National Collegiate Athletic Association
NCAA News Archive - 2000
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The NCAA News
The Men's Water Polo Committee will survey coaches in March to help determine the future of the two-point shot.
The committee, which held its annual meeting February 15-16 in Newport Beach, California, wants more feedback from the water polo community before revisiting a possible rule change during a conference call this spring.
The two-point shot was implemented in 1993 and is under review because no other governing body for water polo uses the rule. Several coaches have questioned the impact of the rule on the sport, which prompted the committee to seek comprehensive feedback.
In other championship-administration actions, the committee agreed to change its format for assigning officials for the semifinal and championship game. Officials for each contest will be determined by the committee. The committee also agreed to use the Saturday-Sunday format introduced at the 1999 championship for the 2000 championship even though a championship site has yet to be determined.
With regard to rules, the committee made several changes to suspension and misconduct rules, including expansion of the repercussions of receiving a red card.
Beginning in the fall, the individual must leave the facility and have no visual or electronic contact with the team or game and also will be suspended for the next traditional season or postseason game, including a carry-over to the next season if necessary. The penalty for brutality also will now carry a suspension from the next traditional season or postseason game.
Taunting, which previously carried its own penalty, will become part of the misconduct rule. A player called for taunting shall be excluded from the remainder of the game with substitution after 20 seconds or when a goal is scored or when the excluded player's team has retaken possession of the ball. Also, there no longer will be a warning for taunting.
The committee also clarified misconduct to include the use of obscene or disparaging gestures directed at any individual, foul language, violent play, persistent foul play, etc. Taunting an opponent is an example of misconduct.
Disrespect, which has the same penalty as misconduct, is defined as to disobey to or show disrespect for a referee or official. The punishment for disrespect was enhanced to be consistent with misconduct. If the foul is committed before the restart of play after the opposing team has scored a goal or during the interval between periods, the player will be out for the remainder of the game and the offending team will start a man down. Previously, a foul committed during these times resulted only in the player being excluded; the team would remain at full strength.
In another rules action, the committee eliminated the distinction between ordinary fouls committed during dead time and live time. The penalty for ordinary fouls committed during either time is a free throw to the opposing team.
Other highlights
Men's Water Polo Committee
February 15-16/Newport Beach, California
In addition to the rules changes highlighted in the accompanying article, the Men's Water Polo Committee took the following actions. A complete list of rules changes and specific language will be mailed to each NCAA water polo coach along with the two-point shot survey.
Determined that when a timeout is called, each team must stay on its half of the playing field to avoid any confrontation between the teams. The referee will blow the whistle with 15 seconds remaining in the timeout to notify teams to move into position. In addition, the team to which the timeout is charged may choose to shorten the timeout. To do so, the coach or captain of that team must notify the referee that the team is ready to play, and the official will blow the whistle. Each team will then have 15 seconds to move into playing position. (Rule 12-1)
* Distinguished between the rule that a goal may be scored on an immediate shot from a goal throw (Rule 14-3-c, first list) and the rule that a goal may not be scored directly from the restart after the ball leaving the field of play (Rule 14-3-f, second list), by revising the statement in 14-3-c, first list, as follows: "that a goal may be scored on an immediate shot from a goal throw unless the ball came in from outside the field of play." (Rule 14-3)
Decided that if the defense puts the ball into its own goal, the goal is awarded to the player on the opposing team closest to the goal. If the defending goalkeeper drops the ball before taking a goal throw or free throw and allows the ball to enter the goal, the goalkeeper is to take the throw again. No goal is scored in this instance. If the ball is shot illegally (for example, shot on a free throw for a foul inside the seven-meter line, shot on a free throw after a timeout, shot on a free throw at restart after a goal, etc.), no goal is scored regardless of whether the goalkeeper or another defending player tips the ball into the goal. A goal in this circumstance is counted only if the ball is played (controlled) by a player of either team after the free throw and then goes into the goal. (Rules 14-5 and 14-6)
Changed the location at which a free throw will be taken after a foul. The free throw will be taken at the location of the ball except when the ball is inside the two-meter area. In that situation the ball will be put in play on the two-meter line opposite to where the ball was located. (Rule 19-1)
Voted that if the ball goes out of bounds over the end line last touched by a defensive player (resulting in a corner throw), the 35-second clock will no longer be reset (unless the ball was shot). This makes this rule consistent with the rule stating that when the ball goes out of bounds on the side of the pool and is last touched by a defensive player, the clock is not reset. (Rules 20-17-c and 9-1-b-6)
Clarified when the 35-second clock is reset for a ball-under call. The clock is reset if there is a clear change of possession, not just a momentary touching of the ball. The player must be in control of the ball. (Rules 20-17, 20-6)
Decided that the reentry of an excluded player must be signaled immediately when the referee indicates a change of possession and/or direction of play, both when the ball is not in play (i.e., was shot over the goal) or during live time (i.e., if the ball is stolen). The referee must point in the direction of the attack with a horizontally held arm. The referee is encouraged to wave in the excluded player with the other arm, but the player will not be penalized for entering without this signal. If the player has not yet reached the re-entry area when the referee signals a change in possession, the player must still exit the pool into the re-entry area before coming back into the playing field. (Rule 21-3)
Clarified when the team with an excluded player is allowed to start the next period "even up" by adoption of the following principle: If the ball would have been awarded to the defending team if there were time remaining on the clock, then the teams start even. If the ball would not necessarily have been awarded to the defending team, then the team with the excluded player starts with a player in the re-entry area. For example, if a shot is taken at the end of a period and the ball goes out of bounds, not touched by the defensive player, the teams start even-up at the beginning of the next period. If the ball is tipped out of bounds by the defending team, that team starts with a player in the re-entry area. (Rule 21-3, interpretation)
Determined that if a goalkeeper is excluded for 20 seconds, a different goalkeeper with a red cap may be substituted in for a field player during that exclusion period during a timeout or by means of a live-time substitution. The personal foul was charged to a player, not to a position. (Rule 21-3, new interpretation)