Weekly Bull 8/29/18

SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOOTBALL OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION

THE WEEKLY BULL – August 29, 2018 

1st and 2nd Year Meetings This Wednesday 8/29 – Regular classrooms.  Make up mechanics tests available for 2nd year officials who have not passed, or for any official who would like to make up the test!

Back Judge and Umpire Clinic This Wednesday 8/29 – The Clinics for the back judges and umpires will be held this Wednesday in separate classrooms in the regular bungalow/classroom area (not the theater).  I will choose the classrooms on Wednesday based upon convenience.  The PowerPoint for the back judge presentation is attached to this email.  Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from Don Carey (BJs) and Bill Bishop (Us).  You are expected to attend the clinic for your position, but all officials can attend either of these two sessions. 

Board Meeting at 5:30 pm – There will be a regularly scheduled board meeting at 5:30 in room B-2.  The board will select the officers for the 2019 season, discuss the SDCFOA Overtime Award, and consider amendments to the CIF Championship Assignment Policy and the Instructional Chair’s duties.  There will also be an update on the further development of our website to include association archives. 

9/11 Remembrances or Special Ceremonies – I know I’m planning ahead but If there is something organized in remembrance of 9/11 we will work with the home team coach and administration to make every effort to adjust the kick off time accordingly.  Once a kick off time is agree upon the officiating crew is responsible for seeing that the kick off occurs on time!  Again, we will work with the teams and game management on this please.  Thank you! 

Officials Using Radios – The use of official-to-official (020) radios is now encouraged but not mandatory. The use of radios provides our crews with the opportunity to improve crew communication, both within the crew and with our respective sidelines, coaches, game timers, foul recorders, etc.  But the overuse of the radios can lead to a serious decrease in the proper signaling by officials.  This protocol has been established to guide our officials and crews in the proper use of the radios, and to prevent their overuse.  The use of O2O’s in a game does NOT replace the proper use of hand signals of the crew.

Dead Ball

  • Communication with opposite flanks to inform opposite coach of challenging players, issues with formations, and answer other questions from opposite coach

  • Request assistance from referee, umpire or opposite flank in regards to improving legal formations or assisting with challenging players

  • Very helpful in communicating directly with the play clock operator when you need to reset the game clock (if you have enough radios)

  • BACK JUDGE / LINE JUDGE may instruct the referee to wind or hack the play/game clock whenever necessary (does not take the place of hand signals to the referee as well)

  • BACK JUDGE / LINE JUDGE will use the radio and his whistle to signal officials and teams of the end of time out periods

Pre-Snap

Absolutely no radio use at this time

Penalty Enforcement

  • Absolutely no use of the radio to report the actual foul to the referee

  • After signaling or verbally communicating the foul to the referee, the radio may be used to communicate the number of the offending player to the referee

  • Communication of all foul information to the opposite flank to share with the head coach is encouraged

Plays at the Goal Line – We’ve had some exciting and close plays at the goal line.  The first key for officials is to be in proper position at the goal line.  The umpire should never block the goal line view of either of the flanks…stay off the goal line.  The back judge should be at the goal line on long runs or long passes completed in the field of play.  Otherwise the back judge must go to the end line.  Our flanks must use proper goal line mechanics and be off the pylon at the goal line (2-3 yards).  These proper mechanics will place us in the best position to make the correct call.

Injury Time Outs – If necessary, the referee may grant an official’s time out for an apparently injured player.  If granted, that player shall be replaced for one down.  If we grant an official’s time out then players could go to the sidelines and confer with the coaching staff just as they do for an authorized time out (if time permits).  The flanks will then see to it that both teams are back on the field and ready to play when the injured athlete leaves the playing area.

Pop-Up Kicks – Please review this rule on every crew this week.  “A pop-up kick is a free kick in which the kicker drives the ball immediately into the ground, the ball strikes the ground once and goes into the air in the manner of a ball kicked directly off the tee.”  If the ball does not go higher than the player’s heads, then it is considered not to be a pop-up kick, but rather a kick along the ground.  A ball that is kicked along the ground, bouncing more than once and subsequently popping-up into the air is not a pop-up kick, but again, a kick along the ground.

Gathering Information During Warm Ups – Please do not interrupt the warm ups of players.  Gather your information when they are not actively warming up or taking reps. 

Ball Location – Remember to place the ball at the proper position on the field after an incomplete pass, penalty enforcement, and a kick out of bounds or into the end zone.  This can be critical to a team’s next planned play!

Battlefield-to-Ballfields – Thank you to Joe Magnuson for his leadership and organization of our B2B mentors.  I know these new officials will benefit greatly from all of your efforts and support.  Thank you MENTORS!

Concentration – Please review the importance of concentrating the entire game!  Sometimes we get lulled into comfort and unconscious complacency.  We don’t mean to do this, it just happens after 178 good plays by the crew.  But remember, you could be facing 60 seconds of sheer terror on the next play!  As a crew, remind your crewmates to focus on each play through constant communication, even chatter.  It can help “wake us up” for a critical, game changing play!

From George Schutte

“The game of football deserves and demands the best of officiating at all times.”

“Know when to concentrate and when to relax, but keep your head in the game at all times.”

“You must be aware of the stress in the game of football.  It is a highly competitive, body-contact sport.  The players, coaches, and fans are all under considerable strain.”

August 29 2018 Doc
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