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07/25/12 – Soccer Heat Timeout Procedure Adopted

July 25, 2012 Soccer Blog Updates

PrintThe upcoming season will soon be upon us and with our recent weather patterns I would like to notify the member schools of our modification to the playing rules (Rule 7, 2012-13 NFHS Soccer Rules) with regard to duration of the game and length of periods if we find that we must take Heat timeouts. The rule calls for two equal halves of 40 minutes or four equal quarters of 20 minutes with a halftime interval of 10 minutes. The KHSAA has always used two equal halves of 40 minutes for our soccer contests. That will not change! The Standard Rule of Play will always be “two equal halves of 40 minutes”. But sometimes we also find ourselves having to meet the KHSAA Heat Index Policy in regard to mandated water breaks.  Beginning this season soccer matches that are played when the heat index is high enough to warrant mandatory water breaks, will have a common time to take those breaks. In games where the heat index has been determined to be 95 or higher, play will stop at the 20 minute mark of each half of play to allow student-athletes and officials to take a mandatory 10-minute heat timeout and water break. Contest officials will get heat index information from game management before the start of the contest and will then implement the timeout procedures by notifying the coaches at the required pre-game meeting. This continues our ongoing and long standing efforts to protect student-athletes during times when heat can be the most dangerous.It’s something that is already being done in football and represents a solid common sense solution. I think our officials will quickly adapt and this will give our coaches the ability to make any necessary strategic decisions. Print


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