New Rules and Points of Emphasis for 2013
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NFHS - Decertified a non-wood baseball bat
Effective immediately. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has advised us that the BBCOR decertification process has been implemented for the Marucci CAT5 33-inch model.
Effective immediately and until further notice, this bat (Marucci CAT5 33" length) should be considered a non-compliant bat and subject to NFHS Baseball Rules 4-1-3b and 7-4-1a. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your local state association statewide baseball rules interpreter.
Effective immediately. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has advised us that the BBCOR decertification process has been implemented for the Marucci CAT5 33-inch model.
Effective immediately and until further notice, this bat (Marucci CAT5 33" length) should be considered a non-compliant bat and subject to NFHS Baseball Rules 4-1-3b and 7-4-1a. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your local state association statewide baseball rules interpreter.
Electronic Testing begins on January 30th
This year we will again use the Arbiter for on line testing. Testing opens on January 30th and will close at midnight on March 2nd. No tests will be accepted after the close out date and time. Please be sure to complete your test prior to the end date. If you have problems accessing the Arbiter Sports site, please contact Monica Tillman at CHSAA. You should make sure you are able to access the site and able to log on to complete the test. The test is located on the CHSAA Central Hub tab of Arbiter Sports. Click on the testing tab on the top line menu. You will have two attempts to complete the test. You must score an 80 percent or better to be eligible for post season assignments.
Legal Bats for the 2012 Baseball Season
As of January 2012, all bats, that are not made of one solid piece of wood, must meet the Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR .50) performance standard. No BBCOR label, sticker or decal will be accepted on any non-wood bat. In addition, no artificial or intentional means may be used to control the temperature of the bat. This includes laying the bat on the top of the dugout to heat the wood, aluminum or composite material.
CHSBUA Points of Emphasis 2012
§ Umpires may check specific items on request. § Remain vigilant for cracked helmets, etc. § New bat standard: BBCOR – no exceptions except solid wood bats · Assistant Coaches § Cannot argue calls with umpires.
§ Slide must be direct; sliding toward a fielder who is off the base is automatically interference (two outs).
§ Use the same zone in all innings and on all pitches.
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2012 NFHS New Baseball Rules
New rules for this season include: Umpires are no longer required to check equipment prior to the start of the game. Coaches are required to ascertain that all players and equipment are legal and in proper playing condition at the plate meeting. As well as emphasizing to coaches the importance of good sporting behavior, umpires are required to ask each coach if their players are properly equipped in accordance with the NFHS rules and are using only legal bats and helmets that conform to standards and are not cracked or damaged. Umpires jurisdiction no longer ends upon leaving the field of play. Jurisdiction now continues until the umpires have departed the game site. The dropped third strike rule has changed. The catcher must now catch the third strike. It can no longer be deflected to another player to count as an out. Umpires retain clerical authority over the game until all game reports have been filed. Robert B. Gardner, Publisher, NFHS Publications 2012 |
Guidelines for Effective Communication with Coaches
One of the most often heard concerns expressed by coaches is that officials will not communicate with them. Because effective communication is a critical component of successful officiating as well as any other of interactive endeavor, we cannot simply dismiss this concern. As officials we need to constantly work at being better communicators. To achieve effective communication we need to be able to define what it is and use certain tools and techniques that enable us to attain it. What is effective communication? Effective communication involves being a good listener, understanding the issue, responding appropriately, sending the right message and being correctly understood and knowing the difference between effectively communicating and over communicating. How do we effectively communicate with coaches? Acknowledgement: Acknowledgement can be accomplished as simply as making eye contact or a nod of the head. You must acknowledge them, initially do not ignore them. Initially ignoring or dismissing a coach makes effective communication difficult at best. Be Approachable: Do not send the message of being unapproachable by appearing to be aloof. Portray confidence, not arrogance. Avoid assuming a defensive posture or body language. Be open to communication. In certain situations it might be better for the game to not go opposite after a foul call and stay table side to more effectively communicate with a coach. Let your partners know that you will be staying table side. Answer Questions: Answer questions not statements. If a coach asks you what you saw or what a player did, answer the question. If a coach makes a statement such as, “the foul count is 7 -2”, acknowledge the statement but don’t try to answer it. If the question involves a ruling made by your partner called, never say, “It’s not my call.” Support your partner, keeping in mind you cannot answer for him or her and don’t try to. Brevity: Keep it short. Effectively communicating with a coach does not mean a dissertation or ongoing dialogue. Honesty: Be honest. Don’t try to justify or rationalize a mistake. If you missed a play - admit it. If you got it right, say so in an appropriate way (e.g. “Coach, I was in good position and had a really good look at the play.”). Honesty is the most effective way to diffuse a situation. Choose Your Words Wisely: Listen first and then choose the appropriate words to communicate the message you want to send. Keep your tone unemotional and never use profanity or derogatory statements. If you don’t know what to say to convey the message you want to convey, don’t say anything, but don’t ignore the coach. Keep it professional, not personal. Know when it is over: Once a coach has been acknowledged, appropriately responded to, it is time to move on. If coaches continue to press the issue or their point or they begin to repeat themselves, appropriately let them know that the issue has been addressed and it is time to move on. These are just a few tools and principles we can use to help us become better in our communication with coaches. Keep in mind that effective communication is a learned skill that is improved through practice and experience. |
Colorado Rules by State Association Adoption
The NFHS rulebook (p. 67) delegates authority to the state associations for certain rules. The following shall apply in Colorado. 1-2-9 Double First Base – Not allowed. 1-4-4 Commemorative Patches – Must be requested of CHSAA on a case-by-case basis. These may not exceed 4 square inches. 1-5-5 Artificial limbs and prostheses are allowed. 2-33-1 Speed-up Rules - Courtesy runners for the pitcher and catcher may be used. 3-2-1 Coaches Uniform - Reasonable accommodations consistent with the team uniform are allowed (3.2.1E). Umpires should refer questionable cases to their Area Director for resolution with CHSAA. 4-2-2 Mercy Rule – The game shall end when the visiting team is behind 10 or more runs after 4 ½ innings, or after the fifth inning, if either team is ahead by 10 runs in an equal number of innings. 4-2-4 Game Ending Procedure – Regular Season Games: Any game which is terminated by darkness, rain or other cause before it is a regulation game will be considered a suspended game and shall continue from that point of suspension at the earliest time possible. However, any remaining play may be shortened or terminated by mutual agreement of the opposing coaches. Post Season Games: All games will be played to their conclusion in seven innings unless the 10-run rule comes into effect or extra innings are needed. All suspended games at the district, regional and state level shall be completed from the point of suspension to the conclusion of the contest at the earliest time possible. All games will play seven innings unless otherwise terminated by the 10-run rule or the game goes into extra innings. NOTE: In all cases, the innings pitched by the pitcher(s) count toward the maximum number of innings allowed. Sub Varsity Games: If a league elects to have a time limit on sub varsity games, that time limit shall be 2:15 (two hours, fifteen minutes). No new inning can start after 2:15 has elapsed. Leagues and umpires cannot alter the time length. This applies ONLY if a league has elected to have a sub varsity time limit; otherwise, the game is seven 7 innings unless shortened by the 10-run rule. This adoption does not affect coaches and the umpire-in-chief mutually agreeing to end a game. A game may be shortened at any point. 4-3-1 Note 1 Tie Game – Subject to league policy. 4-4-1a Forfeit – If a team is late arriving, umpires must wait at least 30 minutes before leaving the game site unless they have confirmed the team will not show. Umpires shall not declare a forfeit for late arrival or for a team not showing. That decision is subject to league policy. 4-5-1 Protests – Protests are not allowed. 6-1-6 Pitching Restriction- Umpires are not responsible for enforcing the CHSAA policy. 10-1-9 Umpire Uniform – The navy blue or powder blue pullover shirt shall be worn. 1/5/12 |
Dealing with Fans
This memo provides guidelines for handling unruly spectator behavior. There have been situations where the officials have made a bad situation worse by engaging in conversation with these unruly spectators.
Officials assigned to officiate a contest are responsible for the conduct of the contest. Controlling crowds and crowd reactions are not within the officials’ province. That responsibility falls to game administrators. If spectators begin to interfere with the conduct of a contest; cause an official to become distracted through continual and unrelenting verbal abuse; or berate players, coaches, or officials in an unacceptable or vulgar manner, officials should stop the action, report the spectator(s) to the home school administration or the nearest uniformed security officer and ask that they be restrained or removed from the facility. If the home school administration or uniformed security is unwilling or unable to comply and the official does not believe the contest can be safely continued, the official must declare the contest ended at that point. If no game administrator is present, as is often the case at subvarsity contests, officials may have to call on coaches or other school personnel to remove an unruly spectator.
Officials should never engage directly with spectators. Under no circumstance should an official ever confront, challenge, rebuke, or threaten a spectator, or make gestures of any kind toward a spectator before, during, or after a contest.
Officials should respond to threats and vulgarity from spectators by using the same good judgment they utilize when ruling on a key play. Locate the game administrator, uniformed security personnel, coach, or other school personnel and request that the unruly spectator be removed. Addressing the spectator directly is a no-win situation and often serves to make a bad situation worse.
In summary, officials should not deal directly with spectators, but may ask game management to deal with disruptive spectators. The game may be temporarily halted until the situation is resolved, but terminating a game because of problems with spectators must be an absolute last resort. Following the ejection of a spectator, please file an incident report with CHSAA.
This memo provides guidelines for handling unruly spectator behavior. There have been situations where the officials have made a bad situation worse by engaging in conversation with these unruly spectators.
Officials assigned to officiate a contest are responsible for the conduct of the contest. Controlling crowds and crowd reactions are not within the officials’ province. That responsibility falls to game administrators. If spectators begin to interfere with the conduct of a contest; cause an official to become distracted through continual and unrelenting verbal abuse; or berate players, coaches, or officials in an unacceptable or vulgar manner, officials should stop the action, report the spectator(s) to the home school administration or the nearest uniformed security officer and ask that they be restrained or removed from the facility. If the home school administration or uniformed security is unwilling or unable to comply and the official does not believe the contest can be safely continued, the official must declare the contest ended at that point. If no game administrator is present, as is often the case at subvarsity contests, officials may have to call on coaches or other school personnel to remove an unruly spectator.
Officials should never engage directly with spectators. Under no circumstance should an official ever confront, challenge, rebuke, or threaten a spectator, or make gestures of any kind toward a spectator before, during, or after a contest.
Officials should respond to threats and vulgarity from spectators by using the same good judgment they utilize when ruling on a key play. Locate the game administrator, uniformed security personnel, coach, or other school personnel and request that the unruly spectator be removed. Addressing the spectator directly is a no-win situation and often serves to make a bad situation worse.
In summary, officials should not deal directly with spectators, but may ask game management to deal with disruptive spectators. The game may be temporarily halted until the situation is resolved, but terminating a game because of problems with spectators must be an absolute last resort. Following the ejection of a spectator, please file an incident report with CHSAA.