INTRODUCE SOME OF THE MOST RELEVANT NEW RULES FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON UPDATED OVERVIEW FROM SPRING MEETING NOW THAT FEDERATION BOOK IS OUT MORE SPECIFICS COVERED DURING LATER RULES AND MECHANICS PRESENTATIONS IN CONNECTION WITH STATE PHILOSOPHIES

HELMETS COMING OFF DURING PLAY

HELMETS COMING OFF

RULE BOOK RULE (Blocking Rules) No member of the kicking team shall initiate contact (block) an opponent until: a. The legal kick has traveled 10 yards; or b. The kicking team is eligible to recover a free kicked ball Only applies on free kicks

SPECIFICS APPLIES ONLY DURING A FREE KICK Once The Kick is Over, Team K Can Block LOCATION OF BALL IS IMPORTANT The block is illegal ANYWHERE if the BALL has not gone 10 yards or Team K is not yet eligible to recover MECHANICS WILL BE MODIFIED One official will have primary responsibility for the blocks

SPECIFICS FOUL IS FOR K INITIATING A BLOCK No foul if Team R player throws the block. When in doubt, Team R initiated the contact. CB B. MOST LIKELY ON ONSIDE KICKS Deep kicks won’t present this problem. Could occur on shorter pooch kicks. FOUL-LIVE LOOSE BALL ILLEGAL BLOCK If accepted, enforce from previous sport and re-kick. Same ILB signal as normal, but only 10-yard penalty.

TEAM K – BLOCKS ON FREE KICKS

RULE BOOK RULE ART.1 … A catch is the act of establishing player possession of a live ball which is in flight, and first contacting the ground inbounds while maintaining possession of the ball. Removed language that said “or being contacted by an opponent in such a way that he is prevented from returning to the ground inbounds”

NEW CATCH RULE NO CATCH UNLESS RECEIVER TOUCHES DOWN INBOUNDS EVEN IF HE WOULD HAVE COME DOWN INBOUNDS BUT FOR OPPONENT’S CONTACT

ONE EXCEPTION FORWARD PROGRESS IS STOPPED BY CARRYING IN THE FIELD OF PLAY CASE BOOK B … A’s ball. 3 rd and 7 at B’s 30. A1 leaps near sideline to attempt to catch a pass near B’s 30. A1 is (a) airborne trying to make the catch and is knocked backwards by B2 attempting to make the tackle and A1 lands OOB at B’s 32; or (b) is airborne when he controls the ball attempting to complete the catch and is carried off the field by B2 landing OOB. RULING: In (a), incomplete. In (b), if forward progress was stopped inbounds, complete. If not, incomplete.

ONE EXCEPTION CASE BOOK I …Airborne A1 jumps high in an attempt to catch a legal forward pass. While still in the air, he is tackled by B1 and held momentarily without touching the ground before he is carried (a) backward toward A’s goal line, or (b) forward toward B’s goal line. In both cases, he lands OOB. RULING: In (a), complete because forward progress was stopped inbounds. In (b), incomplete. ALL OTHER PARTS OF A CATCH REMAIN THE SAME

OLD FORCE OUT – NOW INCOMPLETE