Question Number: 30836

High School 9/30/2016

RE: High School

Dave of Johnstown, PA USA asks...

There is a discussion among our chapter about subs entering the game after an injury.

NHFS rule 2, Sec 3, Art 2 states: Either team may substitute an ulimited number of players from the bench provided they report to the scorer's table or the nearest official and are beckoned as per rule 3-4-1.

What is the point of clarification is, do these players have to have reported to the scorers table or be waiting to entry the field prior to the injury?

The aforementioned rule 3-4-1, does not specifically state a requirement for the players to have reported PRIOR to the injury event.

Can a team substitute an unlimited number of players from the bench that have NOT reported to the scorer's table or be at the half-way line prior to the injury event?

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

I can't claim to be an expert on the NFHS rules but it seems to me the most important point in the substitution procedure (at the very beginning of art 3.4.1) is that all substitutes must report either to the scorer's table (or the nearest official if there is no scorer/timer) before entering the game. When it comes to injury-related substitutions, this does not have to have been done before the injury incident, just so long as it is done before they enter the field of play.

Answer provided by Referee Joe Manjone

Dave,
The players do not have to report prior to the injury. They just have to report and be beckoned in before coming into the game. You have quoted the rule correctly and the key words in what you quoted are: from the bench. This indicates that the players can come from the team or bench area and do not have to report in prior to the injury. I hope that you are having a good season and get to work the championships in Hershey this year.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Dave
On an injury that requires a substitution the principle is that the substitute has to come from the bench as it is not planned for. If the substitute is ready to enter as the injured player leaves and is beckoned on by the referee then that meets the principle of substitution.
If one looks ar the reason for certain technical rules they are there to bring order and prevent problems. In the spirit of the game with an unexpected injury it is only possible to come from the bench