INDIANAPOLIS, IN (May 8, 2012) — Participation and fan interest in high school basketball remain strong throughout the nation, and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Basketball Rules Committee voted to retain one aspect of the sport that makes it unique from other levels of play. At its April 16-18 meeting in Indianapolis, the committee considered a proposal to add a shot clock to the high school rules but agreed that the sport played by about o one million boys and girls in approximately 18,000 high schools is functioning well without it. Although a shot clock has been employed at the college level for many years, results of the questionnaire that is sent to coaches, officials and…
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (April 26, 2012) — High school wrestlers who are called for a third stalling violation will receive a stiffer penalty beginning with the 2012-13 season. In addition to the two-point penalty assessed for a third stalling violation, the opponent will now have his or her choice of position on the next restart. The stalling penalty revision was one of eight rules changes approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Wrestling Rules Committee at its April 9-11 meeting in Indianapolis. The changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors. “The change to the third stalling penalty resulted from the committee’s desire to encourage wrestlers to wrestle aggressively by providing a greater incentive not…
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (April 18, 2012) — New language was added to the breaststroke event in high school swimming that will help officials judge the initiation of the arm stroke permitted by rule on the start or turn. The revised rule will state that “the initiation of such arm stroke shall be accomplished by a discernible horizontal separation of the hands.” This clarification of the breaststroke event was one of five rules changes approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Swimming and Diving Rules Committee at its March 25-27 meeting in Indianapolis. All rules changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors. “By stating that there must be a discernible horizontal separation of the hands,…
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (April 9, 2012) — The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has reached a milestone with its online Coach Education Program as more than 500,000 individuals have now registered on the site at www.nfhslearn.com. Amazingly, this feat occurred in slightly more than five years since the start of the program. The 500,000th user was officially recorded on February 28. The NFHS Coach Education Program Web site was launched on January 3, 2007 with The Fundamentals of Coaching and First Aid for Coaches. Since then, the program has added 24 more courses on a variety of topics. Tim Flannery, CMAA, NFHS Director of Coach Education, said the 500,000 mark is important because it signals that a majority…
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (March 2, 2012) — The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has added a new course to its Coach Education program. Strength and Conditioning is now available on the NFHS Coach Education Web site at http://www.nfhslearn.com. The course was developed by the NFHS in conjunction with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Strength and Conditioning is designed to educate coaches on how to properly train their athletes without adding a greater risk of injury. It will also help to educate coaches on how to get the most out of their athletes’ workouts. Tim Flannery, CMAA, NFHS Director of Coach Education, said that the course will help coaches understand what to expect from their athletes. “This course…
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (February 28, 2012) — The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), along with other members of the USA Coaching Coalition, will host the 2012 National Coaching Conference June 19-21 at the Hyatt Regency Indianapolis in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. Other members of the USA Coaching Coalition involved in this year’s conference are the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE). This year’s theme is Sports – Take Part, Get Set for Life, with the conference looking to “educate, collaborate and influence” by bringing coaches, coach educators, organizations and sport scientists together to share research and new ideas. “We are bringing together people who…
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (February 13, 2012) — In a continued emphasis on improving sportsmanship, the “soft red” has been eliminated in high school soccer. Effective with the 2012-13 season, a second yellow card not only will disqualify a player, but the team will not be permitted to substitute for the disqualified player. Previously, a team was permitted to replace a player who had received a second yellow card. This significant change was one of three rules revisions passed by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Soccer Rules Committee at its January 23-25 meeting in Indianapolis. These changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors. Another change in Rule 12-8-1f now will disqualify a player who deliberately…
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (February 13, 2012) — The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) is offering two new online coach education courses – Creating a Safe and Respectful Environment and Fundamentals of Coaching Golf. The courses are now available on the NFHS Coach Education Web site at www.nfhslearn.com. Creating a Safe and Respectful Environment, which is now available for only $20, provides education for coaches on the critically important topics of inappropriate relationships, hazing, bullying and cyber-bullying, and the appropriate use of technology when interacting with players and the public. The course provides examples of court cases involving these issues and suggests appropriate actions that coaches should take when these types of issues arise. Tim Flannery, CMAA, NFHS Director…
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (February 9, 2012) — 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…
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (February 9, 2012) — In an attempt to more clearly distinguish between the libero and other team members, uniform requirements will be changing in high school volleyball. The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Volleyball Rules Committee, at its January 9-11 meeting in Indianapolis, approved new uniform requirements that will take effect in 2016. All rules changes passed by the Volleyball Rules Committee were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors. The revised rule will require the libero to wear a uniform top that is immediately recognized from all angles as being in clear contrast to and distinct from the other members of the team. The libero and/or his/her teammates shall wear a solid-colored uniform…
