SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOOTBALL OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION - THE WEEKLY BULL – November 19, 2025
Youth Football Fund - Thank you to all who participated in our events this past month. We had over 150 members donate as part of our Game Check Weekend and over 100 golfers play in our golf tournament. A particular thanks goes to John Gill III crew donation of over $3,000 to be the winner of our “Buy the crew a dinner” contest. Due to all your involvement and generosity, we are in a position to offer any member needing financial assistance to help with your Holiday’s. $50/family member for Thanksgiving preparations and $100/family member to help with Christmas meals and gifts. We may be able to double the Fund’s commitment with matching funds from Miles Bailey and Anthony Finney. Please let me know via email at docdowning@aol.com. No questions asked and all gifts remain private. Have a great Holiday season. Mike Downing
Game Administration Mechanics - The attached Game Administration Mechanics will be discussed at our 7-Official Mechanics Meeting tomorrow night 11/19 at 7:00 pm at Mira Mesa HS. Please be familiar with it and bring a copy with you to the meeting. A copy will also be place on the SDCFOA Website. Thank you.
Guardian Caps – The guardian caps are legal to wear in games, and they do not have to be a matching color to the helmets being worn by the team. In fact, there are no helmet color restrictions in the rule book.
Tendon Bands – These are thin rubber or tape bands worn just beneath the knee. They are worn to prevent inflammation of the tendon so they are also legal equipment. All other bands would be adornment except a wrist band worn at the wrist.
7-Person Mechanics Workshop This Wednesday November 19th at 7:00 pm at Mira Mesa High School Library – This is a mandatory meeting for all officials, and alternate officials, who are assigned a 7-man semifinal or 7-man final. Chain crew members and timers do not attend. The Open Division finals crew is expected to attend this meeting and to pick up your passes. The 8-Man finals crew is excused from attending this meeting. Our 7-Person Mechanics Manual is posted on our website. Our presenters include: Referees – Brian Bortness Umpires – Mike Gunzelman Line of Scrimmage – David Middleton Deep Flanks and Back Judges – Garrett Haislip
Playoff Passes & Parking for the Finals Crews – The passes for each of the crews will be handed out to each referee at our Wednesday meeting. Crew chiefs will make arrangements for their chain crew and timer to get their passes from the referee.
Discount Passes for Championship Games – The CIF has again offered us discount tickets for the finals. Here are the links for purchasing your $8 tickets to this week’s games. These links will be private and only accessible to those that we share it with. Tickets are limited to 50.
No Discount Tickets for Any Semifinals Games – Sorry but you’re on your own for gaining access to a semifinal game this week. Best bet is to hook up with the crew near the end of the pre-game (Approx. 45-minutes before kickoff) and enter with the crew. Otherwise buy a ticket for $14. Tickets are only sold through GoFan.co. Only CIF Courtesy Passes are acceptable.
Hospitality Suite for Championship Games – We will again have a hospitality section in the EZs at Southwestern College for the Open Division on Tuesday 11/25, and on Friday/Saturday 11/28-29. Snacks and drinks will be available. Reminder – they do charge for parking. There will not be a hospitality suite at Escondido HS.
Wilson Football – Wilson footballs (any type of Wilson football) must be used every snap of the playoffs.
Uniforms – Continue with the same routine we’ve been using all year long. Survey your teams prior to the start of the game and fill out the game card which your umpire and referee will present to the head coaches explaining that any player wearing illegal equipment, not wearing required equipment, or wearing legal equipment in an illegal manner will be sent out for one play. No warnings.
Play Clock – Even if the college stadium has working play clocks, it is not allowable to use them. The CA State CIF has a regulation prohibiting the use of stadium play clocks.
Goal Posts & Hash Marks –Southwestern College will adjust their goal posts to the high school width and will have “tick marks” indicating the high school hash marks.
Overtime – These are listed on our website at SDCFOA.org under rules, and they are attached to this email. Read them, study them, and review them in your pre-game.
Locker Rooms – Plea no visitors unless your name is Tom Ables. We have a serious job to do, and we don’t need any distractions. Thank you.
CIF SDS Playoff Bulletin on Officials – “Coaches and Athletic Directors are asked to continue their efforts to provide professional assistance to officials who work their games. This would include meeting the officials upon arrival and escorting them to their dressing area as well as escorting them off the field at the contest’s conclusion. School personnel other than the head coach should be designated to stand by with a key to the official’s room, or the officials should be given a key. On-site staff should be aware of and observe the privacy of the officials’ locker room/dressing area. Thank you for your cooperation.”
Playoff Film – Thank you for your patience as I was able to get game film from every team that is advancing in the playoffs, so the crews have at least one film from their game last Friday. Thank you to all of the winning team coaches! So far, the coaches are being very accommodating at their busiest of times!
Pre-Game Warm Up – Please be alert for teams attempting to intimidate their opponents during the warmup period. We are on the field 45 minutes prior to the kickoff just for that purpose.
Payment of Officials for the 2025 Football Playoffs - Per the CIF Football Championship Bulletin, "The CIF-SDS will pay the officials for all playoff contests." Payment from the CIF - SDS may not be made until the end of the championship tournament as many officials are working on multiple games and it is more efficient for the section office to make just one total payment at the first of December.
Ejections – If a player is disqualified during a playoff game, the same reporting requirements exist. Please notify Steve Coover if an ejection occurs during your game.
