July 21, 2004
Some high school rules changes
By TOM WILLIAMS
Sports Columnist
When school opens in September and another year of sports competition begins in the Cape-Atlantic
League, some things will be different.
We already know that Ocean City will have a new high school with two gymnasiums, a wrestling room and
a weight room. The starting time for Raider home basketball games will be changed to 6 p.m. in most
cases. Ocean City will also play its first-ever home football games under the Carey Stadium lights against
Bridgeton, Egg Harbor Township and Oakcrest.
Former CAL stars John Leahy and Matt Lucas have become head coaches at their alma maters – Leahy
of the Middle Township girls basketball team and Lucas of the Lower Cape May boys soccer team. Lower
also has appointed a former athlete, Mark Schiffbauer, as its new athletics director.
There will be a few more coaching changes, to be sure, as school boards approve (or refuse) the
recommendations from their administrators. And there will be some new teams on the schedules of CAL
teams.
But some changes will affect not only the Cape-Atlantic League, but most of the nation. They are rule
changes approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations in some sports,
particularly those for the fall and winter.
Here are some examples:
In football, a head coach may now request a timeout from the sidelines. Previously, only a player in the
game could request a timeout. Interestingly, head coaches who operate from the press box cannot call a
timeout from there and cannot designate an assistant to call timeout from the sideline.
In another change, during a timeout a coach may now bring the 11 players on the field to the sideline and
talk not only to them, but to any other players, as well. If the coach goes onto the field to talk to the team
in a huddle, he is still limited to the 11 players in the game.
Other football changes state that if a foul occurs on the last play of a quarter, any replays will take place
before the teams switch ends; sticky or slippery substances are not permitted on towels worn by players;
and clarifications were made to the safety rule and the suspension of games by bad weather.
In soccer, an injured player may now be replaced by a substitute even if the player was not visited by a
trainer or doctor. Also, the defensive team on a corner kick may now make unlimited substitutions
providing the team with the ball is substituting.
The new soccer rules also more clearly identify the proper shinguards to be worn and the proper padding
for the goal posts. And the game officials will no longer be responsible to determine assists on a scoring
play.
The big change in field hockey was a clarification of player positioning on penalty corners. The wording has
been changed to say that “all attackers, except the player taking the penalty corner, should be on the field
with sticks, hands and feet not touching the ground inside the circle. And there will be a maximum of five
defenders, including the goalkeeper, behind the back line with their sticks, hands and feet not touching the
ground inside the circle.”
A new line in the center of the field has been added to make it easier for officials to administer the center
pass. And players who wear compression shorts, undershirts and warm-up pants in a game are required to
wear a color that is uniform to the team.
Looking ahead to basketball, the rules committee has stiffened the rule about leaving the bench area
during a confrontation between teams on the court. Previously, bench players only faced ejection if they
entered the court when punches had been thrown. Now, they will be penalized for leaving the bench area
even if the potential fight never develops.
A new hoop rule prohibits a defender from obstructing an opponent’s vision by waving or placing his/her
hands near the eyes, even if the player does not have the ball. A player can now be charging with
intentionally kicking the ball if it hits his/her extended leg above the knee. And, in a procedural change,
with three-person officiating crews, the official who calls a foul will now become the tableside official.
A basketball rule was also adapted effective in 2007-08 stipulating that the home team must wear white
jerseys. That means a school like Absegami will no longer be able to wear gold as its home jersey.
In wrestling, teams will be penalized two points instead of one when wrestlers or coaches are disqualified
for unsportsmanlike conduct. At the same time, a coach will no longer be charged with an
unsportsmanlike penalty when a wrestler reports to the mat not properly attired or ready to wrestle.
Penalties will continue to be enforced against the wrestler.
In wrestling scoring changes, if there is no scoring during the tiebreaker period, the offensive wrestler will
be declared the winner and one match point will be added to his score. In addition, when a tie in the team
score is broken by a tiebreaker, one point will be added to the winning team’s score.
Some other wrestling changes were made concerning positioning and timeouts caused by injury. In
addition, the committee announced it is considering a reduction in weight classes to 12 for 2005-06.
In swimming, a swimmer may dive from a starting block only if the water is at least four feet deep through
a point five meters from the edge. Previously, it only had to be four feet at the water’s edge and could then
slope up.
The individual medley rules have been changed, requiring the swimmer to conform to existing rules that
cover each stroke. For example, if swimming the butterfly, the legal turn required in the butterfly must be
used. Previously, any turn was allowed throughout the individual medley.
In relays, the head coach no longer has to designate the exact order of swimmers prior to the race, only
the lead swimmer. Other rules were confirmed that govern responsibility of officials and new pool
construction.
Now you’re ready for another season, pretty much no matter what sport is your favorite.
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