Question Number: 14136

League Specific 10/15/2006

RE: select Under 14

Franco of Bloomington, IN USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 13710

This past weekend I watched two high school regional championships. This included two different set of refs.

One game had approx 10 yellows, 7 or 8 on one team. Three players eventually earned thier second yellow and was shown the red card. The three earned two yellows for dissent, careless fouls. All three were subsituted for.

The other game had one player sent off for two yellows and shown the red. The first was a foul from behind then he said something to refs face and got the next one. He was substituted as well.

I would expect these refs to be better than average. I can't seem to find the NFHS rules on the web. I am curious, unless I misunderstood your answers, this does not apply to the exceptions. Neither team never played down.

Franco

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

In American High School played under NFHS rules a player disqualified for a subsequent caution or any delayed, excessive or prolonged act[s] by which a player[s] attempts to focus attention upon himself/herself and/or prohibits a timely restart of the game may be replaced by a substitute. This type of disqualification is indicated by the referee showing a red and yellow card at the same time in the same hand.

This does not apply to matches played under the Laws of the Game, it is peculiar to American High School competition only. It is done so the team is not penalized because of the intolerable behavior of the one player. In other words, a player need not be responsible to the rest of the team for his actions. It is thought by the committee of 13, otherwise rational, men and women the loss of his talent for the remainder of the match is sufficient punishment to the team. The rest of the world considers continuing on with fewer players helps in modifying bad behavior.

Answer provided by Referee Debbie Hoelscher

Franco, Ref Fleischer's thorough and thoughtful answer has left me with nothing to add.