This is a very important section of the website. Here you will find information on rules, interpretations, mechanics and plays.  Please review this section frequently, there will be a lot of important information regarding rules and mechanics.

Please review with all your officials:
- Referees, do not stop the game in the middle of a series for a water break.  An officials timeout for a water break should only be taken at a natural stopping point in the game (i.e after a score, change of possession, injury timeout, etc)
- Officials responsible for counting players should count early and call a dead ball, 5 yard IS foul instead of letting the snap occur. If we cannot get the count done and the ball is snapped, this now becomes a 15 yard IP foul.
- Any color mouth pieces are legal. If they don't have any demeaning or offensive writings on them, let them go.
- LJ and HL some mechanics to work on: must "crash" when a spot is important (first downs and goal line plays); must give good, clear signals for clock stoppages and/or windings when the ball came dead near the boundary; must be consistent when mirroring soft spots, must be on the same yard line as your partner; must have the spot on long runs/passes as your downfield official is keeping their cushion and should not come up field to take a spot; do not allow coaches out of their team boxes to call plays or misbehave. Discuss these items in meetings and pre-games and execute them more effectively in future games.
- A scrimmage kick must be kicked off the ground or from a legal kicking tee. The ball cannot be kicked from the foot or toe of the holder. This is an illegal kicking foul. (This play actually happened in a varsity game)
- A free kick from the K-40 that is first touched by K at the K-49 is a live ball. Team R can recover and advance. Do not kill this play when R recovers.
- If there is a visible and operable 25 second play clock, the BJ or SJ does not raise their hand with 5 seconds remaining. Only raise your hand if there is not a visible play clock in use.
- HL and LJ when pointing back the widest player on your side is off the line, point back toward the offense, parallel to the sideline, we do not point in toward the field.

The 2016 season is here.  The new manuals, bulletins, meeting guides, rules info. etc are posted on the PIAA website. Please review with all officials.
A few items to review:
- If a Team/Coach presents an authorization letter from the PIAA that is an exception to an equipment rule (i.e. a player allowed to wear tinted visor, hearing aids beneath the helmet,  artificial limb, etc) the player is allowed to participate while wearing this approved equipment. The Referee, in these rare cases, should already be alerted by their District Interpreter prior to the game where there is an authorization letter, but if not, the Referee/Umpire should allow the player to participate. There should be no other exceptions made to equipment rules unless there is a authorization letter from the PIAA office.
- Tinted eye wear worn on the face under the face mask is legal.    
- Mouthpieces of any color or clear are legal.
- Clipping (except against a runner or a player pretending to be a runner) is illegal anywhere on the field.
- Eye shade can only be one solid stroke beneath the eye with no words, numbers, logos or other symbols - get this cleaned up pre-game.
- Cleanup illegal equipment early, don't leave it for next week's crew to handle. Pants with knee pads must cover the knee, jerseys must completely cover ALL pads, rubber bands and other bands worn on the bicep, elbow, calf, thigh etc. are illegal, Braces must be covered from the knee and above, no exposed metal.
- Play cards cannot be worn on the belt , only on the wrist or arm.

- The Sportsmanship code must be read verbatim by the Referee to the head coach and captains for every game at every level.
- All officials must have clock awareness - a bad clock will ruin a good game.
- Any electronic communication equipment can be used on the sidelines as long as it is not used to communicate with players who are inside the 9 yard marks.
- HL and LJ must determine if a quick pass to the sideline is forward or backward. They should "punch-back" a backward pass.
- Footballs- any NFHS approved football can be used during the regular season. However, only the Wilson football can be used during the playoffs.(See the approved football release statement for 2016 on the PIAA website).
- Concussions - if a player is exhibiting concussion like symptoms, we must send them from the game and advise the head coach that the athlete is exhibiting concussion like symptoms. At that point we have done our job. If the athlete returns to the game they shall be monitored like any other player. We do not have to get the name or license number of the doctor who approved that players return to the game, nor do we have to ask if that player was examined by a doctor. If the player continues to show signs of concussion, remove from game.

- Keep sending me any unusual plays or situations that arise. We can all learn from others experiences.
I wish everyone a healthy and successful season. Let me know if you need anything.  Have Fun!!!!
Paul

_____________________________________
Paul J. Sheehan
PIAA Statewide Football Rules Interpreter
725 Throop Street
Dunmore, PA  18512
(570) 430-6533 

2016 Football Rules Changes

2016 Football Game Officials Manual Points of Emphasis

2016 Varsity Football Pre-Game Coaches Meeting and Game Balls

There are a number of Football Training videos posted on the PIAA website under the Football and Officials tabs.

Please visit and review these videos for your position rules and mechanics. Videos are produced by the Arizona Football Officials Training Videos by Tyler Cerimeli.

USE OF DRONES POLICY

For the purposes of this policy, a drone is any unmanned aerial device ("UAV").

Drones are not permitted above the competition surface or spectator areas during interscholastic Contests, Inter-school Practices and Scrimmages.  Drones may not be used to scout opposing team Practices.  Member schools may utilize drones for their own school team practice sessions based upon their local school policies.

Persons and/or schools violating this Policy shall be subject to sanctions which may be imposed under Sections 5, 6, 7 and/or 9 of ARTICLE XIII, PENALTIES, of the PIAA By-Laws.

Upon timely requests submitted to PIAA, the Executive Director is authorized to grant exceptions to this policy on a case-by-case basis for PIAA broadcast partners in conjunction with any host school/facility local policies.

Policy Restricting Band Performance

 PIAA Uniform Policy for Charity Events

Per PIAA: Procaps and other helmet coverings are legal to be worn in games but the helmet manufacturers may not assume the liability of an injury while wearing these devises. The helmet must still have the NOCSAE label affixed to it. Referees and Umpires, make sure you continue to get verbal verification from the Head Coach that all players are legally equipped and uniformed according to NFHS rules and all PIAA adoptions. If an add-on should become loose or fall off the helmet during play, the item should be removed from the game, the official will not stop the clock to permit the add-on to be put back on the helmet. The add-on is not part of the helmet so the player would not have to leave the game for one play as long as the helmet itself did not come off during play.