Feb 23, 2010 8:51:53 AM

The Divisions I, II and III Field Hockey Committees are debating potential rules modifications  that would require injured players to remain off the field for a specified time and that would shorten the stick-check process.

The discussion during the joint portion of the committees' recent annual meetings in Indianapolis centered on possibly modifying the two-minute injury rule and eliminating the stick check except in instances when the stick has been heavily taped.

International Hockey Federation rules, which also govern NCAA play, mandate that any player injured and removed from the field of play must remain on the sidelines for at least two minutes. However, under current NCAA modifications, only injured student-athletes who receive attention from an athletic trainer or coach must leave the field; there is no time limit for when the player may re-enter the game.

Supporters of the rule believe it will ensure that injured players receive appropriate care. However, opponents are concerned that the policy could put teams at a competitive disadvantage, particularly if a key player goes down late in a game and needs a only few seconds to recover but is unable to re-enter the match.

The committees also considered eliminating the stick check as part of the pregame preparations, except in cases where a player has heavily taped her stick. Given that current manufacturing techniques make it tough to illegally alter a stick, the committees see the ritual as an almost unnecessary routine. The move could streamline pregame activity by saving the time now allotted to the process of checking each player's stick.

The committees expect to make a decision on both the two-minute injury rule and discontinuing the stick check by this spring.

In addition, the divisional committees entertained a request from field hockey secretary-rules editor Steve Horgan to revise the tie-break system. Under the current rules, if there is a tie at the end of regulation, the contest goes into overtime. At the end of the initial overtime, if there is still no winner, a second overtime period is played. Should the score remain tied, teams move to a series of penalty strokes. Finally, if there is no winner after two penalty-stroke series, the game moves to sudden-victory penalty strokes.

Horgan, however, is recommending that a contest that is deadlocked after two overtimes and a round of penalty strokes should go straight to sudden-victory penalty strokes. Each division's committee has agreed to consider the merits of the proposal, but, there is no timetable for a decision.

Division I

Meeting separately, the Division I Field Hockey Committee recommended a change in the uniform policy, requiring competing teams to have both light and dark colored jerseys and stockings available. The home team will then have its choice of uniform color and the visiting team will wear the contrasting color.

In addition, the committee wants host institutions in the championship to videotape all first- and second-round competition and provide copies to all opponents after the first round. Second-round winners will be required to send DVDs of their games to schools competing at the finals. The DVDs must be received on the Monday before the semifinals. Teams will still be allowed one camera to videotape the game in which they are playing.

The Division I Championships Cabinet will review both of those recommendations at its summer meeting.

The committee also named Kent State's Cathy O'Donnell as chair, effective September 1.

Division II

The Division II committee reviewed a recently passed amendment-to-amendment that would delay a legislated reduction in the number of regular-season contests as part of the Life in the Balance initiative. The amendment-to-amendment, passed in January at the 2010 NCAA Convention in Atlanta, delays by one year a two-game reduction in the number of games teams will play. The moratorium was motivated by a belief that the amount of time between the end of the regular season and the 2010 NCAA Division II Fall National Championships Festival would be too long for student-athletes. Now teams will compete in two fewer games beginning with the 2011 season.

Division III

The Division III Field Hockey Committee evaluated the effects of a shorter warm-up before championships competition. At this past year's championship, the warm-up was 52 minutes, 10 minutes less than in 2009. The group, which was primarily interested in how the time was used, including studying when the stick check took place and how long the process took, intends to continue to evaluate the change through the 2010 championship.