SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOOTBALL OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION - THE WEEKLY BULL – August 23, 2023
No Meetings This Week - Please use this opportunity to view video and meet with your crew in an effort to get even better week #1 to Week #2. I say this every year, the improvement in our performance between week #1 and week #2 is the largest that will see all season, and I’m talking about officials, players, coaches, and game administrators. Week #1 is our first test. Week #2 we step up. Work hard this week!
Association Board Policies and Youth Assignments - We need everyone’s help ensuing pop warner games get covered. Did you know that we ran out of officials for week #1 of the pop warner season? Here are our Board Policies. Remember, when we were just starting out, a veteran official worked with us and taught us how to officiate. Now it’s our turn to give back! ALL officials should make every effort to work on Fridays and Saturdays. The Board allows officials to volunteer to work more than three games on any given Saturday provided that we are short officials. Heat will be taken into consideration. The Board directs college officials not to block out Saturdays as a matter of routine. If they are available to work college games, then they are available to work youth games. The Board directs high school officials not to block out the Saturdays after accepting high school assignments. If available to work high school games, then they should be available to work youth games. The Board encourages college officials to work youth games prior to college game, time permitting. If college officials can work double headers in college, then they can work youth games too. College officials (or HS officials with a Saturday game) are NOT REQUIRED to be available in the morning. An official MUST VOLUNTEER to work youth game(s) in the morning by making themselves available in Arbiter. While policy #24 was waived, it is still up to the official if they feel they can mentally/physically work youth before an NCAA assignment. Officials not on college crews or future college officials may not block out a Saturday to shadow a crew outside the San Diego County. They must shadow a crew in San Diego and be available to work youth games. Officials assigned as timers for college games with a 6 or 7 o’clock kickoff should be available to work youth games prior to the timer assignment. A list of officials who have blocked out Saturdays may be presented to the board for playoff considerations. All officials should activate the Sharing Function on Arbiter and use one e-mail account for all Arbiter accounts.
Drones – A drone appeared at halftime and was flying outside the field area behind the stands. If seen in the stadium area, the game must be stopped, and the drone taken down.
Tinted Visors – Parents are now presenting doctor’s notes to the schools indicating that their son must be allowed to play with a tinted visor due to a severe medical condition. The ruling is that all visors must be clear. No tinted visors allowed even when presented with a doctor’s note. Thank you.
Over Time Award Surveys- All officials, if you haven't done so already, please go to the Association website and complete a survey so that you may be considered for the Frank Alfano Over Time Award presented each year at our banquet. It only takes a few minutes and every official should do so regardless of merits or experience. The award committee will be meeting this month to deliberate on this year's recipient. So please, go to the website and fill out a survey today! To complete a survey, go to the Association website at SDCFOA.org. At the top of the page, click on AWARDS. Then click FRANK ALFANO OVER TIME AWARD. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click FILL OUT SURVEY. After completing the survey click SUBMIT FORM. Thanks!
San Diego Sports Officials Hall of Fame Induction of Nathan Thernes, Frank Mannen, and Dave Melton – Please join us in celebrating these individuals and their contributions to football/baseball officiating. The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place Tuesday, September 26th at 6:00 pm. You may purchase tickets on the website at www.sandiegosportsofficialshof.com/ Credit cards will be accepted on the website.
Visitors at Games – If you are visiting a game and observing a crew do not follow the chain crew and head linesman through the team box. Stay out of any team box area and do not communicate with coaches or game administrators. Please observe the game from the stands, or if allowed on the field, from the sideline outside the team box and outside of the white restricted area or dashed restraining line. If you want to change ends of the field walk around the team box.
Uniforms – Initial reports are very good, both in our consistency in enforcing, and in the player’s and coach’s efforts to comply. Keep up the great work and let me know of any issues.
Adornment – Towels must be at least 4 inches wide up to a maximum of 18 inches wide. No streamers. Must be a solid color…any color will be legal. No bicep, neck, or leg bands. No jewelry or war painting of the face, and no symbols including crosses. Shoes/ankles taped to prevent injury (spats) allowed.
Time Outs, Quarter Changes, and Period Between PAT and Kickoff – The standard is one minute from the end of the signal for time out, end of quarter, or successful/or not PAT to the ready-for-play signal. Flanks, it all rests on your work to get your teams out. Be active and assertive.
Penalties Assessed on Kick Offs - Back Judges do not march off penalty. Do not signal penalty and then march it off. Go directly to the spot where the ball is to be kicked. Put the ball on the ground. Signal foul from this location. Hand ball to the kicker (don’t toss it).
Halftime and Post-Game Debrief – Follow a template or you will immediately fall into the old discussion of favorite/hot topic plays. Stick with the list! Chain Crew Timer Head Coaches and Sidelines Tempo Foul Report - Mechanics, Communication, Rules, Philosophy Interesting Plays & Players (play makers, on-the-edge, warnings, what haven’t we seen yet? What does this game need? Blow out? Overtime? Review Game Goals
Logging Fouls –Find a way. Make this a crew or personal goal. Or get someone to log fouls for the crew! Don’t forget to send your foul log to Robert Bezverkov.
Lightening - From the NFHS Rule Book – From the back of the Rule Book – Include game administration in any decision making: When thunder is heard, or a cloud-to-ground lightning strike is seen, the thunderstorm is close enough to strike your location with lightning. Suspend play and take shelter immediately. Thirty minute rule. Once play has been suspended, wait at least 30 minutes after the last thunder is heard or flash of lightning is witnessed prior to resuming play. Any subsequent thunder or lightning after the beginning of the 30 minute count, reset the clock and another 30 minute count should begin.
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.
Overtime Rules – Review these rules each week! We’re posting it up on our website at www.sdcfoa.org.
Video – We are getting a great response from our coaches and our crews are doing a great job with the cut ups. I cannot keep up with all of the requests for my opinion, but I will keep trying! It’s my job! Thank you for sharing so many great and challenging plays. We will use them as best we can, especially in the calibration session of our meeting.
Plays at the Pylon – The goal line extended is offered if the runner is still in contact with the ground (foot down inbounds and extends the ball beyond the goal line but outside the pylon – if foot is down at the same time – Touchdown! If the runner is airborne, then there is no goal line extended. The airborne runner must then extend the ball beyond the goal line inside the pylon OR touch the pylon (if properly placed) because the ball is considered to have broken the plane of the goal line prior to the touching of the pylon.
Unsportsmanlike Fouls - • "In your face"; standing or bending over an opponent. • Comments that are racist, ethnic or demeaning. • Gestures toward an opponent, coaches or opponent's sideline. • Throat slash. • Demonstrate violence such as six guns or machine gun. • “Excessive” celebrations or protests Being demonstrative after making an exceptional play or score is accepted as long as it's a spontaneous burst of energy that's not prolonged, clearly self-congratulatory or makes a mockery of the game.
