Weekly Bull 8/22/18

SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOOTBALL OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION, INC.

A Federal Non Profit Tax Exempt Corporation – www.sdcfoa.org

THE WEEKLY BULL – August 22, 2018 

This Week’s Meetings – Everyone meets in their regular classrooms.  The Agenda is Attendance; The Bull; Lessons from Your Games; Rules Study; Calibration; Instructional Video. 

Improvement 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!

Bonita Vista – Getting organized…again.  No vouchers, no AD in attendance.  But the facility at Southwestern College is awesome!  Good luck! 

Announcers – They must demonstrate proper sportsmanship.  Please let me know if they don’t.  I had to call Fallbrook this week as the announcer was leading the crowd in chants for the home team.  Ugh…. 

San Diego Sports Officials Hall of Fame Induction of Tim Podraza – Please join us in celebrating Tim’s contributions to football officiating including his “giving back” to our efforts at the high school level!  The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place Tuesday, September 25th at 6:00 pm.  You may purchase tickets on the website at www.sandiegosportsofficialshof.com/2018-induction-dinner.  Credit cards will be accepted on the website. Let’s fill up the room with football officials and have the kind of celebration Tim deserves!

Dr. Ehlers Chiropractic Adjustments – Dr. Ehlers will be at our meeting starting at 6:00 (meeting starts at 7:00) to provide $20 adjustments.  These are relatively quick so it shouldn’t take much time out of the class room.  The Association is just providing this info and does not endorse any product or service provider.  Just if you’re interested.

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 – How are we doing?  Initial reports are very good, both in our consistency in enforcing the new rule, and in the player’s and coach’s efforts to comply.  Keep up the great work and let me know of any issues.  Thanks!

Adornment – Towels that are min 4 inches by max 18 inches and a single color for the team are legal.  No tinted eye shields (but can wear dark glasses underneath).  No bicep, neck, or leg bands. No jewelry or war painting of the face.  Shoes/ankles taped to prevent injury (spats) allowed.

Time Outs, Quarter Changes, and Period Between PAT and Kickoff – We are doing better with our tempo here. 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.

Sidelines – Assistant coaches and/or head coaches may not go out on the field to call plays.  They may come to the sideline and call plays but do not let the coach going out to the numbers to call the play.  Once you allow that to start it is hard to get him back.  Interrupt play if you must to get an agreement.  If you don’t you look weak and set up your fellow official the next week.

Umpires – Spin/turn on all passes.  You can provide excellent support.  Leave the linemen to the referee.

Referees – No preliminary signals this year.  After receiving penalty information, you signal the foul from your location (don’t walk around looking for an open area – trust me, everyone is already looking at you and now they’re watching you walk around for some reason – looks weak – just face press box, square up, remain stationary as you signal the foul information.  After confirming penalty instructions with umpire, turn and jog to the exact location you will be standing at the start of the next play.  No more penalty signaling, just assess crews readiness (the ball should be on the ground), confirm status of the clock and signal ready for play (or wind the clock).  Reminder: We confirm PATs and field goals, no confirmation of touchdowns.

Back Judges – Penalty assessed on kick off.  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!

Lightening - From the NFHS Rule Book – From the back of the Rule Book – Include game administration in any decision making:

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

Concessions  – Don’t be assertive in requesting items from the snack bar.  Ask if they provide water and be polite, and thankful if it is offered.  There is no requirement for them to provide snacks, hot dogs, tri-tip steaks!!!  Also, remember schools sometimes don’t allow Gatorade on the turf fields.  Hilltop has a new surface and they ask that we don’t have Gatorade on their field.  Thanks, guys!

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.  PS – I’m not set up for you to identify your major fouls in HUDL.  Thank you for your patience and I’ll let you know when I’m ready.

Excessive Profanity – Start by working with the players and captains.  Make your request and provide your rationale. If it continues to be excessive then report to the referee so the referee can then work with the head coach.  We use the same procedure for excessive complaints from assistant coaches.  After initial efforts fail, get the head coach involved.

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. When possible, give the head coach an opportunity to correct and instruct his players on

what is appropriate celebratory behavior.

Character Counts - Source: 2018 CCA Football Officiating Manual

1. Realize the importance of your position and at all times uphold the dignity it demands.

2. Have ambition, but also patience, as over-anxiety has ruined many young officials.

3. Never be jealous of a good break another official gets. Your turn may be next.

4. Never use your senior position to embarrass another official.

5. Be receptive. Open your mind to new concepts and ideas.

6. Be honest with yourself. Unreal expectations place an extra burden on an already intense job.

7. Become a leader. If you adopt a philosophy that you're going to help others reach their goals, you will reach yours.

8. Be passionate. If you're passionate about integrity, honesty and professionalism, you've improved your quality of life through officiating.

9. Be courageous. Doing what is right - versus what's popular or safe - takes strong will and conviction.

Conduct and Ethics - Source: 2018 CCA Football Officiating Manual

1. Use of social media to convey information or discuss any aspect of games, coaches, teams or players is strictly prohibited.

2. Officials shall bear a great responsibility for engendering public confidence in sports.

3. Officials shall be free of obligation to any interest other than the impartial and fair judging of sports competitions.

4. Officials shall hold and maintain the basic tenets of officiating which include history, integrity, neutrality, respect, sensitivity, professionalism, discretion and tactfulness.

5. Officials shall master both the rules of the game and mechanics necessary to enforce the rules, and shall exercise authority in an impartial, firm and controlled manner.

6. Officials shall uphold the honor and dignity of the profession in all interactions with student athletes, coaches, school administrators, colleagues and the public.

7. Officials shall display and execute superior communication skills, both verbal and non-verbal.

8. Officials shall prepare themselves both physically and mentally and shall comport themselves in a manner consistent with the high standards of the profession.

9. Officials shall not be party to actions designed to unfairly limit or restrain access to officiating, officiating assignments or to association membership. This includes selection for positions of leadership based upon economic factors, race, creed, color, age, sex, physical handicap, country or national origin.

10. Officials shall be punctual and professional in the fulfillment-of all contractual obligations.

11. Officials shall work with each other and their governing bodies in a constructive and cooperative manner.

12. Officials shall never participate in any form of illegal gambling on sports contests, may never gamble on any sporting event in which they have either a direct or indirect involvement, and may never gamble on events involving college athletics.

13. Officials shall not make false or misleading statements regarding their qualifications, rating, credentials, experience, training or competence.

14. Officials shall accept responsibility for all actions taken.

15. Officials should never do anything to draw undue attention to themselves or the crew.