Some highlights...
Swinging of the elbows.
The committee continues to be concerned with elbow contact. Because of the increased number of these situations, the committee believes that immediate change is needed. Effective with the 2010-11 season, more than incidental contact above the shoulders with the elbow must be a minimum of an intentional foul. Previously, the official only had the option of calling a common foul or a flagrant foul. Elbow contact below the shoulder will be penalized by a common foul, intentional foul, or flagrant foul in the judgment of the official.
If the contact with the elbow is deemed to be a result of excessive swinging of the elbows, the penalty will continue to be a flagrant foul regardless of the area contacted.
In addition to this rules change, there will be additional officiating emphasis on protecting players that have possession immediately following a rebound by quickly calling reach in or other contact fouls.
Timeout Administration. This is an area the committee feels strongly that the rules as written are adequate, but the rules need to be enforced. During a timeout, there are two horns. The first horn is a warning indicating 15 seconds remaining in the timeout. The second horn, by rule, denotes the time the ball should be put in play. The committee reiterates that game officials must place the ball on the floor (a practice that has been avoided in the past) and start a count if the team throwing the ball in is not ready for play. The committee plans a separate mailing to coaches to specifically address this issue so there is no confusion as to how this play will be handled. This will be a main topic on rules education videos and presentations.
