Question Number: 21766

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 8/10/2009

RE: Varsity High School

Richard Gramolini of Farmingville, NY United States asks...

After a player scores a goal, he takes off his shirt in celebration. What is the High School rule in regard to enforcement?

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Under NFHS rules, a player shall be disqualified for "any delayed, excessive or prolonged act(s) by which a player attempts to focus attention upon himself and prohibits a timely restart of the match."' Rule 12-8-2. This is a yellow/red disqualification meaning that the team will not play short.

Under LOTG, celebrating a goal by removing the shirt is cautioned as unsporting behavior.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Interestingly in the NFHS Rule Book they mention that taking off the shirt is an offense in LOTG but do not directly deal with it in their own rules. It's in the section where they compare differences between NFHS,NCAA/NISOA, and LOTG. One could certainly punish the player for focusing attention on himself or just as logically decide since they make a point that LOTG forbids it but they do not, then it's not a caution.