San Diego County Football Officials Association Memo
To: Crew Chiefs, Head Coaches, and Athletic Directors
CC: SDCFOA Instructors & Staff
From: Steve Coover, Instructional Chair SDCFOA
Date: 10/13/10
Re:Weekly Bulletin #7
1st Year Officials
Please remind your crew members – DO NOT let 1st year officials “White Hat” a Pop Warner Game! This does not help their development and hinders the crew from providing the youth teams the best crew for their game.
Celebration outside the Team Box
A team lines up for a FG with .04 time left on clock before half time. Their attempt is blocked behind the line and the defense picks up the ball and runs 80 yards for a score. Upon crossing the goal line non-players from the defensive team’s Team Box start coming onto the field to congratulate their teammate. At this time a flag is thrown for non-players being outside the Team Box.
Observation: I suggest that the flank official, on this type of play, first attempt to get the team’s attention and direct the team’s non-PAT team members back to the box area as there are some non-players entering the field to attempt the PAT. Those PAT players are eligible to enter the field as substitutes after the score. How can we determine for certain that the non-players are not substitutes for the PAT? If during that substitution they celebrate some, it would be acceptable behavior. However, a prolonged, excessive celebration would not be acceptable (like the whole team on the field!). I’m not trying to double-speak here, just saying that in most cases, this celebration would be acceptable.
25 Yard Line Overtime Procedure
Attached to this email is a copy of the NCAA 25 Yard Line Overtime Procedure. This is what is used in the San Diego Section of the CIF when it is necessary to “break a tie”. In other words, if a conference has chosen to use the overtime procedure to break a tie, then we would use this procedure. In other cases, two teams who are playing within the same division may also choose to use the procedure rather than a coin toss. And finally, this procedure is used EVERY TIME there is a tie at the end of regulation during the CIFSDS playoffs (including the CIF Finals in the stadium!).
Please take a few moments to reacquaint yourself with the procedures (officials you must study them!!!) and please direct any questions you may have to myself via phone or email: (619) 921-3006 or scoover@guhsd.net.
League Play
We are now entering league play and the game intensity and caliber of play will improve for the most part. Teams now have 50% of their season under their belts and coaches have their players playing at a high level. It is time for us to expect the best from our teams. Routine penalties involving the snap count and the neutral zone should become less and less.
Our officiating crews should also be working at a high level now. We also have 50% of our season under our belts and we too should be beyond the routine errors that can occur at the beginning of the season. Our focus should be on the “big stuff” and we should be preparing for unusual and outstanding plays that challenge our judgment and rules knowledge. Now is when we become a Great Crew! Good luck, work hard, and have fun!
