2011 nfhs football rules interpretations - Utah High School Activities ...

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SITUATION 1 (6.1.6): With 4th and 5 

from K’s 30-yard line, K9 punts the 

ball downfield where it is grounded 

and touched by K88 (first touching) at 

R’s 30. The ball continues rolling and 

is picked up by R35 at R’s 25-yard 

line. R 35 is subsequently hit and fumbles 

at R’s 28. The loose ball is recovered 

by K88 on the ground at R’s 26. 

During the kick, R55 is flagged for 

holding. RULING: If K accepts R’s 

foul for holding, then it is enforced 

from the previous spot with a re-kick 

since post-scrimmage kick cannot 

apply as K is next to put the ball in 

play as a result of the play. If K 

accepts the foul, the awarded spot for 

illegal touching is not applied. If K 

declines R’s foul, R will take the ball 

at the spot of first touching. (2-12-1, 2; 

2-16-2h) 

2011 NFHS FOOTBALL 

RULES INTERPRETATIONS 

Publisher’s Note: The National Federation of State High School Associations is the only source of official high school interpretations. They do not set 

aside nor modify any rule. They are made and published by the NFHS in response to situations presented. 

Robert B. Gardner, Publisher, NFHS Publications © 2011 

SITUATION 2 (9.4.8): A1 is illegally 

in motion at the snap. The play goes 

to the sideline where one of B’s coaches 

makes unintentional contact with a 

game official (9-4-8). RULING: Both 

fouls will be penalized, first the liveball 

foul for A’s illegal motion, then 

the 15 yards for unintentional contact 

in the restricted area. The 9-4-8 foul is 

a nonplayer foul and is therefore 

penalized as a dead-ball foul, even 

though the contact occurred during a 

live ball. (2-16-2f; 10-4-5c) 

SITUATION 3 (9.6.2): K1 free-kicks 

the ball toward the sideline. R1 runs 

to a sideline and intentionally steps 

out of bounds. While R1 is still out of 

bounds, he intentionally touches the 

ball as it nears the sideline. The ball is 

declared dead by the covering official. 

RULING: Illegal participation by R1. 

This is not a kick out of bounds as the 

ball was touched by an R player and 

the ball became dead when it was 

touched. (4-3-1; 6-1-8) 

2011 NFHS Football Rules Book 

Clarifications 

(Underlining shows additions; 

strikethrough shows deletions.): 

Page 64, RULE 8-2-2: ...(other than 

unsportsmanlike conduct on or a nonplayer 

foul)…; Page 64, RULE 8-2-3: 

...(other than unsportsmanlike conduct 

on or a nonplayer foul)… . 

2011 NFHS Football Rules 

PowerPoint Clarification 

(Underlining shows additions; 

strikethrough shows deletions.): 

Slide #44 under 2011 Football Rules 

Reminders. Need to make a change 

in the text on the slide below the pictures: 

If a player, coach or nonplayer 

is in the restricted zone while the ball 

is live but does not contact a game 

official, a warning is issued for the 

first offense. The second instance 

results in a five-yard penalty and the 

third offense results in a 15-yard 

penalty and disqualification of the 

head coach.

® 

SITUATION 1: A player who is not 

listed on the roster scores a goal. The 

goal is allowed. RULING: Legal. 

Since players may be added to the 

roster after the start of play, a goal by 

a player who is not on the roster 

should be allowed and the player’s 

name and number should be added to 

the roster. (3-1-3 Situation A) 

SITUATION 2: Team A arrives wearing 

striped jerseys that have large, 

light blue- and white alternating 

stripes. Two members of Team A are 

wearing visible light red T-shirts 

beneath their jerseys. RULING: 

Legal. Striped jerseys are permissible 

for the visiting team as long as the 

predominate color is dark. Jerseys 

with equal-sized stripes that have 

both dark and white stripes do not 

have a predominant dark color and 

would be illegal. Also, shirts may be 

worn under the jersey as long as the 

shirts are the same color and of similar 

length. (4-1-1 Situation D) 

SITUATION 3: During play, bench 

personnel are required by officials to 

wear pinnies while warming up outside 

the team area. RULING: False. It 

is recommended. (4-1-1 Situation K) 

SITUATION 4: During the game, the 

referee notices a goalkeeper wearing 

(a) shorts, (b) pants and (c) padded 

goalkeeper pants. RULING: Legal in 

(a), (b) and (c). (4-1-1 Situation L) 

2011-12 NFHS SOCCER 





SITUATION 5: Prior to the start of 

the contest, the referee meets with the 

teams’ head coaches and captains and 

after reciting a sportsmanship message 

asks both head coaches if their 

teams are properly and legally 

equipped according to NFHS Soccer 

Rules. Each coach answers in the affirmative. 

(a) After the contest has started, 

Player A is noticed to have a shinguard 

that has the NOCSAE seal indicating 

that the shinguard is undersized 

for the player’s height; (b) after 

the second half starts, Player A is 

noticed to be wearing illegal jewelry; 

(c) during the course of play, a knee 

brace is dislodged by a collision 

between two players. RULING: In (a) 

and (b), if it is the first offense, the 

player is sent off the field and cannot 

re-enter until the next legal substitution 

opportunity, and the coach of 

Team A is cautioned for the team not 

being legally equipped. If it is the second 

offense, the player is cautioned. 

In (c), player is not cautioned, leaves 

the field and may re-enter after 

reporting to an official, who shall be 

satisfied that the knee brace is now in 

order. (4-3 Situation A) 

SITUATION 6: The game is terminated 

by the head referee due to a fight 

among players of both teams and (a) 

the team trailing started the fight; (b) 

the team leading started the fight; (c) 

the score is tied. RULING: In (a), (b) 

and (c), no winner is declared by the 

official and all conditions regarding 

the incident shall be reported to the 

proper authorities in writing. (5-3-2 

Situation B) 

SITUATION 7: During the match, (a) 

A1 commits a foul in a reckless manner, 

(b) A1 is the second player from 

Team A observed with illegal equipment 

and (c) after scoring a goal, A1 

celebrates excessively. RULING: (a), 

(b) and (c), caution A1 for unsporting 

conduct. (12-8-1 Situation B) 

SITUATION 8: Player A2 is moving 

toward his opponent’s goal with an 

obvious chance to score a goal when 

he is taken down by the jersey by 

player B2 (a) outside the penalty area; 

(b) inside the penalty area. RULING: 

Illegal in (a) or (b) and the offending 

player is disqualified for serious foul 

play whether or not a goal is subsequently 

scored. Penalty in (a) will be a 

direct free kick and in (b) a penalty 

kick unless a goal was scored, in 

which case a kickoff will be the 

restart. (12-8-3 Situation E)

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SITUATION 1: What is the penalty if 

an element ends in a dead hang and 

the gymnast uses extra swings to 

regain momentum? RULING: If an 

element is performed poorly and it 

ends in a dead hang, the maximum 

deduction of 0.6 is taken if more than 

two consecutive extra swings are 

used to create momentum. More than 

two consecutive extra swings are not 

penalized. If there are more than two 

consecutive extra swings, only deduct 

for two extra swings, which equals 

0.6. It is possible to take the extra 

swing deduction on several elements 

in a routine. The only restriction is 

that no more than two consecutive 

extra swings should be taken on a single 

element. If the gymnast then continues 

on and does another element 

and does an extra swing, then a 0.3 

deduction would be taken. If the 

gymnast continues on after that and 

does two consecutive extra swings on 

a single element, the maximum 

deduction for extra swings for that 

element is 0.6. (7-3-4c) 

SITUATION 2: What is the deduction 

for pump swings used to create 

momentum after a fall? RULING: 

After a fall, the gymnast is allowed to 

jump (or be lifted) to the high bar and 

then take a maximum of two pump 

swings to initiate momentum to 

resume the exercise. If more than two 

pump swings are taken, a 0.3 deduction 

for each extra swing(s) would be 

applied up to 0.6. (Page 92, #4) 

SITUATION 3: Is a swing ½ turn a 

direction change on bars? RULING: 

No. A direction change is defined as 

the body turning/twisting and moving 

in the opposite direction within an 

element of value. Element number 

8.106 describes a swing that moves 

2011-12 NFHS 

GIRLS GYMNASTICS 





down between the bars, swings forward 

with ½ turn (180 degrees) at 45 

degrees from vertical. If the execution 

of element 8.106 does not precisely 

meet these specifications, including 

the turn executed at 45 degrees deviation 

from vertical, then it will not 

receive medium Value Part credit 

because it will not be an element of 

value. (1) 

SITUATION 4: On bars, is a drop kip 

one or two bar changes? RULING: A 

gymnast must move from one bar to 

another bar to be considered one bar 

change. Therefore, a drop kip is one 

bar change. (7-3-3b) 

SITUATION 5: On bars, what is the 

difference between the LA twist/turn 

and a direction change? RULING: 

The LA twist/turn is an event requirement 

worth 0.2. Any element that 

turns or twists around the longitudinal 

axis of the body except for the 

mount and dismount counts as an LA 

twist/turn. Elements that turn 180 

degrees, 360 degrees, 540 degrees and 

720 degrees or more fulfill this 

requirement. A direction change is a 

composition requirement worth .05. 

A direction change requires that the 

twist/turn around the longitudinal 

axis comes from an element of value 

and moves in the opposite direction. 

Only 180-degrees or 540-degrees 

turns move in the opposite direction. 

A direction change cannot be part of 

the mount or dismount. (7-2-2b, 7-3- 

3b) 

SITUATION 6: On bars, can an 

attempt at a giant with a ½ turn, using 

the Higgins technique, count for the 

direction change if the turn is started 

past 45 degrees deviation from vertical 

and completed near the bottom of 

the swing. RULING: No. The turn as 

described is no longer considered part 

of the giant and therefore the element 

is not a giant with a ½ turn. The turn, 

in this instance, is not a part of the 

giant nor is it a part of the dismount. 

The element is a giant and is given a 

value of high superior. (7-4, Fig. 2) 

SITUATION 7: On beam, can an 

inquiry be filed regarding the acro 

direction change requirement in composition? 

RULING: No. The acro 

direction change requirement is a 

composition requirement and composition 

cannot be inquired. (5-1-4) 

SITUATION 8: On floor exercise, 

how do you determine the shape of a 

leap or jump? RULING: The shape of 

a leap or jump is determined at the 

apex (highest point) to the finish 

(landing). (1) 

SITUATION 9: May floor exercise 

music contain human sounds or 

singing? RULING: The musical 

accompaniment must be recorded 

with orchestration, piano or other 

instruments (without singing). 

Human sounds are allowed, provided 

there are no words spoken or sung. 

There is a 1.0 chief judge deduction 

for absence of music or music with 

voice or song/speech. (9-3-7o)

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Corrections to Rules Book: 9-8-2e 

should read “not holding the straight 

position on a flying somersault until 

the body is horizontal, and on a flying 

1½ somersault holding the straight 

position until the body is vertical, to 

the surface of the water;” 

SITUATION 1: A diver, after taking 

two steps on his/her forward 

approach, jumps off two feet before a 

third step, followed by a culminating 

hurdle and takeoff from both feet 

simultaneously at the end of the 

board and high enough to perform 

the dive. RULING: Violation of the 

forward approach, diving referee 

shall deduct two points from each 

judge’s award. COMMENT: The 

diver is required a minimum of three 

steps before he/she may use additional 

steps, hops, leaps and/or 

jumps before the culminating hurdle. 

(9-5-2, 9-8-1a) 

SITUATION 2: Team A has a foreign 

exchange student on the team. 

He/she would like to wear his/her 

country’s flag on the competition suit. 

The size of the flag is 3x4 inches. 

2011-12 NFHS 

SWIMMING AND DIVING 





Team A’s coach will not allow the flag 

to be worn because it exceeds the size 

of an American flag. If the flag was no 

larger than 2x3 inches and the state 

association did not have a policy prohibiting 

the flag, the foreign flag 

could be worn. RULING: Correct. 

COMMENT: Even though the rule is 

specific to the American flag, the 

coach responded to the student within 

the spirit of the rule and checked 

with the state association. Only one 

flag is permitted. (3-3-2d) 

SITUATION 3: The conference championship 

swimming and diving meet 

will be hosted by School A. The conference 

schools want to use just the 

default method of establishing the 

dive order for this 11 dive meet. 

Unless determined otherwise by the 

meet director, the default method for 

determining the order of the dive 

competition for a championship meet 

or meet conducted under a championship 

format shall be by lot. RUL- 

ING: Correct procedure. (9-2-2) 

SITUATION 4: The lane timer in lane 

5 reports that the swimmer missed the 

Lane Primary Pad Button A Watch A Watch B Pad Minus Official 

Button A Time 

1 52.02 52.17 52.24 52.20 -0.15 52.02 

2 52.03 52.14 52.11 52.16 -0.11 52.03 

3 51.05 51.10 51.02 51.11 -0.05 51.05 

4 50.88 50.98 51.01 50.96 -0.10 50.88 

5 52.42 51.99 52.00 51.98 0.43 51.96 Late Touch Reported 

6 51.29 51.37 51.51 51.41 -0.08 51.29 

7 52.15 52.23 52.28 52.31 -0.08 52.15 

8 51.87 51.92 52.01 52.02 -0.05 51.87 

-0.19 -0.03 

touchpad at the finish, which had 

moved from proper position. The referee 

integrates the back-up time for 

lane 5 of the heat. RULING: Correct 

procedure. COMMENT: See lane 

malfunction chart below. (6-4-1) 

SITUATION 5: Now that the order of 

diving can be by lot or seeded based 

on the best 11 dive score submitted for 

the current season in a championship 

meet or meet conducted under a 

championship format, who has the 

authority to determine the method to 

place the divers in order at a) an 

invitational meet conducted under 

championship format; b) the conference/league 

championship meet; and 

c) the state series? RULING: In a), it 

will be the meet director; b) the meet 

director or by conference policy defer 

to the meet committee; and c) determined 

by the state association or 

could defer to the meet director or 

meet committee. COMMENT: In all 

situations, the manner of determining 

the diving order should be communicated 

to all participating schools in 

advance. (9-2-2) 

Adjustment calculation 

– calculate the average 

difference between the 

valid primary and valid 

back-up times of the 

other lanes in the heat. 

The average will be 

added or subtracted 

from the valid back-up 

time of the lane that has 

the malfunction. (If the 

average difference is a 

minus number, it is subtracted 

from the backup 

time.)

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Corrections to Rules Book: Page 3 – 

Editorial Changes 4-1-8 should be 4 

NOTE 2; Page 48 – Points of Emphasis 

#4: Suspended Net Systems, line 5 

should read: “A system also having 

poles on one side of the net used to 

retract the system may result in 

a replay when contacted by the 

ball.”; Page 60 should read “#1 Illegal 

Alignment/Improper 

Server/Inaccurate Lineup” 

Corrections to Case Book and 

Manual: None. 

Corrections to Preseason Guide: 

None. 

SITUATION 1: Team A, with five 

players, has just been awarded a loss 

of rally/point and the ball for next 

serve. However, the vacant position 

rotates to right back position. The first 

referee whistles and immediately 

awards a loss of rally/point and the 

ball returns to Team B. RULING: 

Correct procedure. COMMENT: 

There is no signal for the vacant position 

other than when the team with 

five players receives the ball to serve. 

After a pause the first referee whistles, 

signals awarding loss of 

rally/point and immediately returns 

the ball to the opponent. (1-3-3) 

SITUATION 2: Team A arrives at 

Team B’s school and as it begins 

warm-ups the head coach of Team A 

notices that there is a white sleeve 

located across the top of the net that 

has “SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL 

EAGLES” in three locations across the 

net sleeve on both sides. The head 

coach of Team A approaches the R1 

questioning the use of the sleeve. The 

R1 confirms that the sleeve is no 

2011-12 NFHS VOLLEYBALL 





wider that 3 3/8 inches, does not 

interfere with the height of the net or 

play and is, therefore, legal under 

Rule 3-1-1. RULING: Correct procedure. 

COMMENT: The use of a white 

net sleeve is now permitted on the top 

of the net providing it is no wider 

than 3 3/8 inches and may display the 

school name, insignia, mascot and/or 

advertising professionally printed or 

by way of a decal on the sleeve. 

When using a net sleeve, it shall be 

secured so it does not affect the net 

height or interfere with play. (3-1-1) 

SITUATION 3: During the second 

set, the volleyball becomes lodged in 

the gymnasium ceiling rafters and 

cannot be returned to play. The ball is 

red, white and blue. The host school 

has an all-white volleyball and another 

red, white and blue volleyball that 

can be used. The visiting coach would 

like to use an all-white volleyball. The 

R1 requires the red, white and blue 

volleyball to be used as that was the 

original color and model of the competition 

volleyball. RULING: Correct 

procedure. COMMENT: The referees 

should make the effort to have the 

same color(s) of volleyball used 

throughout play. If this cannot be 

done, the R1, unless determined otherwise 

by state association policy, has 

the authority to approve a replacement 

volleyball. It is suggested the 

host school have at least one extra 

game ball available for play at all contests. 

(3-2, 5-3-1b) 

SITUATION 4: At the prematch conference, 

the head coach for Team B 

requests the R1 to look at the hair 

clips some of the players want to wear 

during competition and confirm if 

they may be worn. The flat clips, no 

longer than two inches, are (a) painted 

orange with a small tiger head 

painted on the clip as well or (b) 

painted orange with a small tiger 

head hot glued on the flat clip. RUL- 

ING: The R1 rules the flat clips in (a) 

are legal as the painting and design 

have not changed the flat integrity of 

the clip and in (b) the clips are illegal 

as the addition of the tiger head raises 

up above the clip and changes the flat 

integrity of the clip. (4-1-5) 

SITUATION 5: Team A, due to an 

injury, will be completing the set with 

only five players. The vacant position 

is currently the LF. The LB will be 

coming up as the back-row setter. The 

LB may go all the way to the net as 

there is not a LF player to overlap. 

RULING: Correct procedure. COM- 

MENT: With no front-row player, 

there is no potential overlap between 

the LB and LF. (6-4-3b) 

SITUATION 6: The coach from Team 

B fails to submit a complete and written, 

accurate numeric lineup to the 

scorer within the prescribed time limit 

for the second set. It is necessary for 

the penalty under Rule 7-1 – loss of 

rally/point being awarded to the 

opponent at the start of the next set – 

to be invoked. After the R2 signals 

ready to play to the R1 and prior to 

the signal and whistle for serve, the 

R2 whistles and signals inaccurate 

lineup using Signal #1 with the R1 

then mirroring the signal. RULING: 

Correct procedure. (7-1-Penalty, 

Official Signal No. 1) 

SITUATION 7: A back-row player is 

completing an attack from in front of 

the attack line and the ball is completely 

above the height of the net at

contact and the ball completely crosses 

the net. RULING: Illegal attack. (9- 

5-1b, 9-5-4, 9-5-5b, 9-5-5 Note, Official 

Signal No. 8) 

SITUATION 8: A back-row player is 

completing an attack from in front of 

the attack line and the ball is completely 

above the height of the net at 

contact and the ball is legally blocked 

by the opponents. RULING: Illegal 

attack. (9-5-1b, 9-5-4, 9-5-5b, 9-5-5 

Note, Official Signal No. 8) 

SITUATION 9: A back-row player on 

Team A is completing an attack in 

front of the attack line and the ball is 

completely above the height of the net 

at the moment of contact. Team B’s 

block consists of a front-row player 

and a back-row player as they contact 

the ball on the block. RULING: 

Double foul and a replay is called. 

COMMENT: In this situation there is 

an illegal attack by Team A’s back-row 

player and an illegal block by Team 

B’s back-row player. (9-5-1b, 9-5-4, 9- 

5-5b, 9-5-5 Note, 9-7-2) 

SITUATION 10: A back-row player 

who is making Team A’s second contact 

is in front of the attack line and 

the ball is completely above the 

height of the net at the moment of 

contact. The back-row player misshits 

the ball, and it is clearly not going 

to cross the net. Although there is a 

Team A player in the vicinity who 

could make Team A’s third team contact, 

the Team B front-row players 

reach completely over the net to block 

the ball before the ball enters the 

plane of the net. RULING: Illegal 

block. COMMENT: The only foul that 

has occurred is the illegal block as the 

Team A back-row player did not execute 

an attack hit as defined in Rule 9- 

5-1. (9-6-4)

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