Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich
Some of you talk way more than I do. I likely say nothing at the spot and "red 25" at the table and nothing more. Signals do my talking.
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I say "Offense!" at the spot on a PC, every time. This is not a conscious decision on my part. It just seems to come out.
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I worked my first state tournament in March. Half a dozen guys in my association always make the "grand tour" of state sites, watching 1st-round games at the 1B/2B site in Spokane (where I was), semifinals of 1A/2A in Yakima, and finals of the big schools in Tacoma. One of these guys charts the fouls in every game he watches (including here) and makes comments on the sheet as the game goes on. This guy is a veteran official but not a playoff-level official, and his comments have a reputation for missing the point sometimes.
In my first game, I had a PC for a push-off as C in transition, maybe 10 feet into the frontcourt. Pretty easy call, the girl got her arm out in front and flattened the retreating defender.
Now, I'd been focusing for a month on perfect NFHS mechanics specifically for this tournament, because the observers who help determine the finalists are known to mark guys down for "that college shit". So when this foul happened: fist, hand behind head, yay! And then for some reason I punched instead of pointing. So...remembered to add the one, forgot to subtract the other.
(I like how it looked on film though!)
Well, the observer told me later "Great PC signal!" but the guy from my association wrote "NOT NFHS CHARGE MECHANIC" in giant letters on his little sheet. Left me chuckling.
(End of the story: got my final; head observer said my signals needed more personality but acknowledged that my "robotic" (his word) precision may have helped me get the game. Heh)