Lesson #22: Cutting the track and altering game flow penalties ============================================================== *by Stephen Lorimor / Axis of Stevil* Watch `lesson #22a (Cutting the track) `_ and `lesson 22b (Altering game flow) `_. Last updated: June 14, 2018 4.2.2 - Gaining position (“cutting the track”) ---------------------------------------------- - The illegal use of the out-of-bounds area to gain position on another skater. - Concepts - Gains of positions are always measured at the hips - A downed skater who re-enters the track does not gain position until they are upright - Skaters have no position if they are down or out of bounds - Blockers have no position if they are outside an existing engagement zone - No pack situations do not exempt skaters from illegal gains of position - During a no pack situation, blockers more than 20 feet from the last defined pack have no position. - Illegal gains of position may be “ceded” by immediately and fully exiting the track - Signaling jam call-off does not negate a skater’s obligation to cede, although the jam may end before the skater is able to do so. - Officiating discretion is sometimes necessary to determine whether a skater is ceding. - Impact to call a penalty - A skater bettering their position on one or more opponents - A skater bettering their position on two or more teammates - Gaining position penalties and their verbal cues - “Cut” (basic verbal cue) - Refers to a skater returning from out of bounds (including straddling) - Does not include the penalty box, or temporary withdrawal from the jam due to equipment failure or injury - A skater who is forced out of bounds must return behind all opponents who had superior position when they went out of bounds. - All upright, in bounds skaters ahead of the skater who went out of bounds have superior position. - Superior position is temporarily lost if the skater goes down, out of bounds, or out of play, but can be regained by reversing this. - The initiator of a block that forces a skater out of bounds gains superior position, even if they were physically behind the target. - This privilege comes with a price; superior position is permanently lost if they go down, out of bounds, or out of play. - All skaters passed during an apex jump that lands in a straddling position retain superior position, even if points were scored. - “Illegal re-entry” - Refers to a skater returning from the penalty box or temporary withdrawal from the jam due to equipment failure or injury - All in-play blockers have superior position. - Jammers do not have superior position. 4.2.3 - Altering the flow of the game ------------------------------------- - Warnings should be used whenever possible to fix a situation instead of issuing a penalty - The larger objective is to maintain game flow, not to send more skaters to the box - Altering game flow penalties and their verbal cues - WFTDA has not formalized the difference between these penalty types, but these are generally acceptable distinctions - “Interference” (basic cue) - Illegal actions that interfere with the natural progression of the game, but do not halt the game clock - Successfully calling off the jam while not lead jammer - Exception: if an official erroneously indicates the jammer has lead - Too many skaters achieving a competitive advantage during a jam - “Delay of game” - Illegal actions that cause the game clock to be halted - Failing to field a jammer at jam start - Failing to field any blockers in a legal starting position at jam start - Failing to field a blocker in the penalty box queue in the correct position at jam start - An injured skater lined up for a jam at jam start for which they are not allowed to participate - Successfully requesting a timeout (TO) or official review (OR) with none of that type remaining - If possible, charge the team the other type instead of issuing a penalty - Successfully requesting a TO or OR by a non-captain/designated alternate - Exception: Calling a TO/OR in response to a skater signaling to their captain or alternate to request a TO/OR. - Docking a TO or OR instead of issuing a penalty is not an option. - Penalties for altering game flow go to the team captain - Exceptions: (penalty to the responsible skater) - Too many skaters - Failing to field a skater in the penalty box queue in the correct position - Calling off the jam while not lead jammer - Successfully calling for a TO/OR by a non-captain/designated alternate