Zebra Tales

"Onsides" Kick in the LSU - UNC game 9/5/2010

2010-09-06T16:28:00.000-07:00

Did you see the LSU - UNC game last Saturday night? There was an interesting play late in the game. UNC had just scored and attempted an “onsides” kick.

As complicated as football rules are, kicking situations are often more complicated than regular play. One reason is that a kicking play is considered a “planned change of team possession during a loose ball play.” Specific rules governing kicks come into effect as well as a few exceptions.

New Poll -- Concussions!

2010-07-08T03:04:00.000-07:00

Did the Fed's rule change this year regarding what many consider the requirement for officials to diagnose a concussion help a lot -- or just give you a headache?

With all the conversation in the off season about helmets coming off and then the death of Chris Henry, some thought that the action by the NFHS came up short.

Some officials are reluctant to send a player off the field if they aren't sure. Unless the team has a diagnostician on the sideline (medical doctor?), sending a kid out with a potential head injury is the same as a ejection -- he probably won't be back that night. We all want to err on the side of player safety but nobody wants to send out an impact player that could alter the outcome of the game if the diagnosis isn't correct.

Vote in the new poll. (Please answer both questions.)

2010 Mechanics Manual Changes

2010-03-03T02:53:00.000-08:00

Date: March 1, 2010

The following are the major changes approved by the 2010 NFHS Football Officials Manual Committee for the 2010 and 2011 high school football seasons:

1. The Five-Man Mechanics come before the Four-Man Mechanics in the NFHS Football Officials Manual.

2. By state association adoption, officials have the choice of wearing white or black officiating shorts. The entire crew shall be dressed alike.

3. By state association adoption, foul weather, full length, lined black pants with a single 1 ¼ inch white stripe down each leg may be worn in place of the standard, all-white tapered knickers if worn by the entire crew.

4. The Back Judge shall carry two different color bean bags; one for marking the end of the kick and one for marking first touching.

5. The Back Judge and Line Judge bring approved game ball from each team to the coin-toss if footballs are being run off of both sidelines.

6. The Referee’s normal starting position be moved to one that is visible to the clock operator, approximately 10- yards deep and 5-yards wide of the huddle when marking the ball ready-for-play on scrimmage downs.

7. The Line Judge temporarily move to nine-yard marks (top of the numbers), as receiving team is lining up for a free kick. (Four-Man Mechanics)

8. The Referee’s scrimmage kick position be adjusted to 3-5 yards outside the tight end and 2-3 yards behind the kicker, on line judge’s side of the field.

9. If the football falls or blows off tee just prior to free kick, Back Judge sounds whistle to prevent action and moves to kicker to give instructions.

10. The Back Judge assists with relay of the football in side zone from wing official to Umpire.

11. The Referee’s position changed to 3-5 yards outside the tight end and 2-3 yards behind the kicker, on kicking-leg side on scrimmage kicks.

12. The Back Judge’s position changed to 10-12 yards wider than and 2-3 yards behind the deepest receiver on linesman’s side of field on scrimmage kicks.

13. The Referee’s position changed to 2-3 yards to rear and 3-5 yards to side of potential kicker, facing holder and able to see holder receive the football onfield goal attempts or trys.

2010 Football Rules Changes

2010-02-25T17:34:00.000-08:00

NFHS Rules Changes
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Bob Colgate

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (February 23, 2010) — Effective with the 2010 high school football season, any player who shows signs, symptoms or behaviors associated with a concussion must be removed from the game and shall not return to play until cleared by an appropriate health-care professional.

The concussion rule was one of 12 changes approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Football Rules Committee at its meeting last month in Indianapolis. The rule changes subsequently were approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

The previous rule directed officials to remove an athlete from play if “unconscious or apparently unconscious.” The previous rule also allowed for return to play based on written authorization by a medical doctor. Now, officials are charged with removing any player who shows signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion, such as loss of consciousness, headache, dizziness, confusion or balance problems, and shall not return to play until cleared by an appropriate health-care professional.

“Given that the vast majority of concussions do not include a loss of consciousness, but that athletes often show obvious evidence of concussion, the NFHSSports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC) strongly believes that officials must continue to be empowered to remove these athletes from play, thus protecting them from further injury,” said Dr. Michael Koester, chair of the SMAC. “Continued participation in any sport following a concussion can lead to worseningconcussion symptoms, as well as increased risk for further injury to the brain and even death.

“The safety of the athlete is of paramount concern during any athletic contest. Officials, coaches and administrators are being asked to make all efforts at ensuring that concussed athletes do not continue to participate. Thus, coaches, players and administrators should also be looking for signs of concussion in all athletes and should immediately remove any suspected concussed athlete from play.”

In addition to football, the new concussion language is being placed in all NFHS rules books for the 2010-11 season, as well as the “NFHS Suggested Guidelines for Management of Concussion.”

Among the other changes were four pertaining to equipment, two dealing with player conduct, one concerning penalty options on scoring plays and three others in Rule 3 dealing with periods, time factors and substitution.

“The NFHS Football Rules Committee continues to focus its primary efforts toward maintaining the highest level of player safety,” said Julian Tackett, executive assistant commissioner of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association and chair of the NFHS Football Rules Committee. “This is evidenced by several rule changes related to equipment and concussions that were approved for 2010 following review by the NFHS SMAC. The rules of the game are in very good order and our members felt that no substantial changes were necessary beyond our emphasis on the health and welfare of the high school student-athlete.”

Among the equipment changes was approval of a new football glove/hand pad standard for the 2012 season. Beginning in 2012, gloves, which may be anchored with athletic tape and even though modified, must meet the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) test standards at the time of manufacture.

Other equipment changes include removal of restrictions on penalty-marker colored pads or gloves; revisions in the padding rule for guards, casts and braces; and clarification of the illegal player equipment rule.

In Rule 9-4-3k, the committee approved a clarification to the horse-collar rule. The wording in the definition of a horse-collar was changed to address situations when player possession was lost or the ball became dead by rule after the back or side of the jersey collar/shoulder pads were grasped.

“Under the previous rule, if the horse-collar occurred inbounds, but the tackle was completed out of bounds, in the end zone or after a loss of player possession, a horse-collar foul could not be called as the player was no longer a runner,” said Bob Colgate, NFHS assistant director and liaison to both the Football Rules Committee and the SMAC. “The wording was modified to ensure that a horse-collar foul could be called even if the runner no longer had possession of the ball or the ball became dead by rule.”

In Rule 8-2, six existing articles were refined and a new article created regarding fouls on scoring plays that have succeeding spot enforcement. Colgate said the changes now give both teams the same options when a non-player or unsportsmanlike conduct foul is committed during a down in which a touchdown is scored.

In other changes, the point differential rule by state adoption was modified to allow state associations to terminate a game at any point once the point differential is reached. Previously, the end of the first half was the earliest termination of a game by rule. In Rule 3-2-2, coin toss provisions were revised to state that no more than four captains per team can be on the field of play for the coin toss. In Rule 3-7-1, the committee revised the timeframe for replacing players from “immediately” to “within three seconds.”

Finally, the rules committee altered field markings in nine-, eight- and six-player football. All players who participated in the previous down and all substitutes must be momentarily between the 7-yard marks if they play on regulation 80-yard fields.

Points of emphasis adopted by the NFHS Football Rules Committee for the 2010 season include concussion recognition and management, heat illness and hydration, illegal helmet contact, assisting the runner, sportsmanship and public-address announcers, and NFHS Football Officials Manual.

Football is the No. 1 participatory sport for boys at the high school level with 1,112,303 participants in the 2008-09 season, according to the High School Athletics Participation Survey conducted by the NFHS through its member state associations. In addition, the survey indicated there were 759 girls who played football in 2008-09.

Use Off-season to Get In Shape!

2010-02-07T05:55:00.001-08:00

Its Spring Clinic Time at Profootballreferee.com and I can hear the grass growing. Following up our Fitness for Football Officials theme we have some great information on Football Officiating Camps & Clinics. I interviewed the leadership behind the scenes at the Tom Beard Camp in Washington, DC. You'll find this interview extremely informative and will help you in selecting the off-season camp of your choice. I have also included a download link to my 2010 Football Officiating Clinic Guide. It's the most comprehensive listing of Camps and Clinics available in one document.

Warm Up & Stretching Tips

2010-01-31T08:55:00.001-08:00

Thanks to WNCOA member Charles Alison for this link:

http://www.iahsaa.org/officials/Officials_Warmup_&_Stretching_Handout.pdf

Great topic for early season pre-game meetings!

Book Review - "Why a Curveball Curves"

2010-01-25T19:34:00.000-08:00

My book review published today at Blogcritics. Some interesting topics in this book for officials.

http://blogcritics.org/books/article/book-reviewwhy-a-curveball-curves-the/

News Item: Rules Committee

2010-01-10T16:27:00.001-08:00

The high school football rules committee will meet on Sunday, Jan.24, 2010. Watch for updates here!

Is Football Officiating Right for You?

2009-12-22T06:02:00.000-08:00

[Todd Skaggs is the author of, Forward Progress: Confessions from a Rookie College Football Official.

Learn How to Get Noticed, Move Up and Improve your Football Officiating
Click for Football Officiating Podcasts ]

Let’s take a close look at what happens at the very beginning of a football official’s prospective career. Let’s assume for the moment that you have never officiated a game of football in your life. Where do you begin?

Why football? There are several motivational factors at work here. Most common, is a love of football. You might have a friend or a family member that officiates and have discussed how to get involved with that person. Some associations advertise the need for new officials in print, radio and television venues. At the very basic level, you are simply interested in the donning the zebra stripes.

Let me be clear here…there is a growing need in every state, every community, and every youth league for football officials. The enrollment in youth sports continues to rise and the number of officials continue to decline (in all sports, not just football) so there is now, and will continue to be, a need for officials.

1. Gather information

The first step is to gather information on local football officiating opportunities. Some of this can be accomplished via the Internet. You can search the web for youth leagues and local officials associations. Many of these groups maintain informative websites which will provide contact information with the leaders of those groups.

Call your local high school athletic department. Speak with the athletic director or head football coach. They will certainly be happy to inform you of key members in the officiating community whom you may contact for more information.

I would also suggest that you reach out to your state’s high school athletics association. You can access this information on the Intenet. If you have trouble finding a local association or officiating resource, contact your state’s athletic office and they most certainly can point you in the right direction.

2. Exposure

The second step, and most often overlooked, is to get a good look at what officials do. Find a local official and ask to ride along with them to a game or association meeting. Don’t think you have to talk to a Big East or NFL referee in order to get a behind-the-scenes look at officiating. There are thousands of great officials at the high school level who have a passion for officiating. I guarantee you can find a willing person to discuss you intentions, gain exposure to officiating and help you get started on the right path. You just have to ask.

Attend a local youth league or high school football game. Make a point to meet the officials at half-time or between games on a Saturday afternoon. You will find this group warm and inviting, eager to talk to anyone interested in officiating football.

Call the coaches and administrators of youth leagues, recreational leagues, children’s leagues. Visit your local YMCA. Ask who assigns the officials for their games. You will find the right people who can get you started.

3. Ride Along

Once you’ve identified a local resource, take the next step and ask to ride along with them to a game. You can’t fully appreciate football officiating from watching college or professional football on television. A fan’s view isn’t sufficient when evaluating whether you’d like to become a football official. Spend a few hours on a Friday night and experience what happens at a varsity contest from the eyes of an official. You will view officiating from a different perspective, rest assured.

Listen to the band play, the fans cheer (or complain!), the press box announcer, the coaches and players interact; experience the true essence of a football game. You most likely could attend a Saturday youth league game and stand behind a wing (sideline) official during the game and ask questions between plays. Talk about perspective!

4. Officiate – Yes or No?

Now you might think that going to all this trouble just to get started officiating football won’t be worth the effort. My reply is: Football officiating is not for everyone. It is a demanding avocation and the decision to become a football official should not be taken lightly. The game requires football officials to be dedicated, prepared and reliable. Officiating requires thick skin and humility. You must be willing to learn the game of football from the eyes of the official, not the fan. What you see on Sunday with your favorite NFL team will seldom apply on your Sunday youth league game.

Having said that, the rewards of becoming a member of the officiating community are immense and well worth the effort. I’ve often used the word “fraternity” when describing my association. The camaraderie and fellowship which results when people come together combining the love of football and a passion for officiating cannot be adequately described in a few words. You just have to experience it from the inside.

Heads Will Roll

2009-12-13T15:35:00.000-08:00

The quarterback is looking for a receiver and suddenly realizes he doesn't have time to make a pass. He tucks the ball and begins to run. He gains several yards and as he disappears into a pile of players I hear the report of a big hit, pads popping -- that distinctive sound that coaches listen for and fans applaud. Then out of the pile-up flies a helmet. It bounces once and lands right at my feet. When the players untangle the quarterback emerges and moves toward me to pick up his helmet. He looks up at me and says, "You saw that hold against my team on the previous play but you didn't see that hit on me?" Fortunately he was not hurt but this incident points out two problems with our game today.

First, helmets come off too easily. In 2007 the National Federation of High School Sports (NFHS) enacted a rule requiring that chin straps be attached with four snaps. In 2008, the rule was clarified to require four separate attachment points. From where I stand, as a referee on Friday nights, these rules changes have had little effect on reducing the number of times helmets come off during impact. I saw it every week this past season. As a spectator, every game I have watched on television this season has featured a helmet coming off. YouTube has over one hundred video clips of this happening.

Jones-Adams hit; LSU-Ark 2009

In the 2009 Alabama - Miss. St. game, Heisman Trophy candidate Mark Ingram's helmet came off and his face was bloodied by an opponent's facemask immediately afterwards.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImZS85gnPpo

Forty years ago, high school players complained that it was almost impossible to get the helmet on to begin with, and just as hard to get it off. In today's media crazed atmosphere and the increased presence of cameras at games, do the players want their helmets to come off easily? One of the nation's leading researchers in this field, Dr. Stefan Duma says, "My opinion is they come off because some players want them too, smile for camera etc. so they wear it loose." If Dr. Duma is correct, then no amount of research by the manufacturers and no amount of rules changes will improve the situation. The top three helmet manufacturers in the United States are Riddel, Schutt, and Adams (formerly Bike). Since the early seventies and a few high profile cases of head injury and concussions, much of the research has been focused on designing head gear that will reduce the chance of or prevent concussions. Many technological advances have been made. In 2002, Riddell introduced their "Revolution" helmet and in 2007, Schutt added the line of "Ion 4-D" products which they tout as "the most advanced helmet in the market". Adam's premier product is the "A-4".

Perhaps chin strap design is or should be the next area of signifcant research. A source in the NOCSAE (National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment) reports that one area of research involves the loosening of the chin strap on impact caused by the compression of the interior padding. Such a change inside the helmet would result in easier removal. Combine this phenomena with Dr. Stefan's theory and you've got a recipe for disaster. A player with no helmet is the most vulnerable for head injury.

The February 2007 issue of Popular Mechanics reports that extreme football collisions can measure up to 150 g's compared to a roller coaster's five. Player safety depends upon the equipment to distribute the incoming energy of impact to lessen the severity. Typically discussions involving player safety and indeed, much of the research and development by makers of the equipment, focus on helmets and shoulder pads. The article referenced in Popular Mechanics is similar although it does mention the nagging frequency of knee injuries.

The second problem is that high school rules do not adequately address the issue of helmets coming off. Current rules deal only with the helmet coming off of the ball carrier while he is in possession of the ball. At that point, the ball is immediately dead and the covering official should sound his whistle. Other rules prohibit leading with the head (spearing) or use of the helmet as a weapon. There are currently no rules related to helmets coming off due to contact other than helmet to helmet. When a defender leads with his shoulder and the runner's helmet hits the ground, there is no penalty marked on the ground either.

The NFHS has begun to address the problem of helmets coming off in both their rules committee and an ad hoc committee. Coaches need to get more involved in the issue as well. I often hear a coach shout from the sideline that we missed a call on helmet contact. Those shouts are even louder when the helmet comes off. Prior to the game, a coach must verify to the officials that his team is properly equipped. Maybe being properly equipped should include having head gear fitted correctly so that it doesn't come off so easily for the cameras. Now that the athletic governing agencies, equipment manufacturers, and fans are taking more interest, improvement should be seen soon, or heads will roll.

Seasoned Veterans: 20 + yrs Experience

2009-12-09T05:35:00.000-08:00

Please submit your stories and comments. Give the newer officials something to look forward to.

What has been your most memorable experience as an official?

What would you do differently?

Most important lessons.

If you could give the rest of us only three pieces of advice, what would they be?

Submit your articles to: etierstripes@gmail.com

* ATTENTION * Rookies, 2nd & 3rd Yr Officials

2009-12-08T05:10:00.000-08:00

Crew leaders, association officers, trainers, and assigners need some input. We need to learn from your experiences in your first few years.

We need feedback on training and recruiting issues.

Please submit your articles reviewing your trials and tribulations of learning the rules and working your way from clock assignments onto the field.

What was your most inspiring moment from the past season?

What did you learn from your peers? Did you have a mentor?

What did you learn from coaches?

What can those of us with more experience do to help you?

Did you see consistency from the different referees you worked with?

What does it take to get on the field every Friday night in your association?

How do I get a playoff game?

We're all ears! Send your article to: etierstripes@gmail.com

Free Video Training Available

2009-12-04T14:42:00.000-08:00

Special thanks to one of our friends and supporters, Victor B, for making federation video training available. The link is in our "Links We Like" section on the right side of the blog and also here: http://www.dartfish.tv/nfhs-football

Submit Articles and/or sign up as an author.

2009-12-04T07:34:00.000-08:00

Participation is welcomed and encouraged! [Invite your friends, please.]
If you have an article or photo or video clip you'd like to submit, contact the administrator at: etierstripes@gmail.com

If you would like to be able to submit articles(at least one per month), we can sign you up as an author.
Otherwise, just send me the article and I'll post it for you.

Please click on the "follow" button on the right and then be sure to comment on articles.

Thanks,

Chip

Control the Game!

2009-12-04T06:50:00.000-08:00

[This article first appeared on my personal blog and received favorable feedback from other officials and coaches.]

In Jerry Kramer’s book, INSTANT REPLAY, he makes several references to Vince Lombardi’s exhortations to play with “reckless abandon”. I’m not sure I agree.

I believe that football is a game of control.
Control the line of scrimmage.
Control the ball.
Control the clock.
Control the man you are blocking.

How can you control any of these facets of the game if you cannot control yourself?

Two examples of when a player must stay in control of himself:
1)On kick coverage: If the player sprinting down the field goes all out and cannot make a quick turn or adjustment in direction, the ball carrier can easily slip by untouched.
2)A safety blitzes and goes untouched into the backfield at full speed while the runner sprints right by him, untouched because the safety was moving too fast and out of control.

If players didn’t maintain control, there would be late hits on every play, neutral zone violations on every play, holding on every play, face mask fouls, and roughing on most downs.

Where do kids learn self-control? Hopefully, they get some training in self-discipline at home. In many cases, kids get additional lessons in self-discipline in the class room.
Where do athletes get self-control skills? Hopefully, they benefit from their coaches and teammates.
Where do coaches get self-control? Maybe they developed good habits from their childhood, student experience, and their own athletic endeavors. (Judging from the number of times I see coaches slam a headset or clipboard onto the ground, I wonder how much self-control coaches really have.)

We already hear a lot of discussion about the “excessive celebration” rule in NCAA football. There is adequate room on the sidelines for unlimited celebration so the game is not delayed. Part of the job of being a coach is to control the sideline. Do your job!

Many of our culture’s more popular sports are contact sports in which aggressive behavior is expected and rewarded. My wife doesn't like sports in general, but she does like hockey. She says, “Any sport that involves men hitting each other with sticks can’t be all bad!” Have we progressed much from the gladiators or the lions and the Christians? Paul Simon said, “Zebras are reactionaries.” I’m not a reactionary – I take control! As a referee I believe that with preventive officiating and maintaining control of the game, there will be fewer penalties.