VOELLINGER: Preps told not to cut grid pads
According to Rule 1-5-1, which specifically refers to hip pads, knee pads and thigh guards, "these required pieces of equipment must not be altered from the manufacturer's original design or production."
Said Johns: "Kids see the pros do it, and they (the high school players) are going to try it."As Johns sifted through a plastic barrel containing discarded pads from last season, he showed me hip pads that apparently had been cut with a scissors for a more comfortable fit.
"The complete pads (hip, tailbone, knee and thigh) must be worn," Johns said.
In the National Football League, it is not unusual for players, especially wide receivers to play without knee pads tucked beneath their uniform pants.
According to Bob Colgate, an assistant director for the National Federation of State High School Associations, "There are concerns that players and coaches are altering mandatory equipment and, therefore, sacrificing safety by changing the original design."
Should a player be observed playing with illegal equipment, the penalty is 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct.
According to Dave Gannaway, an assistant executive director of the Illinois High School Association and football rules guru, "Coaches are asked by officials prior to the start of a game if their players are properly and legally equipped."
Gannaway noted that should a game official observe a player on the sideline wearing illegal equipment, the player and coach would be notified of the rule and needed change without penalty.
Among other changes is Rule 3-5-1, which removed the option of carrying over unused, second-half time-outs into overtime. Teams now will receive one time-out only per overtime period with unused overtime time-outs also not accumulated into a subsequent OT.
Johns indicated that the time-outs were not much of an issue since each team receives three per half.
A change in Rule 3-5-2a provides the head coach an option of designating another coach for the purpose of requesting time-outs. The appointed replacement shall remain in place for the entire game except in case of emergency.
An assistant coach as an offensive coordinator, for example, could be allowed to call time-outs while his team is on offense or defense.
Rule 8-2-2 now stipulates that fouls by the opponents of the scoring team on the last timed down of the first half can carry over to the second-half kickoff.
According to Brad Cashman of Pennsylvania, chairman of the NFHS Rules Committee, "By adopting these changes, the committee has further clarified that fouls by opponents of the scoring team may be fully enforced."
That rule also states that "fouls by the opponents of the scoring team on the last timed down of the second half cannot carry over to overtime play."
However, why not carry them (the fouls and penalties) over, especially if the defensive team commits multiple fouls on the same play?
OVERTIME: According to Susan Knoblauch, an assistant executive director of the IHSA, the newly adopted Internet method of on-line rules meetings for football officials and high school coaches "has been very successful." Of note is that in terms of participation, football remains the most popular prep sport for boys. A NFHS survey in 2006-07 showed that 1.1 million (actually 1,104,548) boys played 11-player football with another 26,000 involved in six, eighth or nine-player football. In addition, 1,073 girls played football nationwide...
New artificial surfaces are scheduled to debut this year at O'Fallon High School and at East St. Louis Senior where administrators are to be commended for installing what I've been told is "RamTurfPro."
That turf not only stands taller than "FieldTurf" but also is in contrast to latter which was the cause of three New Jersey schools closing down their artificial fields in July to test for potential health hazards from lead in the artificial surfaces.
EXTRA INNINGS: Midland, Mich., recently captured the Senior American Legion baseball Great Lakes Regional championship in Chillicothe, Ohio, where football was a concern.
Midland defeated DePere, Wis., 8-6, in the Aug. 18 title game. DePere, beaten 4-3 by Belleville in the first round, advanced by eliminating Rockport, Indiana, 4-2, on Aug. 15.
Rockport reached the Regional despite losing in the Indiana state finals twice to Muncie, which failed to reach Chillicothe because it could not field the required minimum of 12 players.
According to an Indiana High School Athletic Association rule, American Legion teams are permitted just a maximum of five prep players for participation in baseball after the start of the high school football season.
En route to the Regional finals, Midland and DePere defeated Belleville by scores of 11-1 and 12-2, respectively. The Legion World Series was scheduled Aug. 22-26 in Shelby, N.C.
The Illinois Association has no similar rules although Gannaway indicated that the IHSA is aware of the conflict created by the prep grid practices starting Aug. 13.
"Football players are required to have 12 days of practice before they can play a game, and that makes it difficult for those who might be in a National Legion tournament," Gannaway said.
"I'd like to see the Legion end its season by Aug. 1," Gannaway said.
