The good folks on the NFHS rules committee must have been in a hurry to get home in January because they did almost nothing to the rules of football.
In fact, after reading the release, I believe there are no changes whatsoever that fans will notice.
The biggest change is one I don't think I like at all. It sounds good in principle, but we'll see what happens. It involves concussion prevention. We can all get behind that, right? But here's the thing. The current rule says that if a player is unconscious or appearantly unconscious as observed by an official, he cannot return to the game without a note signed by a doctor. I think only a handful of times have I seen a kid I thought was briefly unconscious and informed the head coach he could not return without the note. I've never been presented with a note and frankly I do not believe anyone ever had any intention of the players coming back in a game.
Now, the new rule is mush broader and poorly defined. It says "Effective with the 2010 high school football season, any player who shows signs, symptoms or behaviors associated with a concussion must be removed from the game and shall not return to play until cleared by an appropriate health-care professional."
It goes on to say..."Now, officials are charged with removing any player who shows signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion, such as loss of consciousness, headache, dizziness, confusion or balance problems, and shall not return to play until cleared by an appropriate health-care professional."
Headache? Dizziness? Confusion? I've seen LOTS of confused players who didn't have a concussion. I think these things can be symptomatic of conditions that could easily have nothong to do with concussions. But officials are effectively disqualifying players from the game if they are not sharp at all times.
Now, who is "an appropriate health-care professional?" Does it have to be an M.D.? Can a qualified trainer count? Is there a certain certification needed?
What liability is there for officials who sees a kid shake his head to clear it, but doesn't send him out of the game?
I am not a medical professional, nor are most other officials, yet we are going to be asked to make what amounts to medical decisions.
Another change cleans up the hordsecollar rule to read the way it should have been called anyway. The old rule said only a horsecollar could only be called on a tackle of the runner. But the definitions point out that if the play ends by rule (runner crosses goal line or steps on sideline), or if the runner fumbles, then he is no longer the runner and even if the tackle is completed, it is not a foul. That was ridiculous, and now it's still a foul even if the run ends before the player is taken to teh ground.
Another change allows both teams similar options for both teams of enforcement of fouls by after a scoring play.
That's about it. Disappointing really. I would have liked to see the chop block definition changed, but whaddyagonnado?
In fact, after reading the release, I believe there are no changes whatsoever that fans will notice.
The biggest change is one I don't think I like at all. It sounds good in principle, but we'll see what happens. It involves concussion prevention. We can all get behind that, right? But here's the thing. The current rule says that if a player is unconscious or appearantly unconscious as observed by an official, he cannot return to the game without a note signed by a doctor. I think only a handful of times have I seen a kid I thought was briefly unconscious and informed the head coach he could not return without the note. I've never been presented with a note and frankly I do not believe anyone ever had any intention of the players coming back in a game.
Now, the new rule is mush broader and poorly defined. It says "Effective with the 2010 high school football season, any player who shows signs, symptoms or behaviors associated with a concussion must be removed from the game and shall not return to play until cleared by an appropriate health-care professional."
It goes on to say..."Now, officials are charged with removing any player who shows signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion, such as loss of consciousness, headache, dizziness, confusion or balance problems, and shall not return to play until cleared by an appropriate health-care professional."
Headache? Dizziness? Confusion? I've seen LOTS of confused players who didn't have a concussion. I think these things can be symptomatic of conditions that could easily have nothong to do with concussions. But officials are effectively disqualifying players from the game if they are not sharp at all times.
Now, who is "an appropriate health-care professional?" Does it have to be an M.D.? Can a qualified trainer count? Is there a certain certification needed?
What liability is there for officials who sees a kid shake his head to clear it, but doesn't send him out of the game?
I am not a medical professional, nor are most other officials, yet we are going to be asked to make what amounts to medical decisions.
Another change cleans up the hordsecollar rule to read the way it should have been called anyway. The old rule said only a horsecollar could only be called on a tackle of the runner. But the definitions point out that if the play ends by rule (runner crosses goal line or steps on sideline), or if the runner fumbles, then he is no longer the runner and even if the tackle is completed, it is not a foul. That was ridiculous, and now it's still a foul even if the run ends before the player is taken to teh ground.
Another change allows both teams similar options for both teams of enforcement of fouls by after a scoring play.
That's about it. Disappointing really. I would have liked to see the chop block definition changed, but whaddyagonnado?
