SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOOTBALL OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION - THE WEEKLY BULL – October 1, 2025
Meeting This Week – We will all be meeting at Mira Mesa High School at 7:00 pm. Crew chiefs and instructors will meet at 6:00 pm. Agenda will be: The Bull; Sharing of Interesting Plays; Calibration; and Instructional video.
From the Assignor -The last 2 weeks are very busy (10/23-24 and 10/30-31). Please make sure your Arbiter Calendar is up to date and you're available Thursdays and Fridays during those weeks.
Please Check Your Attendance and Tests – I think we’re doing very well overall. If you do not have a test score on the attendance sheet, you can get a make up test from Scott Carroll. Make sure your score gets recorded on the attendance sheet. You need to make nine (9) meeting which includes the Banquet, Position Clinics and In-Class Meetings.
California State Mercy Rule – “At the conclusion of the third quarter or any point thereafter, if there is a point differential of 35 or more points, a running clock shall be instituted for the remainder of the game regardless of the score. The game clock shall stop only for a score, a free kick following a fair catch or awarded fair catch, a charged team timeout, a coach-referee conference or an official’s timeout. This bylaw applies to all levels of play.” So, when do we wind the clock, or does the running clock start with the snap. I always thought it starts with the snap? So I checked with the State CIF Commissioner who wrote the rule, and he stated that we should always wind on the ready for play. So after a time out, injury, or on the kickoff, we will wind on the ready for play.
Judging Forward Progress - It has been said by officials far beyond my pay grade that one of the first things many head coaches assess is an official’s ability to judge progress. The head coach knows a few times each game it will be critically important. It is a skill we must strive to be exceptional at, and our movements on the field should show it. In a similar way, an Umpire’s care and custody of spotting the ball should be equally important. Our mannerisms and positioning in spotting the ball on the field will portray and show how serious we take this responsibility. Have pride in your accuracy as a crew!
4th Down Incomplete Pass – When this happens, the ball should be placed back at the original dead ball spot and the chains should be reset to the other side of the ball, properly marking, the now, front of the ball for the new series going the other way. I know, it’s a little thing, but little things add up to big things.
Communication with Coaches – This continues to be the biggest complaint from coaches…” The crew wouldn’t communicate with us!” Each week you must re-commit to communicating with your head coach. Can you give him some helpful information like the remaining number of timeouts, that the other team is “milking the clock” and going to take a time out, adjustments that need to be made to formations, etc. Be helpful so that when you bring “bad news” you have a bit of a history with the coach, and it just might help!
Congratulations Crew Chiefs! - Atta boys for 100% participation in the fouls database through week 4 and a reminder to turn in the last 3 games from week 5 and half of the week 6 games.
One Last Thing to Do – Before the crew leaves the dressing facility after the game, I’m asking the referee, or a crew designee, to look around the room one, last time to push in the chairs, check for water on the floor, the desk tops clean, trash picked up, and nothing left behind. It seems some of us are not “leaving it better than it was when we got there.”
Board Elections –The primary election will be done electronically and conducted by our Secretary, Ed Zapolski. You can expect the voting to be conducted after our meeting on 10/15 where all certified members will hear from all the candidates in a brief meeting in the Theater. The voting will be offered to all certified members, not 1st and 2nd year probationary members.
Service Anniversaries – Please contact Rick Christensen if you have earned a service award: 1976 (50 years), 1986 (40 years), 1996 (30 years), and 2006 (20 years).
Cancer Awareness Month – Remember, pink whistles are the only allowable changes to our uniform in recognition of this important event. Bob Hood will be visiting the 1st and 2nd year classes to hand them out to our newer officials. Bob also has a good Fox 40 pink whistle (rubber tipped) for sale as well. Of course he does.
Game Check Weekend is Coming! - October 23th – 25th. Game Check Weekend allows us the opportunity to contribute to our Youth Fund by taking one or two of your game checks from Thursday-Saturday and contribute to our Fund which is our nonprofit to assist the officiating community. You can donate as a crew, crew chiefs can collect and make one online contribution at SDYFF.org, or crew chiefs can collect payments from crew and deliver to Mike Downing or Mike Gunzelman at our meeting October 29th. Crew that raises the most gets free dinner, up to $30/man, that following Friday. Not on a crew, new, etc. you can donate at SDYFF.org, any amount is accepted. Thanks to all!
The 22nd annual SDCFOA Golf Tournament – This golf “adventure” benefits the SD Youth Football Fund and will take place on November 5th at the beautiful Admiral Baker Golf Course. Tee time is 11:30am and the event is open to all football officials/guests and all skill levels. Entry fee is $150 for all of the benefits or $125 for just golf. Space is limited, so please go to sdyouthfootballfund.org and click on “Fundraisers” ASAP to sign up. Singles are welcome…we’ll make sure you get paired-up. We can also use donations for the 19th hole raffle. Please contact Mike Downing, Mike Gunzelman, or Ed Blick if you have questions.
