First and Ten

FIRST AND TEN

August 2015 Volume 9 Issue 8

66666

Featured in this issue #104

Communication in officiating

News Flash

Conferenced speaker announced FCOCP Level 1 theory now available on line

First and Ten Mandate 3

First and Ten Editors 4

CFOA 2016 Conference speaker announced 5

Football Canada and CFOA announce launch of FCCOP online theory 7 for Level 1 Communication Why its important RAY LUTZ 9

Going in depth at CFL officials' training camp Paul LaPolice COMMUNICATIONS 14 “Dealing with Coaches, Players and Crews

Coeditor Rob Christian corner - 17 If its broken can you fix it? Patrick Rosenow – Referee Magazine The Real Reason Referees Wear Stripes Sports officials 21 Canada

Working with the Stick crew EOTFOA 22

Timing rules and Mechanics Bob Madams MFOA 27

Dealing with coaches and side line control Colorado Springs FOA 29

Video review 47

Football in the Olympics Football Canada 50

CFOA executive 53

Football Canada 54

Working for the development of officiating and football in Canada in cooperation with

La version française du "First and Ten" va suivre chaque version anglaise. Ron Paluzzi, Vice président responsable de la traduction, sera responsable de s’assurer que chaque communiqué soit disponible en français dans les plus brefs délais. D’ici là, je demande à tous

Editor Ron Hallock Co- editor Rob Christian Communication

The mandate of this newsletter is communication with all CFOA members. Communication is a major player in the success of officiating a game. In this issue First and Ten identifies areas of communication and their importance.

Communication by officials in a game occurs in the following ways:

1) With crew 2) With crew partner e.g. Referee and Umpire; Head Linesman and Line Judge; Side Judge and Head Linesman and Back Judge and Line Judge and (Bu/FJ) with side officials 3) Officials with Timekeeper 4) Referee and official calling foul 5) Measurements a) R,U,BU b) HL and Yardstick crew 6) Referee/officials with coaches 7) Referee/officials with players 8) Ball persons 9) Signals to officials, press box and fans 10)Crew and fans

In addition communication on rules and mechanics for officials occurs through training session, procedures manuals prior and during the season. Example of developing consistency getting officials on the same page is the CFL preseason Camp for officials is presented here.

Guidelines for communicating in game situations is presented

Coeditor Rob Christian topic of the month points out how to reduce an Official’s liability by examining casts prior to a game

Sports Canada article identifies changes in Officials jersey and why? - communication to players.

In addition, articles from the EOTFOA reprint on how to work with the yardstick crew and the MFOA on working with timekeepers and the Colorado Springs FOA power point on how to deal with coaches Breaking News Below are two breaking news events as we send out this issue Speaker for 2016 CFOA conference announced FCOCP level 1 online theory is released

Remember the 2016 CFOA Conference and AGM in Saskatoon May 20-23, 2016. Make plans to attend. Ultimate attendance goal would to have a member from each FOA attend.

Football Canada and the CFOA announce the launch of the Level 1 Theory online course

General registration information for online Level 1 FCOCP How to register 1. Go to http://officials.footballcanada.com. 2. Click on the “register now” button on the left hand side of the page. 3. Complete the form by entering your username, first and last name, address, email, etc. 4. Select your local officials association from the drop down list. a. Note: some users are experiencing a compatibility issue registering using Microsoft Internet Explorer. If you experience problems selecting your local association from the drop down menu, please try registering using either Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome while we pinpoint the issue. 5. Enter the passcode that was provided by your local football association. 6. Once the form is complete, click the “continue” button. 7. Once the form has been completed and submitted, you should receive an email with your login credentials.

How to pay 1. To get into the system, either login with your username or password, or register (see details above or by visiting http://officials.footballcanada.com). 2. From the status area, click on “begin” to start the Level 1 e-Learning module. 3. You will be taken to a payment page. Click on “Pay Now” which will take you to the payment processing area. The cost of the course is $39.00. 4. Once payment completed, click on “Return to Football Canada Officials”. 5. You will be taken to the e-Learning module.

Before you begin Be sure to complete the entire e-Learning module using the same computer and browser. Your progress is saved through your local computer browser’s cache. Changing computers, browsers or clearing your existing browser’s cache can result in a loss of progress.

Steps on taking the online FCOCP 1. Complete the registration process and payment. 2. Complete all modules. 3. Complete online exam (passing grade 70%). 4. After passing the exam, click on the button "Mark your assignment as completed". 5. Click on the link "Click here to register to a clinic in your province" to register for an on-field evaluation. 6. Register and attend the clinic to complete your certification.

Technical assistance -François Lefebvre by e- mail at [email protected] or by phone at 613-564-0003 ext. 228.

Communication Why its important HTTP://ARTOFOFFICIATING.COM/COMMUNICATION-2/ RAY LUTZ

We talk a great deal in our clinics and study meetings about communicating and its important role in successful football officiating. We need to communicate with the timer, press box, fans, coaches, chain crew, ball boys, players and probably most importantly with crew members.

We use approved signals to the press box, coaches and fans. We use vocal communication with players, coaches, the chain crew, ball boys and crew members. We also use intra-crew signals to communicate a veritable host of information from fouls to whether our widest flanker is on the line of scrimmage or not. Throwing our penalty marker is another less than subtle way we as officials communicate with all involved.

Communication on a football field for coaches, players and officials has many different layers of intensity and importance and they can be peeled back like the skin of a sweet onion.

I remember this situation happening to me when I was the Referee for our crew. The QB dropped back to pass and after delivering the ball was contacted illegally by an on rushing defender who knew darn good and well that the ball was gone, but he couldn’t resist the chance to dump the QB on his butt.

I threw my penalty marker, to COMMUNICATE my ruling of roughing the passer. I stayed with the play and heard a cheer from the crowd. The pass had been completed. I tooted my whistle several times to COMMUNICATE with my crew that I had a rag down. It went through my mind that on a completed pass we were going to “tack on” the 15 -yards for the “roughing” to the end of the play.

I gave a preliminary signal to COMMUNICATE with the press box and sidelines and then told (COMMUNICATED) the umpire that we were going to add the 15- yards on to the end of the play.

I signaled (COMMUNICATED) to the linesman to move the chain as I ran down field to the succeeding spot. The umpire began walking off the yardage. The BJ looked confused and finally COMMUNICATED that the pass had been intercepted and that he thought I knew. The roar I heard had been from the defenders crowd not the receiver’s crowd.

What a mess! Took about 5 minutes to straighten it out. So, here is a layer of the onion. If you have an interception make sure your Referee knows that fact. We call it COMMUNICATION.

Going in depth at CFL officials' training camp

By Paul LaPolice

http://www.tsn.ca/talent/going-in-depth-at-cfl-officials-training-camp-1.321042

CFL referee, Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images

I got to spend a few days with the Canadian Football League officials at their training camp they had at the end of May. Each year they get together before the season starts and do a comprehensive review of their mechanics as well as any and all new rules and any new interpretations of them. They all take conditioning tests to make sure they are also in game shape.

Leading them is CFL Head of Officiating Glen Johnson, a 24-year veteran official who is in his second year on the job as the boss. He and his staff have the officials from Thursday to Sunday to get prepared for the upcoming season. “Our guys have been preparing mentally and physically for four months, and this is our opportunity to bring it all together and make sure they are on the same page and ready to go,” said Johnson.

The officials are a mixture of young and old faces who average about 10 years of amateur officiating before getting to the CFL level and the professional ranks in

Canada. Many times throughout the weekend, Glen would talk about their execution and would say “this is the right way to execute this; anything else is not accepted at the professional level.”

On Friday, the meetings and physical conditioning were broken into four groups: the deep officials (side, back, field judges), who monitor the downfield aspects of the game; the line of scrimmage officials (head linesmen, line judges), who monitor the sidelines and line of scrimmage; the umpires, who monitor actions that happen around the line of scrimmage and specifically the area to the left of the QB to start; and the last group comprised of the referees, who are the captains of the unit and monitor actions to the right of the QB as well as the QB.

Each of these groups have position coaches, who are retired officials who help monitor and grade the groups throughout the year. Many fans may not know that every play in every game is evaluated by two evaluators. Every flag that is thrown is judged and given a grade on whether it was a good call or not. The officials get a scorecard after each game on how well they did.

In the first meeting, the line of scrimmage officials talked through their mechanics for how to measure illegal contact on receivers after five yards, one of the biggest changes to our rules this year. The linesman will put one foot on the line of scrimmage and the other foot will straddle the next yard line. This is to help everyone, especially the officials to see the line of scrimmage as well as the neutral zone. It will help them with monitoring receivers being past the line of scrimmage as well as all other crossing neutral zone infractions. So if fans want to slow down the games using the PVR to see whether the opponent’s receiver is offside, you know what to look at on the screen.

The sideline official’s foot that is farthest away from the offence, on the line one yard past the line of scrimmage. The officials will use a way of counting the lines to help them judge the five yards acceptable for contacting a receiver. Big line plus or minus, is the term used. For example, if they place their line of scrimmage foot on a line two yards away from a big line (every five yards) you would find the next big line and subtract two. That would give them a visual cue to follow as the play develops.

A lot of time was spent communicating what was legal and not legal after the five- yard stripes. Watching these men trying to simulate running routes was too much for me, so I had to fire one of the guys simulating a receiver and go up myself to play receiver to get an understanding.

In the afternoon, I sat in with the referees to listen to them review their mechanics and look at some film from the previous year to stimulate conversation. The first item for them was to make sure they were all on the same page for how to start the play when teams want to play fast without huddling. We then watched a lot of contacting and roughing the kicker plays from the previous season, making sure we were all on the same page on how they ruled it. The official’s supervisors try to pick very difficult plays to judge from the previous season. It fosters good conversation and helps them make sure they are on the same page. Even the details about how to announce some of the new penalties during the game were addressed.

Friday night, the officials studied the rules in groups in preparation for the following day. Saturday was test day in the morning with everyone taking a test that was written up by Andre Proulx, veteran CFL referee. I also took the test and assure you it was extremely difficult.

TSN.ca will give readers a chance to take the Officials Test in Paul’s column next week.

After the test, they went through various video clips showing the standards for certain penalties in the league. Roughing the passer, illegal contact, and horse collar tackle were just some of the things addressed.

I truly believe that it is harder to officiate in this league than the NFL because of the motions involved as well as the extra receivers. As receivers motion and move to different spots on the field, the officials have to switch off who has who in coverage. The field judge has the third receiver, but what happens when right before the snap they are moving to a stack? The two officials have to sort it out and be on the same page to have coverage. Many more clips on illegal contact were seen, and remember, if the defensive back restricts, redirects or impedes the receiver after five yards, a flag will be thrown this year.

Glen was preaching to his guys “don't officiate air,” “nothing in your area get your eyes somewhere else to help out,” “officiate what needs to be officiated,” “officiate the threat,” and “don’t be a robot out there.” There was even a conversation about how to deal with angry coaches like me yelling at them all game.

This year a greater focus has been established to speed up their processes so they can be seen less when infractions happen. They are also using a communication system to communicate with each other and the replay booth in Toronto. They are interested in making the game as smooth as possible without stoppages in play.

After being with the officials for two days and many years working with them, I can tell you that they are passionate about the same thing the fans are: the CFL. That they are very prepared and knowledgeable about their craft and spend large amounts of time working their craft even though it is not their full time job. They have to make decisions in split seconds in what I believe is the hardest football league to officiate. They are interested in making the game as smooth as possible. They will make mistakes just like our favourite coaches and players do every week, but they are held accountable and work at correcting them. As this season progresses, make sure that we also give them the respect that they deserve.

COMMUNICATIONS “Dealing with Coaches, Players and Crews

Communication Guidelines and Principles  In every situation on the field any official may have information that is pertinent.  Choose your words carefully. Any communication can be misinterpreted or his heard.  Do not let emotions be seen. Look composed even if you aren’t.  Do not threaten or attempt to intimidate.  Your striped shirt does not grant you immunity from criticism.  Expect it. Accept it. Don’t waste time trying to justify your calls.  Provide the opportunity for communication from others. Listen.  You cannot shut out communication. How you deal with it is all you can control.  Be approachable. Respond to all reasonable requests for information.  Don’t antagonize. Walk away if necessary.  Do not belittle, berate, or demean players, coaches, or other officials.  Guard against making unsolicited, off-handed comments or gestures, even in an attempt to be humourous.  Exercise the authority that your striped shirt bestows upon you but do not flaunt it or show off.  Be honest if you want to build trust and credibility  Be professional – human but business-like.

 Football is an emotional game. Expect emotional outbursts. Don’t be surprised by it. Try to contain it where you can. But don’t overreact.  A look can be more effective than a word.  Don’t create doubt by communicating irrelevant information.  Your flag is there to signal fouls not send messages.  Raise your voice to be heard not to strengthen your position.

APPLICATION OF COMMUNICATION SKILLS:

Conflicts on the Field:

Player and Player: • Physical presence • Whistle • Voice • Diversion of attention from player to you • Listen • Escort service

Coach and Official: • Avoid conflict • Carry on normal duties • Move away • Listen for pertinent information • Listen for reasonable request for information • Avoid debate or argument • Give coach time to cool out • Divert coaches’ attention (calmly) • Extricate ‘target’ official • Resume normal voice level talk with coach

Overruled Calls: • Difference of opinion • Objective – get it right! • All voices heard • Base decision on knowledge and observation not intuition and feeling

• Fact finding mission

The Bad Call: • Move on – re-load • Re-focus your concentration • Resume pre- snap duties • Don’t try to sell the bad call • Take the criticism you just earned

Communication with Coaches: • Pre-game meeting is the foundation • Explain the out-of-the-ordinary • Respond to all reasonable requests for information • Avoid debate or argument • Don’t allow coaches to interfere with the conduct of the game. Coaches manage their team. Officials manage the game. • “Coach, I hear you.” • Admit your mistake • Help your partner move on

Players out of Control: • Establish presence • Divert attention • Talk to him • Escort him away • Listen to his complaints and concerns • Solicit the captain’s assistance • Do not threaten • Flag as warranted

GET INTO GOOD HABITS: • Be aware that all your actions convey messages. • The perception that others have of you as an official is impacted by how and what you communicate. • Review and evaluate your officiating performance in terms of communication effectiveness. Make changes where necessary. • When you have information, find a way to communicate it. • When you don’t have enough information, find a way to communicate your need. • Avoid unnecessary communication.

• Use communication to inform, encourage and motivate. • Follow standard procedures for information transfer religiously. Don’t take things for granted. There are reasons why we communicate downs, goal-line situations, distance required, ‘hold’ or ‘go’ clock situations, etc. We are not only sharing pertinent information, but also conveying our readiness for the next play.

Co-editor Rob”s Corner Topic of the month This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. I don’t even play a lawyer on TV.

If It’s Broken, Can You Fix It? By Patrick Rosenow – Referee Magazine

One of the hazards of being a sports official is that you quickly become an expert consultant to your friends when they have a question about a rule or play, even if it doesn’t involve a sport you officiate. If you are also a lawyer, it can be even worse.

A number of years ago I was at a high school fundraiser when I heard, “Hey, Pat, you’re a referee, aren’t you?” I said yes, bu added that they were talking about soccer and I have only officiated basketball. No matter to the though, because for officiating “civilians,” one referee is as god as another. “Besides,” they said, “you’re a lawyer.”

Turn out the discussion was an interesting one that really went beyond a specific sport. One of them had a daughter who was a start striker as a junior and getting her share of D-I recruiting love. Her team had just played in a state finals and won, in spite of the fact that she fractured her arm during the game. It was the circumstance surrounding that fracture that led them to invite me into the conversation.

They explained that the final, as you might expect, was a much anticipated match between tow powerhouse girls’ soccer programs. One of the kids from the other team had a cast on her arm. In the course of the game, that girl swung her arm and struck the sat striker. The move wasn’t intentional or even a foul.

Apparently there was some covering on the cast although it wasn’t clear exactly how much and what kind. There as a picture of the player with the cast and it certainly didn’t look like she had any form or other padding or cushion on it. In any event, the covering wasn’t enough to stop the cast from breaking an opponent’s arm.

At the time, the striker was in quite a bit of pain, but didn’t know the arm was broken and was able to finish the game, although her efforts to guard her injured arm severely limited her effectiveness. The fact that her team won anyway dulled the pain for a while after the game, but she eventually ended up at an orthopaedist. He diagnosed the broken arm and explained that she was going to be out of soccer for a while. That was very bad news because although the high school season may have been over, she would miss the upcoming club season, during which she had hoped to showcase her talents.

So, the group’s questions for me were pretty obvious – as an official, did I think the girl with the cast should have been allowed to play? And if not, as a lawyer, who did I think would be liable for the injured girl’s medical bills, pain and lost scholarship opportunities? (some of these issues are American specific)

I first cautioned them that while I knew the rule about wearing a cast for basketball, I didn’t know if soccer had the same rule> (All NFHS sports have the same base rule – casts must be covered with ½ inch of slow recovery foam.) I then said soccer referees have the same responsibility to make sure no player is allowed to play with equipment that unreasonably endangers another. The group also complained that they didn’t see the referee in the title game do the same equipment check usually done by other referees.

I responded that chances were very good that the referee chosen by the state to work the final was considered to be one of the best and it was very unlikely that he did no know the rules. I also conceded that it was possible that because of the high level and high stakes of the match, the referee didn’t want to start of by excluding one of a team’s better players, preferring to trust that the coach would not send a player out with an inadequately cushioned cast. We all have seen official shrink

18 from the tough call in crunch time under the guise of not wanting to take the game away from the players. (let’s let the players decide the outcome)

I didn’t know if that was the case in that game, but based just on what I could see from the picture and the descriptions of folks who were there, it seemed like it might have been. If so, the coach would be the first offender for wanting to win so badly she was will to break the rules and jeopardize the kids playing the game. If the official didn’t check because he didn’t wan to alienate half of the crowd and wreck the match even before it started, he was turning a blind eye to the rules. More importantly, he would have abandoned hi responsibility to the girl that got hurt and could have cost her a chance to earn a college scholarship.

For all the talking we do about liability of officials, it’s pretty rare to have a case where one ends up at significant legal risk. But if an official fails to enforce equipment rules and a player gets hurt as result, the official could be on the wrong side of a lawsuit. Of course, the folks at the fundraiser were not totally unbiased witnesses, but if what they said was true, the official in that game could have easily found his name on a complaint next to that of the parts of the player wit the cast, her coach and the state high school athletic association.

The fact that the official was probably one of the best and knew the rules almost makes it worse. Of course, the outcome might be the same, but it’s hard to fault someone who didn’t know how to do the right thing that someone who knew but wouldn’t. A state final, for most of us, is a relatively “big stage.” I suspect the same can be said for almost anyone with a whistle, whether it’s their first NCAA tournament game, an NFL playoff game or a FIFA qualifier. We don’t want to get out of our comfort zone and have to confront a coach who rns a big-time program and has gotten that game. Bu if it’s necessary, that’s exactly what we’re paid to do. Whether it’s a rec league championship, junior high tournament final or even a BCS Bowl game, big-time stages demand big-time officials who don’t shrink from the moment.

This is just a suggestion in order to reduce our liability: In order for a player to participate, any hard substance in its final form such as leather, rubber, plastic, plaster, or fibreglass when worn on the hand, wrist, forearm, or elbow must be covered on all exterior surfaces with no less than ½-inch thick, high- density, closed-cell polyurethane, or an alternate material of the same minimum thickness and similar properties to protect an injury as directed in writing by a licensed medical physician.

Communication with players and teams

Artist:Moore, Steve

The Real Reason Referees Wear Stripes

Posted 015-06-17

Editor comment: Example why officials ‘jersey changed over time. Perception from appearance is a key factor as to judging a person competency.

A common colloquialism used to describe a referee in a variety of sports is “zebra” because of the obvious connections between the man/woman in charge of the gameplay and the hoofed creature whose stripes are unique to each individual animal. While the styles of referee uniforms have evolved over the years, major American sports leagues like the NHL and NFL continue to use the classic, striped pattern to differentiate the officials from the players (despite the obvious size and strength attributes). As we’ve learned in the past, each “common practice/occurrence” we deem as the accepted norm stems from curious origins – and the referees’ stripe-laden uniform is no different.

In the early days of football, referees wore white, dress shirts, bow ties and beret- style hats to add an air of authoritative control to competition. White signaled purity and an unbiased attitude – which is what one hopes they’re getting when the fate of a game boils down to the judgement of one/a few people. As The New York Times noted, “The trouble was that some teams also dressed in white, including a group of Arizona football players. In 1920, a quarterback passed a ball to a referee named Lloyd Olds, after mistaking his white shirt for a team uniform. The mix-up so bothered Olds, [so] he appealed to a friend — George Moe, proprietor of a sporting goods store — to make an eye-catching shirt that would set him apart from the players.”

According to Slate, “Olds figured this white-on-white confusion could be avoided if officials wore stripes – which he first wore while working the 1921 Michigan state high-school basketball championships. As Olds continued to wear stripes while officiating in several different sports, the idea spread rapidly throughout the world of high-school and collegiate athletics.”

The pro leagues began the slow transition soon after. By 1945, the NFL went to the standard black-white design – the same year officials began wearing uniform numbers, the NHL’s refs and linesmen ditched their beige sweaters for stripes by 1950. The NBA temporarily went to black-and-white striping in the early 1950s, but by 1971 they were wearing short-sleeved gray shirts similar to those they wear now.

Lloyd Olds went on to teach at Eastern Michigan University from 1921 to 1963 where he was the track coach and director of the intramural program – adopting the philosophy, “Athletics for Everyone.” He passed away on December 2, 1982 at the age of 90. After learning of Olds’ death Eugene Beatty, a former student, said, “When you live to be 90 years old and do as many things as Lloyd Olds did, well, you just thank God. Prior to passing, Olds once remarked on what he thought to be his own anonymity: ‘If I had been a celebrity like Arnold Palmer, I might have gotten my name on the shirt.’”

BBAACCKK TTOO TTHHEE FFIIEELLDD The May,2009 EOTFOA newsletter recently featured an article on how to work with Stick crews Working with the Stick Crew

The Headlines man (HL) has responsibility for the downs box and the sticks. Regardless of the level of ball and the supposed expertise of the stick crew, the HL should have a set pre-game routine that he or she goes through with the crew. You may be able to modify your pre-game speech but what you want to cut out should come with experience. What you cut out of your pre-game is done so at your peril.

Pregame Introduce yourself to the stick crew, and learn their names before the game starts. By addressing folks by their name, you solicit a much better response than hollering’ Hey you, you on the downs box”. Inspect the chains to ensure they are 10 yards long, according to the field markings, ensure the numbers on the downs box are easily turned and ensure that the 5 yard point on the chain (mid-point) is marked clearly. (The 5 yard mark needs to be marked to save time. If you have a second down and a little under 5 yards to go and the defense goes offside, the HL looks really good when he lets the Referee know that the downs box is past the tape and the penalty awards a first down to Team A or conversely, the downs box was just behind the tape making the 5 yard penalty a 2 down with only a few inches to go)

 The stick crew needs to know the importance of their job. They need to concentrate on the game in front of them. It may be difficult to control cheering and enthusiasm from some parent volunteers but you should emphasize that they are part of the officiating team. For younger stick crews, like high school students, you need to emphasize that they have to pay attention to the game and not socialize while the game is ongoing. This is for their benefit.  The stick crew needs to be aware of safety, both theirs and the players. They should error on the side of caution and drop the sticks to the ground as the play approaches. Emphasize dropping the sticks to the ground rather than holding the sticks on an angle.  Check with the Referee before the game starts and before you talk with the stick crew how your crew will handle switching the number on the downs box. Ensure that the referee, the headlines man and the downs box person are all reacting to the same direction. For example, most referees expect the downs box to change when they give the signal for the next down. It is embarrassing for all concerned for the downs box person to flip the

numbers too quickly or await the Headlines men signal while the Referee is signaling the next down. This should be sorted out before the game starts.

The Game is On!  Placing of the sticks and downs box is critical in order that coaches, players and officials know what down it is. The downs box has to be in front of the trailing stick when set for a first down. Recommend that the downs box be set first and the stick behind the downs box. When working with a new crew, it may be beneficial to go right to the sidelines and assist with the placing of the downs box and sticks for the first few sequences. Note that if you do go to the sideline, especially in a three man crew, do not stay tied to the sideline while the ball is scrimmaged on the far hash mark or the play goes away for you. Read the play, react and assist in ball spotting and ball relay.  The downs box person should be briefed not to move when a penalty flag has been thrown. The downs box person is an excellent check if the referee has missed a flag. Once penalty options have been given, the HL is an independent check that the Umpire has marched off the correct distance. A 5 yard penalty against the defense should award the offense 5 yards, not 4 or six yards. Again, each crew may handle this differently. The HL needs to confirm with the Umpire how penalties are to be applied. The recommended way would be to have the downs box person remain at the original line of scrimmage. The Umpire should go to the LOS where the ball was originally scrimmaged and indicate to the HL and the downs box that the distance and the direction. The Umpire should then move to the next spot with the ball. Concurrently, the HL and downs box person should be moving to the designated position, placing the downs box and then looking into to confirm that the Umpire has the ball at the correct location.

By having the Umpire march off the penalty and the HL march of the penalty independently, there is a better chance that the crew does not mistakenly misapply a penalty distance.

Measurements  Measurements are one of the times the stick crew gets noticed. First of all, in order to have measurements on the field, the field needs to have parallel lines marked on the field. Part of the pregame is for the HL to check the lines, if they exist and ascertain with the Referee if there will be measurements (Some High School fields may be so poorly marked that measurements are impossible.) Cover this with the coaches before the game starts.  Measurements can be used with the aid of a clip. How the clip is going to be used and by whom will depend on the maturity, knowledge and skills of the stick crew and the HL. All officials assigned as a HL must have a clip and it has to be with them when they go on the field.  Ascertain if the stick crew is “with it enough’ to be able to clip the chain on the back yard line each time the sticks are repositioned. If not, attempt to get the stick crew to remember which yardage line they were on in case they have to reset the sticks.  If the stick crew is not capable of working with the clip, the HL should clip the back line when a measurement is required. The HL will need to pick up the chain with the clip between his fingers in case some one steps on the chains when you are carrying them in.

End of 1st or 3rd quarter.  More mistakes are made at repositions the chains at the end of the 1st and 3rd periods. Take your time. Unless there is a new first down and you are aware that the sticks will be set at the 45 yard line going in, take a few extra seconds. Get the downs box to

move to the position of the ball and make sure you take note of where everything is. If it is going to be 2nd and 8 from 23 yard line, going in and the clip is on 25 yard line, ensure the stick crew and the referee know this information. Pick up the chain at the clip or the back line, (25 yard line) and have the trailing stick person move with you as you past the forward stick person. You then progress down the field to 25 yard line and replace the clip, stretch the chains and make sure the downs box is positioned on the front of the ball on the 23 yard line.  Remember, the downs box is always aligned with the forward point of the ball. If the chains need to be picked up, grasp the chain at the back (or trailing) edge of the back line and make sure when the chain is repositioned, that you use the back edge.

Post Game

 Remember get your clip if it was used. Thank your stick crew by name. The good will you create during this game will pay dividends later on. You may get the same crew later on this season or in the future. Also, if you have made a favorable impression, we may have a potential new football official in the next few years.  The “Chain Gang” can be a forgotten part of the officiating team. They are taken for granted until we loose track of a down or they move to quickly and we lost track of the last point of scrimmage. We need to work diligently, on every play to keep the “chain guy” in the game.  the easiest way to foul up a good football game is for the HL to assume that the stick crew, because they are members of our association, know exactly what you want them to do. We are all individuals and have our own view of how things are done. Sorting out the small things is the rationale for the pre-game.

Stick Crew Expectations.  For “chain gangs”: If you are assigned positions on the sidelines and your HL is not giving you a pregame, ask him or her. Make sure you are at the field and properly attired when the on field officials come onto the field. This will give you sufficient time to get your equipment checked and work with the HL to sort out how you can be even more helpful in the smooth running of the football game.

Timing Rules and Mechanics Reprint from F&T Volume 5 Issue 2 February 2011Bob Madams MFOA assignor

Over the past season served as a game day observer Bob filed the following on clock control and the role of the officials in supporting the Timekeeper( article has modified to apply to all FOAs.) I would like to remind all on field officials of some concerns with the timers and the method of timing. I would like to begin by saying I have the utmost respect and confidence in our timers and their knowledge of the timing rules. Unfortunately many of our on field officials simply do not know the timing rules and if they do, they do not follow proper mechanics. Two examples : 1) An official throws his flag, but does not signal time out as he runs in to the ref. No one signals time out and clock runs. 2) It is third down and short yardage, ball

27 carrier runs into the line, it is close and officials gather in close to see if first down is made. It’s not, ball changes over and no one waves time out and the clock runs. In both cases the timer did the correct mechanic since no official has stopped the clock. The timer should not be put in the position of interpreting when and why the clock should stop. That is the job of the on field officials and the Referee in particular. The timer only presses the clock button to start or stop the clock on the signal of the official, with rare exception. Recommendation to all officials, review the timing rules and the applicable mechanics before your game .If you wish to review the timing rules they are in the rule book, (page 4 and 5). If you wish to discuss timing rules call a mentor or someone in your FOA (game day observer) who can help clear up your concerns It is imperative that each official understands and use proper mechanics regarding timing. If you throw a penalty flag, after the play has terminated, your 1st duty is to stop the clock by waving time out. 10 Referee's, if a member approaches you with a penalty, check to see if the clock is stopped or running. If it is running, just signal the timer to stop the clock and remind the official to wave time out if he has any further penalties On short yardage plays (other than the last 3 minutes of the 2nd and 4th quarters), time does not stop until the Referee determines if Team A has been stopped from gaining a 1st down. If Team A has been stopped, the Referee waves time out. If the Referee decides a measurement is needed, the Referee stops the clock. If yards were gained, the clock runs. In the last 3 minutes, the official blowing his whistle, and anyone in the proximity of the play should wave time out on every play. The official 50 yards away or on the opposite side of the field does not need to wave time out. On an incomplete pass, the clock stops upon the official blowing his whistle and signaling i/c (incomplete). You may wish to review rule 6 of the rulebook (Page 41) to learn when time stops on an i/c forward pass. (Hint: It is not when a pass goes over the receivers head) The timers have been instructed to follow the signals of the on field officials, but we need to supply those signals quickly and properly to the timers so they can press the clock button if need be. In some games we are putting the timers in a position where they must decide when the time starts and stops, and that is just plain wrong.

Dealing with Coaches and

Sideline Control http://cosfoa.com/ Training and game resources

Colorado Springs football Association

Accept that by the very nature of the game, there will be numerous instances for the potential of volatile situations to surface. Your continual focus must be to communicate in all scenarios

Before the Game Begins Make an effort to get to “know” the coach (his personality, his overall demeanor, etc) You can ask another official who has had this coach before

Establish a rapport before the game without causing concern with the opposing coaching staff Establish the same rapport with the other Head Coach - try to spend equal time

Establish ground rules for sideline control

Speaking with Coaches  Never call coaches by their first names  Don’t say too much too soon - -This is an IMPORTANT axiom to follow -Ears cannot get you in trouble but your mouth can -“Silence cannot be misquoted”

 Be careful about using humor. It might help but be careful

Is the Coach asking a Question or Making a Comment?  A comment does not require an answer unless it is a bad comment about you or the crew

 The person asking the question controls the conversation

 If you are not sure how to answer a question, make the coach repeat it

 If a coach asks for information, make every effort to get the CORRECT information to him as soon as possible

Acknowledge the Coach  “Coach, what is your concern?”

 "I hear what you're saying"

 "I understand"

 "I see what you mean”

Getting the Head Coach’s Help If there is a problem with players and/or team personnel being out of

35 the team area or other situations, GO DIRECTLY TO THE HEAD COACH

Body Language  Look the coach in the eye – do not stare but do make eye contact  If a coach moves toward you to "get in your face," pivot sideways so you are shoulder-to- shoulder to him

 Be aware of body posture, facial expressions, head tilt and arm positions  Don't use your hands when talking to a coach  Don’t touch a coach or player

If You Make a Mistake…

 …Admit it  A simple apology is sufficient Do not elaborate or rationalize or make excuses

 “If that’s what happened, we missed it” If

the Coach is Aggressive

 NEVER meet emotion with emotion – take a deep breath

 When coaches raise their voice, lower yours  Sooth rather than incite - try to diffuse a hostile situation by using your best people skills  Make warnings deliberate and tactful The point of no return will be “DO YOU WANT TO REPEAT WHAT YOU SAID?” If he does, flag it  Permit the coach to disengage. Nothing is gained by insisting on the last word

You and the Coach Differ

 What do you do/say when the coach continues to complain about the same foul? o “It had no effect on the outcome of the play” o “We are not the penalty police” o “Is this something you want us to call on both teams?"

Automatic UNS Foul by Coach or Player

 CHOKE SIGN and SIMILAR ACTIONS  Excessive and/or Vulgar Profanity that everyone can hear  Use of ethnic slurs

After a Confrontation  Recovery time

 How quickly do you recover when an adversarial situation or mistake has occurred?

Support Fellow Officials  Never betray partners by showing that you doubt their judgment o Indicate faith in your partner’s decision o “My partner had a good look” o “What did you see from way over here?”

Promote Sportsmanship Acknowledge a positive act by a player in front of his teammates and relay to the coach

Sideline Control  Use your “Get Back” coach  “Coach, I need you back please”

 “Coach, I’m coming your way” When play comes into sidelines (especially bench area), look out of bounds and follow (visually) players into bench area

 One official at spot and one official covering fringe area  When officials can touch one another, usually something is wrong  Keep space between you

Keep your Ego Under Control  It’s not about you!

 Remember, the reason we have officials is to make sure one team does not gain an advantage over the other team within the rules of the game

 Be a .300 hitter and not a .200 hitter

Communication ? Video Review

This latest addition of study group videos looks at

1) what to look for in DPI http://www.mhsaa.com/Officials/OfficialsVideoPlayer/TabId/911/VideoId/24...

2) Importance of keeping sideline s clear http://www.mhsaa.com/officials/officialsvideoplayer/videoid/222/sideline...

This set utilizes 2 video clips from Michigan High School Athletic Association. The video links will show the video clip and provide an explanation. 1) Pass Interference or Not? http://www.mhsaa.com/Officials/OfficialsVideoPlayer/TabId/911/VideoId/247/Defensive-Pass- Interference-Or-Not.aspx

On this play, we need to look closely at the defender's left arm that on the offensive player before the ball has arrives and then makes an impressive catch. What’s the call?

Secondary question check out the mechanics of the official covering the play 2) Sideline interference

In the NF HS football the importance of keeping the sidelines clear for officials is detailed with 3 levels of penalties. In our rules we don’t have specific rules for this but as you see in the video clip the importance of side officials establishing ownership of the sidelines with coaches and players. http://www.mhsaa.com/officials/officialsvideoplayer/videoid/222/sideline-interference.aspx

As you can see from this clip, personnel must be kept back as the HL has a difficult time covering the play and seeing the important elements of the play when ruling catch or no catch. Excellent judgment by the covering official of a catch. -

Football in the Olympics? by footballcanada · June 18, 2015

IFAF submits application for consideration in Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Photo credit: Herbert Kratky

Football is among 26 sports being considered for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee received applications from 26 International Federations (IFs) recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) including the International Federation of American Football (IFAF). Cities that host the Olympic games can ask for one or more sports to be included in their games. Japan has a lengthy football history including a highly developed university system (see history section below).

A panel will now review each application and establish a shortlist for a more in-depth review. The shortlist will be revealed on June 22.

Shortlisted candidates will be asked to submit further details as well as make a presentation in Tokyo in August.

After reviewing the applications, the panel will make its recommendations to the IOC by September 30.

The final decision will be made by the 129th IOC Session in Rio in August of 2016.

Other sports vying for spots in the 2020 Olympics include Karate, Men’s Baseball -Women’s Softball and Squash.

History of football in Japan

Japan boasts a storied football tradition. The Japan American Football Association (JAFA) was established in 1934 and consists of three different leagues; 64 corporate-sponsored semi-pro teams, 220 university teams, and 106 high school teams with a bowl game concluding each league.

The Koshien Bowl was established in 1947, making it the oldest championship game in Japanese football history. The bowl determines the collegiate champion featuring the top team in the east versus the best from the west.

The corporate-sponsored semi-pro league launched the Tokyo Super Bowl in 1987 as their title game, but today is called the Japan X Bowl.

In 1948, the Rice Bowl was developed as an East-West all-star game. In 1983, its status was changed in celebration of the 50th anniversary of American football in Japan. Now the Rice Bowl features the champions of the Koshien Bowl and the Japan X Bowl in determining Japan’s national champion.

The Japanese senior national team won the first even IFAF (International Federation of American Football) World Championship in Italy in 1999 and successfully defended the title four years later in Germany. In 2007 Japan lost the championship game on home soil to the United States.

Le Football aux Jeux Olympiques? by footballcanada · June 18, 2015 IFAF soumet une application pour les Jeux olympiques de 2020 à Tokyo

Le football est parmi les 26 sports envisagés pour les Jeux Olympiques de 2020 à Tokyo. Le Comité organisateur 2020 de Tokyo a reçu des demandes de 26 Fédérations

Internationales (FI) reconnue par le Comité International Olympique (CIO), y compris la Fédération internationale de football américain (IFAF). Les villes qui accueillent les Jeux olympiques peuvent demander un ou plusieurs sports à inclure dans leurs jeux.

Un panel va maintenant examiner chaque demande et établir une liste restreinte pour un examen plus approfondi. La liste sera révélée le 22 Juin.

Les candidats présélectionnés seront invités à soumettre de plus amples détails ainsi que de faire une présentation à Tokyo au mois d’août.

Suite à l’examen des demandes, le panel fera ses recommandations au CIO avant le 30 Septembre.

La décision finale sera prise par la 129e session du CIO à Rio au mois d’août 2016.

Les autres sports en lice pour les Jeux olympiques de 2020 comprennent le karaté, le softball féminin, le baseball masculin et le squash.

Historique du football au Japon

Le Japon bénéficie d’une tradition de football légendaire. L’Association de Football american japonaise (JAFA) a été créé en 1934 et se compose de trois ligues différentes; 64 équipes commandités par des entreprises semi-pro, 220 équipes universitaires, et 106 équipes d’écoles secondaires et match de championnat afin de conclure chaque ligue.

Le Koshien Bowl a été créé en 1947, le plus ancien match de championnat dans l’histoire du football japonais. Ce championnat détermine le champion collégiale avec la meilleure équipe dans l’Est contre le meilleur de l’ouest.

La ligue semi-pro commandité a lancé le Tokyo Super Bowl en 1987 en tant que leur match de championnat, aujourd’hui appelé le Japon X Bowl.

En 1948, le Rice Bowl a été développé comme un match des étoiles Est-Ouest. En 1983, son statut a été modifié dans la célébration du 50e anniversaire du football américain au Japon. Maintenant, le Rice Bowl présente les champions de la Koshien Bowl et le Japon X Bowl pour déterminer le champion national du Japon.

L’équipe nationale senior japonaise a remporté le premier Championnat du Monde de l’IFAF (Fédération internationale de football américain) en Italie en 1999 et a défendu avec succès le titre quatre ans plus tard en Allemagne. En 2007, le Japon a perdu le match de championnat contre les États-Unis à domicile.

Football Canada 100 – 2255, boul. St. Laurent Ottawa, ON K1G 4K3 Telephone : 613-564-0003 Fax: 613-

564-6309 [email protected]

Contacts Rose-Anne Joly General inquiries Administrative Coordinator: [email protected] ext: 221

Shannon Donovan Executive Director: Operations, events, competitions, officials, finance [email protected] ext: 225

Aaron Geisler JPD, 6-A-Side, Flag Football, Aboriginal programs, NCCP Technical Coordinator: [email protected] ext: 227

Patrick DeLottinville Communications Coordinator

[email protected]

ext: 226

Tamara Hinic [email protected]

Event Coordinator ext. 222

Jean François Lefebvre, [email protected]

Manager, Program Development ext. 228

Chris Flynn Director of sponsorship [email protected].