Would you like to start your very own “movement” to get a fantastic idea into the game of high school basketball? Now’s the time. Send your ideas.
If you have an idea for a rule or mechanics change that would benefit the game of scholastic basketball, now is the time to submit this to the NFHS for consideration.
The deadline for submitting proposals is March 1, 2020.
How about sharing your ideas in the comments section below too !!! I’m sure our readers would love to hear what type of “rules or mechanics” movement you are trying to start.
All proposals submitted will first go to the state office for review. If your state office approves the proposal, they will forward it to the NFHS.
It’s recommended to begin the process now and submit your proposal early enough to allow time the state office athletics representative to review and forward to the NFHS before the March 1st deadline.
A few days after you submit the proposal you may want to verify receipt by contacting your state office.
The dates of the NFHS Basketball Rules Committee Meeting are April 14th – 16th, 2020, so don’t wait.
Good luck on creating YOUR very own rules and mechanics movement. And don’t forget to leave a note here too, so we all can help promote one another.
New Jersey (NJSIAA) State Basketball Rules Interpreter
IAABO South Jersey Board 196 Basketball Rules Interpreter
ACCSOA Soccer Cadet Supervisor
ECSU (NCAA) Softball Umpire Development Staff
Billy has over 40 years officiating / umpiring experience with basketball, soccer and fast-pitch softball in the Southern New Jersey area. As an IAABO member, rules interpreter, cadet instructor and supervisor of officials – has been refereeing basketball for 40 years and recently started officiating scholastic soccer for the Atlantic – Cape – Cumberland County Officials Association (ACCSOA).
Additionally he is an NCAA umpire for the Eastern Collegiate Softball Umpires Association (ECSU) as well as a scholastic umpire for West (NJ) Chapter 5.
In the business world, Billy has more than 30 years of sales and marketing experience, most recently with Salesforce (NYSE:CRM), the industry leader in Customer Relationship Management and marketing tools and now with Medidata / Dassault Systemes (medidata.com)
Billy holds a Master’s Degree in Education (MEd) specializing in Sports Medicine and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) in Technology Management.
He is also the co-author of four Amazon best-selling basketball officiating guides called, “Beyond the Rules” and the “GameTracker Journal.” Billy is also the co-founder of “60 Seconds on Officiating” a destination site for over 100,000 officials in 80 countries worldwide (ref60.com).
Billy resides in Wildwood, NJ and loves boating, fishing, and just about any activity that will leave sand between his toes.
I proposed this:
Proposal: Change 10-4-2 from a technical foul to a violation. Purposely and/or deceitfully delay returning after legally being out of bounds is basically the opposite of leaving the court for an unauthorized reason and should carry the same penalty.
Delete: NFHS 10-3-2
Add: NFHS 9-3-3-B: A player shall not purposely and/or deceitfully delay returning after legally being out of bounds.
Penalty: The ball is dead when the violation occurs and is awarded to the opponents for a throw-in from the designated out-of-bounds spot nearest the violation.
Rationale: Many officials don’t call players for purposely delaying returning in bounds because they believe that the penalty of a technical foul is too harsh. The NFHS did something similar many years ago with swinging elbows excessively (with no contact). Forty years ago it was a violation to do so, than the the NFHS changed it to a technical foul. Many officials, believing this to be too harsh a penalty, didn’t charge the techncial foul. In response, the NFHS changed this illegal act back to a violation.
Bill McKernan
Central Connecticut Board #6
International Association of Approved Basketball Officials
I proposed this signal addition:
The additional signal for an Intentional Foul Excessive Contact given after the usual Intentional Foul signal will let coaches know that while the defensive player may have been “going for the ball”; the intentional foul was charged for excessive contact.
Bill McKernan
Central Connecticut Board #6
International Association of Approved Basketball Officials
Can we in the NFHS return to the mechanic of having the C be responsible for the last shot? I work only about 30 varsity 3 person games a year and at least twice per week there has been a trail official who was not in the front court and had to get help on a last shot scenario! This happens way more often than info from the NFHS survey about a team calling a timeout during a backcourt count and then having only the remaining amount of time to get the ball across half court following the resumption of play!!
It is time to start the transition to FIBA rules, mechanics and signals. With the influx of international trained players into schools and higher leagues there is already some familiarity with the differences and IAABO has recognized the need for training in this rule set. It will sped up the game and also open it up with different floor markings. No time like the present.
A proposed change to leaving the bench technical foul 10-5-5. add a requirement for all bench player personnel to be required to wear their warm-up shirt when not on the floor.
Rationale–Any time their is a fight or potential fight during a game, the officials are so involved in trying to get a stop to this action, they often cannot identify who were and were not on the floor–What players left the bench area?..High School BB officials don’t have the benefit of replay and when their game is reviewed on HUDL or other game film, it becomes very obvious who did leave the bench area.
I proposed this:
Proposal: Change 10-4-2 from a technical foul to a violation. Purposely and/or deceitfully delay returning after legally being out of bounds is basically the opposite of leaving the court for an unauthorized reason and should carry the same penalty.
Delete: NFHS 10-3-2
Add: NFHS 9-3-3-B: A player shall not purposely and/or deceitfully delay returning after legally being out of bounds.
Penalty: The ball is dead when the violation occurs and is awarded to the opponents for a throw-in from the designated out-of-bounds spot nearest the violation.
Rationale: Many officials don’t call players for purposely delaying returning in bounds because they believe that the penalty of a technical foul is too harsh. The NFHS did something similar many years ago with swinging elbows excessively (with no contact). Forty years ago it was a violation to do so, than the the NFHS changed it to a technical foul. Many officials, believing this to be too harsh a penalty, didn’t charge the techncial foul. In response, the NFHS changed this illegal act back to a violation.
Bill McKernan
Central Connecticut Board #6
International Association of Approved Basketball Officials
I proposed this signal addition:
The additional signal for an Intentional Foul Excessive Contact given after the usual Intentional Foul signal will let coaches know that while the defensive player may have been “going for the ball”; the intentional foul was charged for excessive contact.
Bill McKernan
Central Connecticut Board #6
International Association of Approved Basketball Officials
Can we in the NFHS return to the mechanic of having the C be responsible for the last shot? I work only about 30 varsity 3 person games a year and at least twice per week there has been a trail official who was not in the front court and had to get help on a last shot scenario! This happens way more often than info from the NFHS survey about a team calling a timeout during a backcourt count and then having only the remaining amount of time to get the ball across half court following the resumption of play!!
It is time to start the transition to FIBA rules, mechanics and signals. With the influx of international trained players into schools and higher leagues there is already some familiarity with the differences and IAABO has recognized the need for training in this rule set. It will sped up the game and also open it up with different floor markings. No time like the present.
A proposed change to leaving the bench technical foul 10-5-5. add a requirement for all bench player personnel to be required to wear their warm-up shirt when not on the floor.
Rationale–Any time their is a fight or potential fight during a game, the officials are so involved in trying to get a stop to this action, they often cannot identify who were and were not on the floor–What players left the bench area?..High School BB officials don’t have the benefit of replay and when their game is reviewed on HUDL or other game film, it becomes very obvious who did leave the bench area.