[VikingFan]

I dont know how it came to this, but you invest as much time in keeping the sideline clear as coaching on Friday night. Why cant the officials run inside the field, its a big field. Keeping 60 kids in a given 3 ft wide area is tough, when the officials could run inside the field. I cant be the only one who thinks this.

[zaga_fan]

Running inside the field leads to more collisions between refs and players - those seem to come at the worst times as well

[RunItUpTheGut]

I feel what your saying.

Although i really dont have a problem with it, it seems like over the past two years, every game ive attended, the refs have stopped the game early in the first quarter, usually right after kickoff to give sideline warnings. Its become routine for these officials.

[Mastadon89]

yea it is i agree its out of control but its not the refs fault. one of the officials tonight told r sideline that they get reviewed to see if its being enforced. i think its ridiculous that the refs have to keep this enforced on top of the 1000 rules they add every year. play football make sure nothing is milicious in activity and call an unbiased game.

[RunItUpTheGut]

^
Call me crazy but for the small amount of money there making calling one or two games a week, i highly doubt id "worry" about it.

[SKINNYPIG]

Try being a head Linesman on a sweep to your side. Keep your eye on everything involving the play. Stay in position (with young men that can run much faster than most grown men) to get the spot right. Keep an eye on out of bounds. Now throw 2 or 3 coaches and players to dodge into the mix. You guys don't see a problem?

I have a problem with coaches and players not being able to see a 6" white line...and not being able to stay behind it. I taught my dog how to "stay" in about two days, and she was 16 weeks old.

[nky]

It's not being enforced enough. It's a safety issue. When a sideline referee is running to cover a play he is looking toward the field not down the sideline. If there are people in the box someone could get hurt
Every year it happens on all levels of football.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/28/sports...o-run.html

[sstack]

I agree that the officals are way to nice. If you want to see how lenient they are, watch last nights Boyle Co game, their coach was almost to the center of the field all night long,and he would be the first to blow a gasket if the ref would have thrown the flag on him.

[Stardust]

I'm on the sidelines 3 days a week, and the officials do constantly preach this - BUT This is far from being new! This is a non-argument to me! Keep the players behind the line! It's not THAT difficult guys! The chain guys are the ones who are the ones at more issue than the refs! You see it every single game! A play comes to the sidelines, directed right at the chains, and the three gentlemen who have to CLEAR OUT have no where to go because five players are standing right on their feet! Stop making an issue out of something that CAN be disciplined!

[Stardust]

yea it is i agree its out of control but its not the refs fault. one of the officials tonight told r sideline that they get reviewed to see if its being enforced. i think its ridiculous that the refs have to keep this enforced on top of the 1000 rules they add every year. play football make sure nothing is milicious in activity and call an unbiased game.

Come on!!! Do you think this is the ONLY thing that the refs are being graded for? They want refs who know all the rules and enforce as many of those rules as possible throughout the game - and this is a RULE!

[PaintsvilleTigerfan]

I'm on the sidelines 3 days a week, and the officials do constantly preach this - BUT This is far from being new! This is a non-argument to me! Keep the players behind the line! It's not THAT difficult guys! The chain guys are the ones who are the ones at more issue than the refs! You see it every single game! A play comes to the sidelines, directed right at the chains, and the three gentlemen who have to CLEAR OUT have no where to go because five players are standing right on their feet! Stop making an issue out of something that CAN be disciplined!

The last time I ran chains I about got took out because of this exact thing.

[Spud6]

It is being enforced more this season it seems like, but it's a good thing if you ask me!

[Crossback]

Agree 100% on the chain gang. Usually we work our teams side line and can get them back ourselves. I have to work the other teams sidelines a few times and that I bad. A few kids end up getting smacked with the sticks because their buddy stepped on the chain, oh well.

[plantmanky]

IMO the sideline rule needs to be changed. No one should be within 3 yards of the sideline.

3 yards out - chain crew
4 yards out - coaches
5 yards out - players.

[nky]

IMO the sideline rule needs to be changed. No one should be within 3 yards of the sideline.

3 yards out - chain crew
4 yards out - coaches
5 yards out - players.

nice thought but what about the stadiums that don't provide that type of space?
On the visitor sideline in Ft. Thomas the coaches would get the first row of seats and the players would have rows 5-6:eyeroll:

[RunItUpTheGut]

^
Ive been to some stadiums where you dont even have 5 yards off the field.

Schools with tracks around there fields (which i hate because setting in the stands seems like your forever away) do provide a lot more room, but IMO, is kind of a safety hazard with the cleats and so on, not to mention if a kid gets hit late out of bounds and eats track.

[running_clock]

I think they should mention it at the start of the game and if they get in the way later they should just give them the penalty. Only way to stop it

[Stardust]

I think they should mention it at the start of the game and if they get in the way later they should just give them the penalty. Only way to stop it

It is mentioned at the mid-field coin-flip

[Stardust]

Not exactly the same thing we are talking about but - http://www.sentinel-echo.com/opinion/x15...KHSAA-rule

By Denis House

A few weeks back, I, along with all the other media in the state, received this e-mail from Butch Cope, assistant commissioner of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association.

“Some administrators and media may not be aware of an NFHS rule change that was made in 2007, and is being further emphasized this season. There is to be a line (broken or solid) around the side of the field, 2 yards off the sideline. This line represents a deceleration zone of sorts, and is not to be occupied by anyone.

Coaches were told this summer at their rules clinics that media can't be in there (including live TV). Game personnel such as statisticians, Principal, Athletic Director or KHSAA staff attending a game are not permitted in the zone. The chain crew is to operate at the BACK of that zone (not on the sideline, but two yards away).

While the officials have jurisdiction once the game starts, enforcement of these provisions outside the team box (outside the 25 yard lines) is up to the home game administration. We have reminded coaches and school administrators of this rule and have advised them to distribute a small note to give to each media outlet when they get a sideline pass that tells them where they can and cannot be.

They cannot be in the team box (25 to 25) and cannot be between the sideline and the two-yard zone.”

Now, I don’t have a problem with the two-yard rule. It makes sense to me. You don’t want an official who is running down the sidelines to keep up with a play to trip over anyone, including coaches, players and media. But, you have to make sure to enforce the rule, and that includes coaches and players.



Last Friday night, at South Laurel, I was informed by an official that I had to stay behind the line that South Laurel uses for soccer, which is about five yards off of the football sideline. Of course, I ignored him, since I was standing two yards off. If I would have moved back behind that line, I wouldn’t have been able to see the play due to the fact that football players stand during the entire game, and they keep edging closer and closer to the sideline.

What I do have a problem with is no media being in the team box (25 yard line to 25 yard line), mainly because, hey, this isn’t college or the pros. While some newspaper photographers have equipment that allows them to shoot good photos from that distance, many don’t, so it’s really hard to get a good photo if you aren’t following the team up and down the field, and that means being inside the team box.

So far, the only problem I’ve encountered is with that sideline official last Friday night. But I seriously think that the KHSAA needs to rethink this rule, especially when it comes to the media. We are there no only to do our job, but to also promote your activities.

[Mountaineer Man]

Here's another reason I had a game Friday night and because players and coaches were not in the 3 yard restriction line our BJ had to come and throw a flag on a play where players went 5 to 7 yards out of bounds because I was blocked on the play. Had the coaches and players been where the belong, I would not have been fighting to get through to see the play and would have had the flag myself, BTW, I did have a flag on the sidelines as well.

[BellCoBobcats09]

^
Ive been to some stadiums where you dont even have 5 yards off the field.

Schools with tracks around there fields (which i hate because setting in the stands seems like your forever away) do provide a lot more room, but IMO, is kind of a safety hazard with the cleats and so on, not to mention if a kid gets hit late out of bounds and eats track.

I HATE fields with a track around it. Thats one downfall I have about our field. It does feel like you're a forever away from it.

[VHSL-helper]

I'm lost... what's the KHSAA rule he's not pleased with? He wrote a whole article and doesn't say.

It CAN'T be the "off the sidelines" thing, because, as HE SAYS, that's "...an NFHS rule change that was made in 2007".

[fridaynightfan]

Kids will always crowd whatever barrier is there, they need to have a limit and coach needs to make them stay behind the lines