It has come to my attention that I missed updating the rules on the website for the 2022 season. While a current rules printout was placed in everyone’s packet at the beginning of the season, there was a rule discrepancy between the 2018-2019 rules on the website and our current rules. I have now updated the rules on the website to be the same as what was handed out in the packets, however, I’ll point out the discrepancy here, and follow that up with a reminder.
At our end of season event which closed out the 2017-2018 season, a rule was voted in to make it a foul for a teammate to let the player know a ball in hand foul had occurred. This was a departure from our previous rules where teammates could ref games. The following language was added to Rule 18. ASSISTANCE for the 2018-2019 season: “Teammates may NOT remind a shooter to call the pocket on any shot, or inform a player of a foul or scratch made by the opponent.” At the end of the 2018-2019 season, this rule was voted back out by the membership and this language was deleted from the rules.
That having been said, this language was both on the website rule page and in the handout, however it was in a different section:
REFEREEING GAMES:
27. The active shooter or any of the shooter’s teammates may call a foul. “Teammate” is defined as one of the players designated on the scoresheet on the night of play. It is still good procedure to ask an opponent if a shot was a foul if the shooter is unclear, and even better procedure to ask players from BOTH teams to watch a questionable shot before the shot is taken.
To be perfectly clear, a teammate may, without provocation by the player playing the game, make any comment on the game that a ref would make. This includes calling fouls after the shot, stopping a player from shooting again after a foul has been committed, and asking players how they would like to handle an accidentally moved object ball (leave in place or replace.) This DOES NOT include telling a player to call their shot, stopping a player who is about to commit a foul, or giving unsolicited advice, even about rules.
Also, as a reminder, the rules (both on the website and in the packets) allow for 1 timeout per game. Apparently some people have been using 2 timeouts per game. It’s been a bunch of years since 2 timeouts were allowed. The details on this are also found in Rule 18. ASSISTANCE. Please read this section and familiarize yourselves with the rules to avoid further confusion.