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Originally Posted by Daryl H. Long
As far as giving the warning in the pregame conference: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER. The sideline warning can occur only after the game has started AND a team has violated the rule to be given the warning.
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These were not “formal” warnings. These were letting coaches know that sideline decorum was an emphasis from our state. The Football Administrator who is also on the NF Football Committee wanted coaches off the sideline and he wanted this addressed directly with the coaches. Several officials came up with the philosophy to address it in the pre-game meeting (the official I got the idea from is a State Final Official and a State Clinician). It worked pretty much every time. We still used sideline warnings, but because our state made such a big deal out of coaches being on the field, I did what I felt was the best thing to do. I was just trying to let the coach know so he would not be surprised and try to make an issue while the game is going on. After a sideline warning (during the game) we did not have a debate. The coaches would believe we were serious.
This technique worked out very well. BTW, I received my very first HS playoff game (As in X officials for those Illinois Officials reading this post) largely because of the way I enforced the sidelines in a game I was being observed as a fill in to a State Final crew. I was convinced he was serious how the officials enforced this rule.
Peace