The national governing body of high school rules and regulations has approved several rule changes effective this spring or in subsequent seasons.

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), through its various rules committees, has made important changes in basketball, track & field, baseball and softball.

Video replay equipment may be used in basketball championships if a final shot would change the outcome of a game. The rule change calls for use only during championship games at the state level.

According to the NFHS, this rule change came about in response to South Carolina, Ohio and Michigan during their 2007-2008 state championships where the legalities of the last-second shots were in question.

States can use the technology if it is available and it is not mandatory and can also be used to determine if the shot was three points or two.

Track & field officials will no longer need to determine the intent of the athlete if a hurdle is knocked down during competition.

Athletes must attempt to clear all hurdles.

In baseball, the NFHS has attempted to clarify bat specifications to aide athletes in the purchase of this expensive piece of equipment. Beginning January 1, 2012, a bat must be smooth from the top of the cap to the top of the knob.

This rule change mirrors the rule used by the NCAA.

Assistant coaches are now forbidden to leave the dugout or coaches box to dispute a judgment call. This rule forces a head coach to be the responsible representative of a given school.

The pitching distance for softball will increase from 40 to 43 feet. This rule also mirrors the distance used by the NCAA.

Florida and Oregon tested this distance over the last four years and the coaches there approved the change. It was determined that the extra three feet allows for more offense and removes some of the domination seen by pitchers recently.

Athletes may now wear “hard, unadorned devices, such as bobby pins, barrettes and hair clips, no longer than two inches, to be worn to control a player’s hair.” Mary Struckhoff of the NFHS says, “The exception allows players a practical way of dealing with their hair.”

Reports compiled from press releases from the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA).

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 at 9:38 pm and is filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.