Game Preparation
Monday
·
Get update on game
assignment and crew
·
Coordinate with as many crew
members as possible
o
Find a driver
o
Arrange meeting place
o
Ensure plenty of time to get
to the game site 2 hours prior to game time.
Usually tell crew what time to be there, not when you will be
leaving. Give yourself 10-15 minutes
extra time, someone is always late.
o
I will leave the meeting
place without an official. When I run
out of my extra time, I’m gone.
Make sure they understand you will leave them and they will need to get
to the game site.
Tuesday
·
Start calling people by 1000
if they have not called you
o
Give one or two people a
topic for pre-game discussion so they can prepare
·
Call the home team coach and
let him know what time you will arrive
o
This may take either several
tries to talk with him or leave a message.
Most coaches will call you back ASAP if they know you will be calling
their game.
o
Find out where you can meet
him or someone to show you where to dress
Wednesday
·
Call secretary no later than
noon if you can’t coordinate with a crewmember. He may know the person is out of town or some
other reason he hasn’t called you.
Thursday
·
Work your sub-varsity
Friday
·
Fill out game card, game
reports, foul reports, official critique form
o
You can do this earlier, but
you may have a change during the week
·
Prepare a special emphasis
item, something that might be reoccurring every week and discuss that in
pre-game.
·
Get to the meeting
place. Early is good. Never be at the meeting place at the exact
time you want to leave and never ever show up late.
·
5:30 Be in the dressing room.
o
Ask the back judge for a
good time hack
o
Discuss the following time
outline with crew
o
I like the crew at least 90%
dressed for pre-game discussion when I get back from coaches meeting
·
5:30 to 5:50
o
General discussion,
dress. Keep the discussion focused on
football. Any one has any unusual plays?
o
Have umpire and referee
fully dressed and ready by 5:50
o
Ask the Back Judge to lead a
discussion with the wing officials on passing game and any other topics they
want while you and U go see the coaches.
·
5:50 to 6:15
o
Find home team head coach
first. Know his name.
o
You lead this
discussion. They like to take over,
sometimes talk about other things. Focus
on the game.
o
Keep U involved
o
Try to spend no more than 10
minutes with either coach. This usually
is plenty of time.
·
6:20 to 6:55
o
You can lose focus of the
time very easily so do not spend too much time on any one area. The next 30 minutes should be plenty of time
to discuss the following.
o
Do this every game, even if
you have what you think are very experienced officials. You might be surprised.
o
If you have a chain crew and
or timer, have them talk about their duties, especially the timer. Your coordination with the timer just may be
critical. The HL will talk with chain
crew
o
Start pre-game with administrative
topics
§
Coach’s names, time
for National Anthem, time for coin toss, length of half time, Game
administrator
§
balls they use, ball boys,
captain, half time,
§
Special plays (This may lead
you into more in depth discussion later)
§
Listen to everything that is
said. Sometimes someone will make a
totally false comment.
o
Special emphasis item from R if you have
one (usually I do)
§
Any topic you have assigned
a crew member to discuss, hold for that portion of the discussion. Try not to let any discussion to lose its
focus. Keep to the subject.
o
Coin Toss techniques,
especially with U
§
Where officials meet after
coin toss for National Anthem
o
Free Kicking game (If we look
good at the first kickoff, we have a fighting chance)
§
Have each official discuss
his techniques for your basic start of the game free kick
§
Ensure discussion on what
happens if… Pooch kicks, out of bounds kicks, etc.
§
Clock management
§
Short kicks, fair catch
techniques, LJ position, R position
o
Communication. After every play and prior to every down
techniques to help keep crew focused (Quickly review techniques with the crew)
§
Find LJ and see where he
is. Look for flags and listen for
whistles in case of foul somewhere.
§
Do not stop officiating just
because the play is over. Lots of things
happen late.
§
Find the HL and release him
with acknowledgement of the down
§
Help get the ball to U
§
Stay clear of everyone and
remain visible to the crew and press box
§
Ensure U has a good spot and
everyone is in position
§
Find BJ and make the ball
ready for play
§
Count the offense in the
huddle, signals to U
o
Passing Game (LJ, BJ and HL
have already discussed)
§
Referee passing game
·
Set up position
·
Backwards pass, illegal
passes
·
Hand signals
§
Umpire techniques (make sure
he talks, even if it is just a little)
§
Wing and BJ additions to
passing game. Ask them to briefly review
their coordination techniques.
o
Running Game
§
Start with U and have him
discuss techniques. Wing officials, BJ
and R discuss techniques.
§
Fourth down rule
§
Out of bounds officiating
§
Ball relaying to U
techniques
o
Scrimmage Kicking Game
§
Field goal/extra points/4th
down rule
§
Make sure everyone knows how
to cover swinging gate.
§
Snapper techniques on
swinging gate
§
Officials positions
§
Wing officials and R
coordination for out of bounds progress
§
Line of scrimmage
responsibilities
§
Backward pass problems
o
Penalty Enforcement
§
Tell them what information
you want
§
Make sure they know to blow
their whistle and catch your attention
§
Hopefully they know the
enforcement
§
Know your rules knowledge expert
and on strange penalties, call him over even if he is not involved.
§
Relay to U. You and U must agree.
§
Be aware of where the U
marks off penalties.
§
Get it right. Act as a crew. Good or bad
o
Overtime
§
Discuss at half time if
appropriate, but at the half discuss briefly even if it is not a close
game. It might get that way.
o
Wrap Up
·
6:55
o
Give at least 5 minutes for
guys to take a break
·
7:00
o
Walk out to the field, walk
the field
o
Find the chain crew and
introduce the HL
o
Find the game balls if you
already have not inspected them. You and
U inspect as needed.
o
Try to introduce the HL and LJ
to respective coaches
o
Loosen up
o
Follow the coach’s
time line
·
7:30
o
Have fun
·
Halftime
o
Wind down, catch your
breath, cool off
o
Make sure BJ is aware of
time
o
Make sure everyone gets
water or something to drink
o
Foul report, be forceful,
get it done. We may or may not be doing
one this year.
o
Overtime briefing, review
procedures
o
Relax
o
Get crew back out on time.
·
After game
o
Back to the dressing room
o
Get your foul report done
ASAP
§
Visitors like to leave like,
right now
o
Have someone stay dressed or
if you have a timer, or chain crew person available, have one go with you
with game report to both coaches.
o
Don’t get into any
conversations with the coaches. I simply
say, “here is our game report” and leave it at that. Be respectful, but guarded.
o
Back with the crew
o
Release chain crew/timer
after they have given their inputs.
o
On the way home, listen to
the radio game reports
o
Kiss wife
o
Go to bed
·
Next week
o
Do it all over again