478 Responses to “Ask A Rules Question”

1. Mr. McCrath, another clarification issue. In a game this past week the timekeeper followed what was considered the normal operational procedure for starting the halftime interval clock. After the horn sounded for the end of the first half, the timekeeper started the clock for the halftime interval. A coach objected. His objection is that the halftime clock is not supposed to start until the teams are “off” the field. On page 31 under the Recommended Timing Sheets there is no reference under the regular-season for Halftime, but then you drop down to what appears to be under Postseason Pregame schedule and you find “Halftime 15:00 – 17:00 — Start immediately as teams exit field.”

   So the clarification is when do you start the halftime interval clock? — “as teams exit field” mean v. teams “off” the field?

   Thanks.

   Might I suggest that the Halftime wording along with kickoff – second half be inserted under regular-season timing to help clarify? Now it appears only to apply to Postseason timing.

   • Reply to Bob Linebaugh: The term “exit” is vague and subject to the referee’s discretion. When the rule was first written the sense of the meeting was that the clock would begin “AFTER” the teams have left the field but inasmuch as many teams allow substitutes to remain of the field during halftime the common practice has been to start the clock when it appears that most of the participants appear to have exited the playing area. A recommendation to clarify will be provided to the Rules Committee for their meetings in January as they prepare changes for the 2016 and 2017 book. Meanwhile, referee discretion when pregame instructions are given to the timekeeper.

2. Does the NCAA Rule book address the use of tape on the outside of players socks?

   • Reply to Steve Harvey: The simple answer is “NO”. A related answer is: The only reference to “tape” is in Rule 4.6 to Medical bracelets or necklaces that must be taped to the body. Action by the referee with reference to any deviation from the rule pertaining to a player’s standard uniform could be applied if the use of tape altars conforming to the rule. Example (extreme): If the socks are black and the use of tape makes them appear white the referee would be justified in directing the player to remove the tape.

3. FIFA and USSF changed its interpretation on the application of advantage several years ago to include infringements outside of Law 12 (e.g. physical fouls). Advantage now can be applied for infringements in other Laws (e.g. double touch situations, offside situations, even kickoff situations). NCAA rule 5.4.3 refers only to the word “‘foul’ in applying advantage. Does this mean NCAA rules are not abiding by these new interpretations or should the word ‘foul’ be changed to ‘offense’ or ‘infringement’ in the NCAA book.

   • Fred: Collegiate soccer in the U.S. is governed by NCAA Soccer 2014 and 2015 Rules and Interpretations. The many FIFA parallels notwithstanding the applicable rules together with specific language – example “foul” – are to be followed without exception. The Men’s and Women’s Soccer Rules Committee will meet in Baltimore this coming January and are always open to suggestions and recommendations which will include your proposal for Rule 5.4.3.

     • Thanks for the response. I would suggest the Rules Committee look at this as they apparently did with the new FIFA offside interpretations from two years ago.

       • Fred: My thanks. Your recommendation will be delivered to the committee.

4. If a player goes down with an injury (not involving the head or blood), the referee stops the clock, and signals the athletic trainer on to the field, does the trainer have to go onto the field? Additionally, does the player have to come off of the field even if the trainer doesn’t come on, in the same situation?

   • Ash: Rule 5.6.7 A.R.5.6.7.1 is clear providing all aspects of the process are met. Since your example introduces variables that require a discretionary option that does not de facto follow the rule it may be helpful to break it down as follows: Scenario 1: On the one hand if the referee signals the clock to be stopped – and beckons medical personnel onto the field – the rule requires the player to “…leave or be removed from the field” This scenario is open and shut: medical personnel enters, attends and, together with the player leaves the field and the rule is upheld without incident.Scenario 2: More frequently the injury starts out looking like one that triggers the action in scenario 1. but early into the process the player ‘recovers’, medical personnel never enter the field – or return to the sidelines – the remaining steps of the process are obviated and the game is allowed to resume without the player having to leave the field. For the most part, even though medical personnel have been BECKONED under the conditions set forth in the rule (example the referee signals the clock to be stopped and the game is suspended), the more pragmatic solution is to wave the unmet elements of the rule and proceed with the game under the conditions of Scenario 2. It’s a little like what happens to us in life, something happens – example our smoke alarm goes off leading to the impulse to call 911,but within seconds the danger passes and the ‘impulse’ actions are cancelled. The MORAL? Some rules are made to be followed to the nth degree but most are there to provide guidelines for practical management of the game – and the best referees are the ones that know the difference. Hope this helps.

     • Cliff: I included this back in a response in the area of 15 oct 2013, but was not sure older areas are still monitored…

       As a retired coach and former HS certified ref, I have what might be an obsolete understanding of some of the rules…

       As I attend U of I soccer games, questions come to mind… I know college rules can vary somewhat, and I know not which alphabet rules Uof I women play under,, but the gist of the game shouldn’t be allowed to be affected.

       The period time clock used to be kept by the referee, and when the scoreboard clock runs out (if there was one), the play would sometimes continue, because of “field time” stoppages, where the ref has stopped his watch to maintain control, or for injuries.

       The effect on game strategy was one where no one was entirely sure when the play will stop, and everyone played to the whistle, and that affected how the teams operated as they approach this critical ending time. Time traditionally runs from zero to forty five minutes, or whatever limit the league sets, and goals are traditionally reported as having occurred in the 34th minute, or the 69th minute of the game.

       U of I, on the other hand, runs their time clock down from 45 minutes, not up, and it grates severely on me to hear the announcer’s “ten, nine, eight” countdown to zero, and I have never observed play continue beyond that point, so is this an aberration of the rules, and is it “changing the game?” Do the refs at U of I soccer games ever go beyond the ending called by the announcer? Haven’t seen it happen! Has the ref’s ability to extend playtime beyond the scoreboard clock gone away?

       And in traveling with the team elsewhere, I am unclear that our opponents keep time the same way, so is this practice league-wide, or just a local condition?

       • Vince: Apologies for this delayed response which I blame on an entire week at the Baltimore coaches convention l am happy to answer your questions but inasmuch as there are several layers please allow me to copy your narrative below and address each in caps as follows:

         As I attend U of I soccer games, questions come to mind… I know college rules can vary somewhat, and I know not which alphabet rules U of I women play under,, but the gist of the game shouldn’t be allowed to be affected.
         ANSWER: MEN, WOMEN – AND ALL COLLEGIATE ASSOCIATIONS (EXAMPLE NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA, NCCAA, ET AL) IN THE USA (AND SOME CANADIAN SCHOOLS – NOTABLY SIMON FRASER Vancouver, BC) ALL CONDUCT THEIR GAMES UNDER THE NCAA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S SOCCER RULES (NEW TWO-YEAR BOOK DUE THIS COMING JULY.)

         The period time clock used to be kept by the referee, and when the scoreboard clock runs out (if there was one), the play would sometimes continue, because of “field time” stoppages, where the ref has stopped his watch to maintain control, or for injuries.
         ANSWER: RULE 6.3.1 STATES “WHEN AN ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED SCOREBOARD CLOCK IS VISIBLE TO BOTH BENCHES AND SPECTATORS, IT SHALL BE USED AS THE OFFICIAL TIMEPIECE.”. (NOTE: THIS RULE WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE RULES COMMITTEE OVER 30 YEARS AGO PRIMARILY TO PROVIDE SPECTATORS WITH THE SAME BENEFITS AVAILBLEI IN OTHER AMERICAN SPECTATOR SPORTS.) FIELD STOPPAGES CEASED TO BE AN ISSUE SINCE ALL COULD/CAN SEE THE CLOCK STOP AND START. COLLATERAL RULES YOU MAY WANT TO STUDY ARE: A.R.5.6.1.e; 6.3.2; 6.3.3; 6.3.3.1; 6.3.9 AND A.R.6.3.9

         The effect on game strategy was one where no one was entirely sure when the play will stop, and everyone played to the whistle, and that affected how the teams operated as they approach this critical ending time. Time traditionally runs from zero to forty five minutes, or whatever limit the league sets, and goals are traditionally reported as having occurred in the 34th minute, or the 69th minute of the game
         ANSWER: RULE 6.3.1

         U of I, on the other hand, runs their time clock down from 45 minutes, not up, and it grates severely on me to hear the announcer’s “ten, nine, eight” countdown to zero, and I have never observed play continue beyond that point, so is this an aberration of the rules, and is it “changing the game?” Do the refs at U of I soccer games ever go beyond the ending called by the announcer? Haven’t seen it happen! Has the ref’s ability to extend playtime beyond the scoreboard clock gone away?
         ANSWER: AGAIN SEE RULE 6.3.1 AS WELL AS 6.3.2 IN OTHER WORDS, YES, THE REFEREE HAS THE POWER TO CONTROL THE CLOCK INCLUDING ADDING TIME – IF THE TIMEKEEPER FAILS TO STOP, ETC. – OR DEDUCTING TIME.

         And in traveling with the team elsewhere, I am unclear that our opponents keep time the same way, so is this practice league-wide, or just a local condition
         ANSWER: THE RULE APPLIES TO ALL COLLEGIATE SOCCER CONTESTS IN AMERICA,

         Hope this helps.

5. I have been meeting with soccer coaches at colleges around the Southeast about putting a FitBit on their players as a way to monitor their players safety and recovery during practice and games. However, after speaking with one ACC head soccer coach, he found out that it is illegal to wear a FitBit during a soccer match. Why is this? We are working to give coaches the resources to maximize player safety and provide them with a wearable that is almost nonexistent in soccer, but it is outlawed. Can I have more information on what the rule actually states? Would players be able to tape over the wearable to make it legal? Thanks for your input.

   • Nathan: A few moving parts here. First, you need to confront the ACC head soccer coach re his claim that the Fitbit is illegal. Clearly there are a number of the FitBit devices vis-a-vis FitBit Blaze, Super Watch, Trinket, Clip and Flex One that, de facto, are not permitted for the usual reasons – example, metal, watch, zip, etc. However, the wristband including the Flex and Classic are permitted under Rule 4.5.6.Should the referee question the use of these – as is – the devices can then be covered with soft foam, elastic and/or normal tape coverings to conform to Rule 4.5.3.

6. Regarding the new NCAA rule on video reviews, it states that the monitor must be at the scorer’s table or at field level. Many schools now have large video screens mounted rather high above the field that may be seen by the spectators and the teams. Are such monitors acceptable for video review even though technically not “at field level”?

   • No they are not. This is covered in the training material distributed to all chapters and will be explicitly covered in the preseason training.
     Todd

7. Todd i was told that to get hold of you about a copy of the entrance exam, are they out to chapter contact or are suppose ask for one like i said previously Mr.Vaarst told me get hold of you,sorry for inconvience .

   • exam was e-mailed earlier in the week

8. Aloha – I was reviewing the rule changes for the upcoming season and had a question re: Rule 15.2. AR 15.2.b states that a caution for unsporting behavior should be given for attempting to interfere with a throw in. Howver, cautions for interfering with a throw in is already covered in 12.4.7 Failure to respect the required distance… throw-in.
   Are there circumstance when it should be one rather than the other?
   Mahalo

   • One can interfere with the throw-in and still be the proper distance. One can be within the required distance and not interfering in any other way; therefore, determine the issue to be dealt with and use the associated reason

9. Inclement Weather Policy:

   Is the 30-30 rule for lightning still the standard for clearing a field during storm conditions. It is no longer mentioned in the rule book. We had a few issues in the past with lightning systems not functioning properly and/or mismanaged in get games in. Having the policy in the rule book supports the officials when they make the decision to clear the field in the best interest of the players and spectators.

   • Tom: Thanks for your question. The answer is: THE 30-30 RULE IS STILL IN EFFECT FOR 2016-17. Regrettably, Rule 7.6 – in the new 2016-17 Soccer Rules – does not spell out the exact steps the referee is to take when lightning is present. The NCAA does provide detailed guidance on lightning (and other environmental hazards) in the NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook which is available at http://www.NCAA.org.Having said that, one of the benefits of NISOA’s “ASK” is obtaining a direct answer – from our ‘panel’ (Andres, Abraham, McCrath) – which saves you the trouble. To that end, here’s the gist of the NCAA ruling applicable to all weather impacted sports.To resume athletics activities, lightning safety experts recommend waiting 30 minutes after both the last sound of thunder and last flash of lightning. The use of lightning safety slogans to simplify and summarize essential information and knowledge is helpful.(Some excerpts) a.For example, the following slogan from the National Lightning Safety Institute is an effective guide: “If you see it, flee it; if you can hear it, clear it.” This slogan reflects the fact that upon the first sound of thunder, lightning is likely within eight to 10 miles and capable of striking your location. No punishment or retribution should be applied to someone who chooses to evacuate if perceiving that his or her life is in danger due to severe weather. b. Designation of a person to monitor threatening weather and to notify the chain of command who can make the decision to remove a team, game personnel, television crews, and spectators from an athletics site or event. That person must have recognized and unchallengeable authority to suspect activity c. Planned instructions/announcements for participants and spectators, designation of warning and all clear signals, proper signage, and designation of safer places from the lightning hazard. A useful slogan is “half an hour since thunder roars, now it’s safe to go outdoors.” At night, be aware that lightning can be visible at a much greater distance than during the day as clouds are being lit from the inside by lightning. This greater distance may mean that the lightning is no longer a significant threat. At night, use both the sound of thunder and seeing the lightning channel itself to decide on re-setting the 30-minute “return-to-play” clock before resuming outdoor athletics activities

     Lengthy reply but, hopefully, a helpful buffer to your excellent question. More importantly, your concern.

10. For anyone who knows the answer to this question,in a college game can referees use vanishing spray if not when thank you

    • Richard: Answer is YES. Referee’s discretion. Spray away!