Quote:
Originally Posted by Brandon Kincer
Zip ties, Reading Glasses, Back up whistle?
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Zip Ties.
Every chain set of the teams I work has one of my (bright yellow) zip ties at its midpoint, easier to see than tape that gets dirty over time. So I can see where the down box is in comparison with the ziptie and know whether a 5yd penalty (eg offside) on the D gives us a 1st down or not. When the crew go round the horn with the down, HL adds the distance so that the white hat will know it too.
We try to stick to a set vocabulary for distance - inches, short, five, long, ten, two stakes. Very occasionally might use other exact distances, 15, 20 or 25, etc.
I also keep a black or white zip tie with me for repairing the chains if they break. I keep one inside the band of each of my hats, that way I never have to remember to take one out on the field - if I remember to wear a hat, I've got one with me. I've needed it several times so far in my career.
Backup whistle.
I always make sure I got two of everything out there with me - and that includes a whistle. Where do you put all this stuff? That's why officials pants have 4 pockets.
Reading glasses
Well in my case, I've worn regular glasses since I was a kid. Now I'm old, I get to wear varifocals.