flights. In continuing flights, the first five competitors, as determined by the games committee, constitute a flight. As a contestant clears the bar, passes a turn at the height or is eliminated, the next competitor in order will be moved up so that the number of competitors in the active flight remains constant. When the field is down to eight or fewer competitors, it is recommended that participants are called as listed on the event sheet.· Rule 9-3-3: Updates were made to this rule that address the use of bib transponders or timing chips on the shoes and the official order of finish when the computerized item(s) are used.

BASKETBALL

                            — Penalties for fouls during throw-ins have been changed in high school basketball, effective with the 2011-12 season. The throw-in revision, as well as several other rules changes and editorial revisions, were approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Basketball Rules Committee at its April 11-13 meeting in Indianapolis. All rules changes recommended by the committee were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
Definitions within Rules 4-12-1, 4-12-2 and 4-12-6 were changed to reflect that team control will now exist during a throw-in once the thrower-in has the ball at his or her disposal. The new rule will no longer grant free throws to the defending team in the bonus if the throw-in team commits a foul.
“The advantage was too great because the throw-in team would lose possession and yield free throws under the previous rule,” said Mary Struckhoff, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the Basketball Rules Committee. “It was inconsistent with how this same play was being administered during non-throw-in situations.”
The committee also approved an editorial change to Rule 9-2-10, Penalty 4 to clarify that when an opponent contacts the thrower-in, an intentional foul will be charged to the offender. The defender will not have to have broken the plane to be charged with an intentional foul.
The committee edited Rule 1-3-1 to reflect the current basketball court design, which many high schools already use. The rule now permits at minimum a ¼-inch-wide single line and a line no wider than 2 inches for the center circle.
The committee also added Rule 3-5-3, which provides guidelines for arm compression sleeves. Sleeves may be white, black, beige or a single solid school color, and all sleeves must be the same color for each team member. Also, any manufacturer’s logos must not exceed 2¼ inches square.
In addition to the throw-in change to Rule 9-2-10, the committee approved several other editorial revisions, including reorganizing the definition of an intentional foul, clarifying when an alternating-possession throw-in shall be administered and clarifying penalty administration for when single fouls occur as part of a multiple free-throw situation.
Two other editorial changes to the Basketball Rules Book are ones that the NFHS Board of Directors has approved for use in all NFHS rules books.
The first rule extends the clerical duties of officials beyond the end of the game through the completion of any reports required from actions that occurred while the officials had jurisdiction.
The second authorizes state associations to grant exceptions to NFHS playing rules for participants with disabilities, special needs or extenuating circumstances.
Struckhoff said the committee again discussed requiring the use of a shot clock in high school basketball, as it has done for several years, but the committee did not approve the proposal.
“Even though there’s growing interest in using a shot clock, the general sense from the committee is that the time isn’t right,” Struckhoff said. “Given the current economic climate, it would be difficult for schools to comply with a rule requiring purchasing new equipment and hiring additional table personnel.”

WRESTLING UPDATE

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (April 26, 2011) — The most significant changes in weight classes in high school wrestling in 23 years will take place in the 2011-12 season. In its April 4-6 meeting in Indianapolis, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Wrestling Rules Committee approved an upward shift of the weight classes, beginning with the 103-pound class moving to 106 pounds, which resulted in new weights for 10 of the 14 classes. The changes in weight classes, along with 17 other rules revisions, were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
The 14 weight classes approved by the committee for 2011-12 are as follows: 106 (pounds), 113, 120, 126, 132, 138, 145, 152, 160, 170, 182, 195, 220 and 285. Three middle weight classes – 145, 152 and 160 – were retained, although they are 7-8-9 in order now rather than 8-9-10. The largest weight class (285 pounds) remains unchanged as well.“The change in weight classes resulted from a three-to-four year process utilizing data from the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Optimal Performance Calculator,” said Dale Pleimann, chair of the NFHS Wrestling Rules Committee and former assistant executive director of the Missouri State High School Activities Association. “The rules committee was able to analyze data from almost 200,000 wrestlers across the country, with the goal to create weight classes that have approximately seven percent of the wrestlers in each weight class.
“Throughout the process, each state association was kept completely informed and was provided multiple opportunities for input. The results of the last survey of each state association indicated that the majority of states favored a change, and the committee listened and acted accordingly.”
The last wholesale shift in weight classes occurred in 1988, when the lowest weight class was increased from 98 to 103 pounds. The only other changes since then were in 2002, when the number of classes went from 13 to 14 and the 215-pound weight class became mandatory, and in 2006, when the 275-pound class was increased to 285 pounds.
Among changes in wrestling holds, the Figure 4 around the head has been ruled an illegal hold/maneuver. Previously, the Figure 4 was illegal around the body or both legs. 
“This move was being used by high school wrestlers more and more on the head, so to minimize the risk of injury, the committee voted to outlaw the Figure 4 on the head as well as around the body and both legs,” said Bob Colgate, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the Wrestling Rules Committee.
Another significant change was made in Rule 2-1-3, which now makes the boundary line inbounds and, thus, expands the wrestling area. Previously, a wrestler was out of bounds if he or she was touching any part of the 2-inch-wide line which marks the wrestling area. 
An additional exception was added to Rule 8-2-1 stating that if the second injury time-out is taken at the conclusion of the second period, and the opponent already has the choice at the beginning of the third period, the opponent would then have the added choice at the first restart after the beginning of the third period.
“Previously, at the end of the second period and before the third period, Wrestler A takes his or her second injury time-out, which now gives the choice to Wrestler B,” Colgate said. “However, it’s already Wrestler B’s choice by virtue of the original flip of the disk. Therefore, Wrestler B gains no advantage or benefit from Wrestler A’s second injury time-out. With this change, Wrestler B would now have his or her choice at the first restart after the beginning of the third period.”
In other changes, a revision in Rule 3-1-13 allows the referee the flexibility to determine his or her best position to monitor the clock and wrestlers during injury, blood or recovery time-outs. Also, language in Rule 6-2-2 was changed from “forfeit” to “disqualification” to reflect correct terminology.
The rules committee also devoted considerable time to developing rules for multi-team dual meets and team-formatted tournaments. Previously, the NFHS Wrestling Rules Book addressed only dual meets and individually bracketed tournaments. Definitions for individually bracketed tournaments, dual meet/team-formatted tournaments and combination tournaments will be contained in Rule 1-3.
“In recent years, high school wrestling has moved from dual meets and individually bracketed tournaments to tournaments incorporating a dual meet/team format,” Pleimann said. “The new Rule 11 will provide rules coverage for this type of tournament format.”
“High school wrestling is in great shape across the country as participation numbers continue to increase. The rules committee did propose 18 changes to the rules book, but approximately two-thirds of those changes resulted from incorporating the new dual meet/team format rules,” Pleimann added.
The final change is one that has been approved by the NFHS Board of Directors for use in all NFHS rules books regarding the meet referee’s jurisdiction. The rule extends the clerical duties of the referee beyond the end of the meet through the completion of any reports required from actions that occurred while the referees had jurisdiction. 
Points of emphasis adopted by the committee for 2011-12 include communicable diseases, injury time-outs, coach/referee conference, and concussion recognition and management. 

Forward Approach Definition Altered in High School Diving

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Becky OakesI NDIANAPOLIS, IN (April 18, 2011) — Two significant changes in high school diving were among the six rules revisions approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Swimming and Diving Rules Committee at its March 27-29 meeting in Indianapolis. The rules changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.The definition of the forward approach in diving was revised to reflect current trends in the sport. In between the initial three steps and the jump off one foot to a landing on both feet at the end of the board, divers now may use additional steps, hops, leaps and/or jumps.
The revised Rule 9-5-2 now reads as follows: “The forward approach shall begin with not less than three steps and finish with a hurdle, defined as a jump off one foot to a landing on both feet at the end of the board. The diver may use additional steps, hops, leaps and/or jumps between the initial three steps and the culminating hurdle. The forward takeoff shall be from both feet simultaneously to an adequate height to perform the dive.”
“This change supports the advancement of high school diving and reflects the current trends in the variations of the forward approach and the athleticism of today’s high school divers,” said Becky Oakes, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the Swimming and Diving Rules Committee.
Another important diving change deals with the order of divers in championship meets. Beginning next season, in addition to determining the order by lot, the meet director will have the option of seeding based on the diver’s best competitive 11-dive score submitted. If the seeding is done by dive scores, divers without 11 dive scores will be seeded by lot at the beginning of the diving order. 
The flexibility of seeding divers, which also may be used in non-championship meets that are conducted under the championship-meet format, is similar to the option in swimming. 
Two additional diving rules were revised by the committee. A note in Rule 9-5-6 was expanded to clarify that flying dives demonstrating 1½ somersaults require the straight position to be maintained until the body has rotated to the vertical position. 
The degree of difficulty for three twisting dives were changed as follows: 5227D from 3.1 to 3.2; 5126D from 2.7 to 2.8; and 5136D from 3.0 to 3.1.
In swimming rules changes, the committee changed the starting procedure for pools with a water depth of less than 4 feet and at least 3½ feet. Beginning in 2011-12, swimmers must start in the water rather than from the deck in pools with 3½ to 4 feet of water.
“For risk minimization purposes and to reflect current trends, this is a more appropriate starting restriction in water with a depth of less than 4 feet and at least 3½ feet,” Oakes said. “This rule change does not require any change in equipment.”
The final change is one that has been approved by the NFHS Board of Directors for use in all NFHS rules books regarding the meet referee’s jurisdiction. The rule extends the clerical duties of the referee beyond the end of the contest through the completion of any reports required from actions that occurred while the referees had jurisdiction. 

Volleyball Rules Committee Illuminates Gray Areas in Protocol

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Becky Oakes
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (January 27, 2011) — The new high school volleyball rules changes approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Volleyball Rules Committee at its January 3-5 meeting were primarily administrative in nature and made to clarify various aspects of the game. The changes, which were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors, will take effect with the 2011-12 school year.
The most important changes dealt with net specifications. Under the new Rule 3-1-1, there may now be a white net sleeve, no wider than 3-3/8 inches, covering the top net tape. That sleeve, so long as it does not affect the height of the net, may have the school name, insignia, school mascot and/or advertising symbol placed along the top by way of a decal or professional printing.
Becky Oakes, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the Volleyball Rules Committee, said the committee was trying to allow for the use of equipment that might be used in collegiate gymnasiums.
“The committee recognized the need for this change as the use of collegiate facilities by high school teams has increased,” Oakes said. “Also, the net sleeve will allow teams to promote school spirit and have another option for revenue.”
Changes to the same rule now provide a range for overall width and length of the net to accommodate both the standard measurements and metric measurements at collegiate facilities.
“The changes in net requirements accommodate our high schools when playing in collegiate facilities and do not require any new equipment or additional costs,” Oakes said.
Articles 9 and 10 were added to Rule 2-1 in order to define playable and non-playable areas. The two separate areas, alluded to in other rules, had not been clearly defined in the past.
The playable area includes the court and the unobstructed space outside the court’s boundary lines, and that unobstructed space must be visible to all team members and officials.
The non-playable area is the space located beyond the court and surrounding playable area, including walls, bleachers, anything part of or behind team benches, and any other areas the first referee identifies during the pre-match conference as unsuitable for play.
“The committee examined the way play is conducted in the gym and wanted to provide the definitions for consistency and fairness in play from facility to facility,” Oakes said.
Another administrative rule addition, Rule 1-3-3, explains the scoring protocol for a team playing with fewer than six players due to injury, illness or disqualification after the start of the match. A loss of rally/point is awarded each time a vacant position rotates to serve in the right back position.
The committee also expanded the use of Officials Signal No. 1, Illegal Alignment. The signal – a slow, circular motion with a straight arm pointed toward the court of the offending team – should now be used when a coach fails to submit an accurate lineup at the beginning of a set and play begins with a penalty.
“The purpose of this change is to increase communication with spectators,” Oakes said. “Before, if an inaccurate lineup was submitted at the beginning of a set, there was a loss of rally/point awarded to the opponent but no signal was provided to spectators as to why the set started with a point. Now things will be clearer.
“The committee cleaned up a number of areas in the rules and more clearly stated various protocols for all involved,” Oakes said, “and we also addressed equipment issues in ways that do not create any additional costs to schools.”

UPDATED JAN. 5, 2011

Free Online Course – The Role of the Parent in Sports – Now Available

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Tim Flannery 
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (October 19, 2010) — 

A new online education course – The Role of the Parent in Sports – is now available through the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) at www.nfhslearn.com.  Similar to the Concussion in Sports – What You Need to Know online course released in May, the new parent course is being offered at no cost. Anyone can register for the free course at www.nfhslearn.com. 

“Parents of students who participate in athletics make a huge difference in the quality of the sport experience for their sons and daughters,” said Tim Flannery, NFHS assistant director who directs the NFHS Coach Education Program. “Parents unintentionally spoil the educational experience of their children at times by the way they talk to them after games, behave in the stands and interact with coaches and officials. This online course provides information and resources to help parents understand their role in ensuring an educational experience for their son or daughter.” 

The NFHS Coach Education Program was started in 2007, and more than 140,000 coaches have taken the core course — Fundamentals of Coaching. Forty-five of the 51 NFHS member associations have adopted the course.

In addition to the core courses (Fundamentals of Coaching and NFHS First Aid for Coaches), eight sport-specific courses are available in football, basketball, soccer, softball, cheer and dance, spirit safety, wrestling and volleyball. The program also includes four elective courses and the two free courses.

The NFHS offers coaches the ability to become Level 1 certified as an Accredited Interscholastic Coach. In addition to the Fundamentals of Coaching course, coaches must complete NFHS First Aid for Coaches, or its equivalent, and one of the sport-specific courses or Teaching Sport Skills, and then can apply for certification online. 

All NFHS coach education courses are available at www.nfhslearn.com. 

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (July 6, 2010) - One of six new rules changes by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Baseball Rules Committee forbids the use of composite bats until they can meet the Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR) performance standard. The changes, which were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors, will take effect with the 2010-11 school year.

After thorough testing by the Baseball Research Center at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, the NFHS Baseball Rules Committee voted to outlaw composite bats until they can produce consistent results through the life of the bat, be made tamper-evident and be labeled as a composite product.

Elliot Hopkins, NFHS liaison to the Baseball Rules Committee, visited with James Sherwood, director of the Baseball Research Center, and spent several hours witnessing composite bat testing. "Rolling the bat gives it a higher performance," Hopkins said. "It can significantly increase the performance and that's huge in our game."

Rolling the bat isn't the only problem. Rolling only speeds up the performance enhancement that would occur over time after normal use. Even composite bats that were not altered will eventually see this increase in performance, and the rules committee views that as a major concern.

Rule 1-3-2 through 5 was completely rewritten with the intention of creating a rule that preserves the intent and spirit of the old rule, but is better suited to products resulting from new technology.

Under the new rule, bats with composite handles and tapers would still be legal. The stricter language applies primarily to the barrel of the bat.

"While the handles and taper are important components of the bat," Hopkins said, "the area that we recognized as more susceptible to abuse is the barrel."

Other rules changes this year aim at increasing convenience for coaches and umpires by simplifying the substitution policy and clarifying several rules.

Rule 1-1-2 now requires coaches to list all known substitutes on the lineup card before the umpire accepts it. Coaches will still be able to add a substitute without a penalty, but this should speed up substitutions and player changes during the game.

A change to Rule 2-16-2 was also made to clarify an existing rule and ease its application for coaches and players. The rule now reads: "A foul tip is a batted ball that goes directly to the catcher's hands and is legally caught by the catcher. It is a strike and the ball is in play."

Similarly, a "last-time-by" rule has been instituted. The new rule states that if a runner correctly touches a base that was missed the last time he was by the base, that last touch corrects any previous base-running infraction. This last-time-by practice is commonly accepted, but is now legally Rule 8-2-6l.

The last two rules changes were approved on recommendation from the NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee. First, in a change to Rule 1-5-8, all hard and unyielding items such as braces, casts, etc., must be padded with a closed-cell, slow-recovery foam padding no less than one-half-inch thick. Knee and ankle braces that are unaltered from the manufacturer's original design/production do not require additional padding.

Second is an update to concussion language that has been added to the rules for all high school sports. The new rule, 3-1-5, puts strict constraints on players who may have suffered a concussion. The rule states that any player who exhibits signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion, including but not limited to loss of consciousness, headache, dizziness, confusion of balance problems, must be removed from the contest immediately and shall not return to play before being cleared by an appropriate health-care professional.

TRACK AND FIELD RULE CHANGES

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (July 2, 2010) — Several of the 15 new rules changes approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Track and Field and Cross Country Rules Committee have more lenient penalties than in the past, including a team warning for the first jewelry violation when observed during competition. The changes, which were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors, will take effect with the 2010-11 school year. 
While jewelry is still prohibited in all track and field events under Rule 4-3-3, the first violation witnessed by an official will now result in a team warning. The observing official shall report to the meet referee, who will then notify the coach of the offending school. All subsequent violations will result in a disqualification of the athlete(s)/relay team from the event. 
Becky Oakes, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the Track and Field and Cross Country Rules Committee, said the committee was trying to remain consistent with other sports that prohibit jewelry without being too harsh. “Other than a handful of field events with minimal risk minimization concerns, there isn’t a real risk of injury in this sport from wearing jewelry,” Oakes said. 
“The committee, after discussion and review of the questionnaire, believed this penalty was more appropriate.”
With regard to medical-alert medals, which are not considered jewelry and are allowed, the rule now reads that the alert should be visible. Oakes said the committee thought medical alerts that aren’t visible defeat the purpose of wearing information that may be important to those responding to an emergency, and responders may need immediate access to the alert.
The rule has also been updated to reflect new technology in medical-alert notification items. Any bracelet made of metal or an unyielding material still needs to be taped to the body, but a bracelet made of pliable material does not require taping. Medals worn on necklaces of any kind still need to be taped to the body. 
Additionally, Rules 4-3-3 and 9-6-7 were amended to allow additional means of hair control. Unadorned devices, such as bobby pins, barrettes and hair clips, no longer than two inches, may be worn to control a competitor’s hair. This rule was updated to reflect common practice in some states and achieve consistency throughout the rule’s application. These items for hair control are not considered dangerous for the contestant and are not considered jewelry or adornment.
“The committee is open to other means of hair control, such as flat clips,” Oakes said. “The rule change doesn’t open up the wearing of adornments or other items that pose a risk of injury.”
Other rules changes allow more leniencies in what is considered a foul, primarily in high jump and pole vault. Under Rule 7-2-12, if improperly fastened supports slip downward when a jumper hits the crossbar, it shall be ruled a no jump and the jumper will get another trial, regardless of the initial jump’s result. 
In the same vein, a note was added to Rule 7-5-29a that if a crossbar and/or uprights are placed incorrectly by the contest officials and the crossbar is displaced by the competitor, the trial is not recorded and the competitor receives an additional trial.
“All of these things used to be fouls,” Oakes said. “But if equipment is placed improperly by the officials or there is an equipment malfunction, the rules should not penalize the jumper.”
The committee also approved several other rules changes in field events. First, Rule 7-5-16 has been deleted and replaced with new guidelines for the warm-up of pole vault competitors who have passed three consecutive heights and not entered the competition. Those competitors are now allowed two minutes of warm-up jumps per competitor entering at that height. These competitors often sit out long enough that a proper warm-up is in order. Such a warm-up wasn’t being provided by the old rule that allowed only one warm-up jump.
Rules 7-4-11 and 7-5-18 have been modified to clarify protocol when there is only one competitor left in a vertical jump competition. Only after that person has been determined the event winner may he or she determine successive heights of the crossbar. 
Additionally, a revision to both throwing and jumping rules allows for a change in the order of competition. The head judge may now change the order, in both preliminaries and finals, to accommodate those who may be excused to participate in other events. Competitors may take more than one trial in succession. 
Following are other changes made by the NFHS Track and Field and Cross Country Rules Committee:
· A significant editorial change that will affect all sports requires that any athlete who exhibits signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion, including but not limited to loss of consciousness, headache, dizziness, confusion or balance problems, must be removed from the contest immediately and shall not return to play before being cleared by an appropriate health-care professional.
· In addition, Rule 4-4-1 was added, stating that if a hard or unyielding item, such as a guard, cast, etc., is worn, it is up to the referee to determine if padding is required. Such padding shall be closed-cell, slow-recovery foam no less than one-half-inch thick. Unaltered knee and ankle braces do not require any additional padding.
· Rule 4-4-2 clarifies the use of prosthetics in track and field. Each state association may authorize the use of a prosthesis, which in its opinion, is no more dangerous to competitors and/or equipment than the corresponding human body part(s) and does not place an opponent at a disadvantage. 
· New to the rules book but commonly practiced, a letter of authorization shall be provided by the state association for any modifications to uniforms or equipment due to medical or religious reasons. The letter shall be made available to the meet referee prior to the beginning of competition. 
· Rule 3-3-1 identifies the meet director as the official representative of host meet management; 3-3-2 makes that person responsible for handling unsporting conduct by spectators and other matters outside of competition rules.

SOFTBALL RULE CHANGES 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Mary Struckhoff
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (June 28, 2010) — One of three new rules changes by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Softball Rules Committee outlines penalties for coaches who submit incorrect lineup cards. The changes, which were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors, will take effect with the 2010-11 school year. 
Mary Struckhoff, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the Softball Rules Committee, said the penalty was added to Rule 3-1-3 in an attempt to diminish some of the in-game confusion about lineup cards with wrong player/jersey number combinations. The new penalty states that a coach who submits an inaccurate card to the umpire will be issued a team warning upon the first name or number correction to the lineup card. A second change will result in the coach being restricted to the dugout for the remainder of the game.
The committee referenced other team sports where accuracy in the roster and playing order are paramount. Softball is now included among those, and there will be a penalty for the confusion and delays that inaccuracies cause.
“Our coaches should be responsible for submitting accurate information,” Struckhoff said.
The new penalty does not affect the illegal substitution or batting-out-of-order rules.
Another rules change this year is to the interference rule (8-6-18), addressing a runner who has scored or been retired. The word “intentionally” has been removed from the rule, thus taking a player’s intent out of the ruling. The rules committee believes the change will make the rule easier to apply and more consistent with other rules.
“It’s nearly impossible for an umpire to know a player’s intent,” Struckhoff said. “Players sometimes get confused but if interference occurs, intentional or not, a penalty will apply.”
The rule now reads: “…After being declared out or after scoring, a runner interferes with a defensive player’s opportunity to make a play on another runner. A runner continuing to run and drawing a throw may be considered a form of interference…”
The Softball Rules Committee also approved the new concussion rule recommended for all NFHS sports by the NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee. Rules 3-3-9 and 10-2-3k now state that any athlete who exhibits sign, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion, including but not limited to loss of consciousness, headache, dizziness, confusion or balance problems, must be removed from the contest immediately and shall not return to play before being cleared by an appropriate health-care professional. 
In addition, the change in the pitching distance approved last year becomes mandatory for the 2010-11 school year. Last year, the Softball Rules Committee voted to move the pitching distance in high school softball from 40 feet to 43 feet. State associations were given the option to implement the change in the 2009-10 school year, but it will be mandatory for all states as of August 1, 2010.
Following are major editorial changes made by the NFHS Softball Rules Committee:
· Reorganization of the glove rule, 1-4, and clarification that any gray, white or optic-colored marking that gives the appearance of the ball is not permitted.
· The exception of touching home was added to clarify the force-play reinstatement rule, 2-24-4.
· The padding requirements for guards, casts and braces were clarified in Rule 3-2-13.
· Rules 6-2-2 and 6-4-5 were clarified so that powdered resin or any comparable drying agent is permitted.
· The ball-rotation procedure was moved from 4-1-4 to new 6-5.

SWIMMING

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (April 21, 2010) — Standardizing the judging of diving highlighted rules changes approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Swimming and Diving Rules Committee at its March 28-30 meeting in Indianapolis. The changes, which were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors, will take effect with the 2010-11 season. 
Language in Rule 9 was clarified to better distinguish successful versus unsuccessful dives and to minimize the risk of injury to divers. A new note states that both the diver and the coach must review and sign off on the diver’s scoresheet in order to confirm that the diver is capable of completing the listed dives and the accuracy of the scoresheet.
“This year, the committee spent a considerable amount of time on the event of diving,” said Becky Oakes, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the Swimming and Diving Rules Committee. “The changes were about creating consistency in the diving rules and risk minimization for the diver.”
There were also several points of clarification on what to consider for successful dives.
New Rule 9-7-4d states that the dive will be considered unsatisfactory if the diver does not attempt to come out of a twist. New Rule 9-7-5h also clarifies how much of a twisting dive must be performed once the diver leaves the board. The rule states a dive will be considered unsatisfactory if the diver’s shoulders are turned more than 90 degrees before his or her feet leave the board.
In swimming, the committee further defined what constitutes a legal swimsuit.
“It was necessary to add additional language to clarify swimsuit design and construction regulations,” Oakes said.
A change regarding the placement of a school logo is an adjustment to the major rule change last year. Rule 3-3-2b(2) states that the swimsuit worn during competition must be 100-percent permeable to air and water except for the school name or logo, which may be an area no more than nine square inches added to the suit after construction.
Additionally, a change to Rule 3-3-3 states that a device, such as tape, worn to compress any part of the body to aid in speed is also illegal for use in competition.
“Most of the work of the committee this year was administrative,” Oakes said. “It focused on swimsuit questions that still needed to be addressed and focused on the consistency of rules and risk minimization in the event of diving.”
Following are other changes made by the NFHS Swimming and Diving Rules Committee:
· New Rule 3-3-1 states the FINA logo is not considered a form of advertising and swimsuits with the logo will be legal for competition.
· In addition, Rule 8-3-8b added that a lead-off time will be nullified not only if a relay team is disqualified for a conduct rule, but also if the team has any entry rule violation.
· In diving, Rule 9-7-5g now states a twisting dive is a failed dive based on the position of the diver’s shoulders upon the feet/hands contacting the water, if the twist is greater or less than 90 degrees of what is listed on the scoresheet.
· A diver not stopping the oscillation of the board just before or after the starting position is taken will have a half-point to two-point deduction under Rule 9-8-2a.

WRESTLING

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (April 23, 2010) — A revision in the appropriate dress for weigh-ins in high school wrestling was among four rules changes approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Wrestling Rules Committee at its April 5-7 meeting in Indianapolis. The changes, which were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors, will take effect with the 2010-11 season. 
“The committee felt the need to make very few changes because the sport of high school wrestling is in good shape,” said Dale Pleimann, former assistant executive director of the Missouri State High School Activities Association and chair of the NFHS Wrestling Rules Committee. “Two of the changes deal with minimizing risk, one deals with privacy issues and the other change was clean-up in a mechanics procedure instituted last year.”
Regarding weigh-ins, previously both male and female contestants had to weigh in wearing “no more than a suitable undergarment.” Beginning next year, specific language has been added regarding what constitutes a “suitable undergarment.” Male and female contestants will be required to wear a suitable undergarment that completely covers the buttocks and the groin area. In addition, for female contestants the suitable undergarment must also cover the breasts. 
Bob Colgate, assistant director of the NFHS and committee liaison, said the change was made to consider privacy issues for all individuals involved with weigh-ins. 
The committee also addressed the process for an offensive wrestler assuming a legal starting position. The following statement has been added to Rule 5-20-9: 
“Once the offensive wrestler has assumed a legal starting position and is stationary, the referee shall verbally say ‘set’ and then pause momentarily before starting wrestling.”
“This rule change will eliminate either wrestler gaining an advantage by using a rolling start,” Colgate said. “It also eliminates the need for the offensive wrestler using a specific sequence when assuming a legal starting position, including the optional offensive starting position.”
Effective with the 2010-11 high school wrestling season, any contestant who shows signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion shall be removed immediately from the match and shall not return to competition until cleared by an appropriate health-care professional. 
The previous rule directed officials to remove an athlete from competition if “apparently unconscious.” The previous rule also allowed for return to competition based on written authorization by a medical doctor. 
“Given that the vast majority of concussions do not include a loss of consciousness, but that athletes often show obvious evidence of concussion, the NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC) strongly believes that referees must continue to be empowered to remove these athletes from competition, thus protecting them from further injury,” said Dr. Michael Koester, chair of the SMAC. “Continued participation in any sport following a concussion can lead to worsening concussion symptoms, as well as increased risk for further injury to the brain and even death.
“The safety of the athlete is of paramount concern during any athletic contest. Referees, coaches and administrators are being asked to make all efforts at ensuring that concussed athletes do not continue to participate. Thus, coaches, wrestlers and administrators should also be looking for signs of concussion in all wrestlers and should immediately remove any suspected concussed wrestler from competition.”
In addition to wrestling, the new concussion language is being placed in all NFHS rules books for the 2010-11 season, as well as the “NFHS Suggested Guidelines for Management of Concussion.” 
The Wrestling Rules Committee also added the “rear-standing, double-knee kickback” to the list of illegal maneuvers. Colgate said this maneuver, which is being used more frequently at the high school level, clearly puts the opposing wrestler in a dangerous situation and at a high risk for injury.
Perhaps as significant as the changes approved by the committee was one that was not. After much discussion, the committee voted against changing the wrestling weight classes and will stay with the 14 weight classes currently in place in the NFHS Wrestling Rules Book. Three proposals were considered by the committee this year on changing the wrestling weight classes.

SOCCER

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (February 16, 2010) — The official signals used for high school soccer have been modified to reflect common practice. This was one of 11 changes approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Soccer Rules Committee at its January 25-27 meeting in Indianapolis. The rules changes subsequently were approved by the NFHS Board of Directors. 
The committee approved a reduction in the number of signals from 23 to eight, effective with the 2010-11 season. The eight signals that were retained are the most common signals used by officials at all levels of play.
“The reduction in the number of signals simplifies the process for officials and standardizes soccer signals across the board,” said Mark Koski, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the Soccer Rules Committee. “The committee believed it was time to make a change since officials would not have to learn any new signals and many of them work at other levels.”
Two changes regarding uniforms were approved with a two-year lead time for implementation. Beginning in the fall 2012 season, the home team will be required to wear solid white jerseys and socks. Previously the wording was “white or light” jerseys and socks. The committee made this change to better differentiate between the home and visiting teams.
In addition, effective in fall 2012, goalkeepers will be required to have a number on the back of their jerseys and the front of their jerseys or shorts that is different than any other number used by other players on the team. 
Another uniform change, which takes effect this coming season, states that only names, patches, emblems, logos or insignias referencing the school are permitted on the team uniform. 
A significant change in the substitution rule was approved for high school soccer. Beginning next year, a team may substitute an unlimited number of players from the bench when a player is injured and removed from the field. Previously, unlimited substitution was only permitted between periods and when a goal was scored. 
The committee made one change regarding throw-ins. So as not to interfere or impede the player attempting a throw-in, the opponent shall stand at least two yards from the point at which the throw-in is being taken. The resulting penalty for a violation is a caution for unsporting conduct.
Following are other changes made by the NFHS Soccer Rules Committee:
· A significant editorial change that will affect all sports requires that any athlete who exhibits signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion, including but not limited to loss of consciousness, headache, dizziness, confusion or balance problems, must be removed from the contest immediately and shall not return to play before being cleared by an appropriate health-care professional.
· Two equipment rules were modified. In Rule 4-2-1 regarding illegal equipment, item “c” was rewritten as follows: “Hard and unyielding items (guards, casts, braces, etc.) on the hand, wrist, forearm, elbow, upper arm or shoulder, unless covered and must be padded with a closed cell, slow-recovery foam padding no less than ½-inch thick.” In Rule 4-2-5, the revised language is as follows: “All permissible artificial limbs must be padded with a closed-cell, slow-recovery foam padding no less than ½-inch thick.”
· An addition to Rule 5-3-2 clarifies that the referee has the authority to correct the clock when an error is detected.
· In Rule 18-1-1, added a definition for misconduct as follows: “Any of the actions by players, substitutes and bench personnel that result in yellow and/or red cards being issued.”

In addition, the committee adopted the following Points of Emphasis for the 2010-11 season: concussion management, ankle and knee braces, NFHS Code of Ethics, NFHS Soccer Signals, online education, team areas and throw-in encroachment.