Weekly Bull 10/23/13

SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOOTBALL OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION, INC.

A Federal Non Profit Tax Exempt Corporation

The Weekly Bull – 10/23/13

Tonight:

  1. Sign In and Attendance

  2. Final Board Elections

  3. Announcements

  4. Food For Thought

  5. Video

  6. Adjourn 8:30 

Announcements:

  1. Reminder, the banquet counts for one meeting, but if you have not made 6 meetings (including tonight), there is no way you can qualify for the draft in 2014 unless you write the Board and request an exemption. Same thing if you haven’t passed the mechanics and/or the rules tests.  The final chance to make up a meeting will be Wednesday October 30th in room B1 (toward the front of the school) starting at 6:30.  Each instructor has an accurate listing of attendance and test scores.

  2. Instructors, thank you for your service this year….you are the best! Our instructional program is hailed as one of the best in the nation and you are the backbone of that program.  Again, thanks for all you do!

  3. Results of tonight’s board election will be announced at the banquet. Remember to pay your dues NEXT YEAR using the website – sdcfoa.org. You can start checking the website in March.  We will be emailing a reminder notice in March. You won’t be drafted if you haven’t paid by the due date that will be in the notice!  No exceptions! No kidding!

  4. Your Banquet needs raffle prizes and stories to honor our fellow officials who screwed up!! Bring them both to Bob Hood via email or in person!

  5. Don’t forget the ever exciting SDCFOA Golf Tourney! It’s a great way to get warmed up for the banquet.  Contact Jake Minger to sign up! 

Food For Thought:

  1. Six SDCFOA Officials Selected to Work the State Championships! Congratulations to Kipperr Bell, Ed Blick, Greg Covington, Mike Duggan, Earl Totty, and Brad Yosick, who have been selected to work the State of California Championship Bowl Games in December. This a great honor and one that is well deserved!

  2. Blocks in the Back – We continue to do a pretty good job of staying off of blocks that are truly not from the back. We’re also staying away from blocks that start on the side and end up in the back.  When you see the whole block these calls/no calls can get rather routine to judge.  Coaches are adjusting to this accurate application of the rule…the block must be “in the back”.

  3. Unecessary Contact Which Incites Roughness – Rule 9-4-3g states that “No player shall make any other contact with an opponent which is deemed unnecessary and which incites roughness.” This rule is written to prohibit players from contacting opponents in an unnecessarily violent manner.  This rule is exemplified in our instructional video this week where on two plays a safety comes from the deep center of the field and attacks the receiver as he comes towards him on a post pattern.  The safeties in both cases do not make contact, or lead with theirs helmets, which is a good thing.  But the defender makes no attempt to go after the ball or tackle the receiver by wrapping him up.  Instead the purpose of the action is to “punish” the receiver.  This is an old philosophy and coaching technique that the National Federation and the rules of the game of football do not support.  Lower your target, keep your head up, and wrap up.

  4. Taking a Knee – If an individual player decides to take advantage of the last play of the game to unload on an offensive lineman as the QB is taking a knee, please penalize that action as it is unnecessary and incites roughness. Obviously the foul would be declined, but what if a player got injured on such a hit and we didn’t have a flag?

  5. Status of the Clock – Please be good communicators when it comes to first downs and the status of the ball. If the ball is down inbounds, and we’re close to the end of a half or the game, be clear with your referee and your coach so EVERYONE knows that we are going to wind the clock on the ready.  Conversely, do the same if the ball is down out-of-bounds.  And let the QB know that he doesn’t have to hurry to snap or spike the ball as the clock won’t start until the snap!

  6. Helmet Off Rule – Remember, if a player just takes his own helmet off, that does not fall under this new rule. Players can adjust any part of their equipment, including their helmet, and can even have an official’s time out for 25 seconds to fix it.  Also, if the helmet comes off due to a foul, then the player can remain in the game.

  7. Trainers and Concussions – All officials are required by rule to observe the signs, symptoms and behaviors consistent with concussions. If an official observes any of the signs (see page 95 of the rule book) then the player is to be disqualified from the remainder of that contest.  Trainers and medical staff do not figure into that observation and reporting rule.  Trainers and medical staff are the proper people to help diagnose a concussion and to assist and manage the care of an injured athlete.  Officials are solely to report what they have observed.

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