Thread: Rookie
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Old Thu Aug 18, 2016, 11:11am
Welpe Welpe is offline
Archaic Power Monger
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 5,983
There is tons of advice I could give but you being an official already will give you a good idea of how to carry yourself on the field. I will emphasize that just like in basketball, our job does not stop when the play is over. Dead ball officiating is just as important in football.

Another thing that travels over well from basketball is not being a ball hawk. You need to have a general awareness of where the ball is but you need to ensure you're focusing on your area so that things don't get missed. This is especially true if you're cleaning up a play from behind. Don't focus on the ball carrier, focus on all of the players trailing the play. That's when the cheapshots happen.

Lastly, the whistle should never actually kill the play, only announce that it is already over. The point behind that is: Do not blow your whistle until you know the ball is dead. If you see a runner down but have no idea if he has the ball in his possession, don't blow it dead. It may be loose and bouncing around. You will want to use the whistle to protect the players and that's fine to a point but even young kids seem to have a good understanding when the play is over. Don't be too quick to blow the whistle.

I don't want to overwhelm you with information so if you want to know more, keep asking! And welcome to the prolate spheroid game.
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