Iowa Girls’ High School Athletic Union

Basketball Bench Decorum Rule, Effective 2007-2008

Coaches shall remain seated on the bench at all times during the game with the following exceptions:

a) During a charged time-out, coaches may leave the bench to confer with players at or near the bench.

b) In case of an injury, coaches may leave the bench to aid an injured player, provided they are beckoned on the court by an official.

c) During an intermission, coaches may leave the bench to attend to their squads.

d) Requesting a prevention or rectification of a correctable error (Rule 2-10) as specified under rule 5, Section 8, Item 4. (Responds to the scorer’s signal to grant a coach’s request that a correctable error be prevented or rectified. Such a request shall be presented while that ball is dead and the clock is stopped. The appeal to the official by the coach shall be presented at the scorer’s table where a coach of each team may be present).

e) Stand up to show approval for an exciting play in the game, when a basket is scored or an outstanding play takes place by a member of their team, and then must immediately return to the bench.

f) The coach may stand up to call time-out when his team has the ball, whether the clock is running or not and signal, forming a “T”, calling a time-out.

g) Stand up to congratulate a player being substituted for.

h) The coach may confer with personnel at the scorer’s table regarding a timing error, scoring error, or alternating possession error. If an error is not prevented or corrected, the team will be charged with a time-out.

i) A coach will be allowed to stand and confer with a player(s) whenever the clock is not running. Communication with the player(s) only, should be done in a positive manner and shall take place directly in front of where the coach was seated. When the clock starts following a throw-in or last missed free throw, the coach shall return to his/her seat. The officials will not delay a throw-in administration to permit a coach additional dead clock time to visit with player(s). This will allow coaches additional opportunities to stand up and instruct players while the clock is not running during the game.

j) Disqualified player: Upon the head coach’s notification of the disqualified player, the coach may stand and congratulate the disqualified player and walk the confines of his/her bench to select a replacement for the disqualified player. The rule states, a disqualified player must be replaced within 20 seconds from the time the coach is notified. Any unsporting acts on the coaches part are subject to being assessed a technical foul.

Officials are asked to enforce the rule as written. This rule is no different than traveling or any other rule, and the IHSAA/IGHSAU asks you, the official, to have the fortitude to enforce the rule as written.

IT IS MANDATORY THAT THE COACH BE EJECTED FROM THE GYMNASIUM FOLLOWING THE SECOND ‘DIRECT’ OR THE THIRD ‘INDIRECT’ TECHNICAL FOUL ASSESSED TO HIM/HER DURING THE GAME. (THE COACH IS NO LONGER TO BE A SPECTATOR AT THE GAME. THE COACH IS TO GO TO THE DRESSING ROOM, TO THE BUS, OR TO A ROOM AWAY FROM THE GYMNASIUM. THE EJECTED COACH IS NOT TO WATCH THE CONTEST.) A REPORT MUST BE FILED WITH THE IHSAA/IGHSAU OFFICE BY THE OFFICIALS WHEN A COACH, ASSISTANT COACH, OR ANY OTHER BENCH PERSONNEL IS EJECTED FROM THE GYMNASIUM.