Preliminary Signaling
 

Was talking with my partner last night about preliminary signaling. We were observed last night and one of the points brought up was that we need to do more of it. The powers that be where I'm from have made preliminary signaling a big deal. I've gotten better at it but obviously still not 100%.

Anyway, he does some JUCO basketball, and he said that they want NO preliminary signals. Is that consistent with your experience at that level or higher? What's the reasoning behind it?

I ask merely out of curiosity.

What's their definition of preliminary signaling?

For example: B1 fouls A1 as A1 goes up for a layup.

They want stop clock signal (closed fist of course), foul signal (push, block, etc), and what happens next (two shots). Then go to table and report.

I almost never give a preliminary unless it's a block/charge play. I always designate the number of shots or the spot of the throw-in before reporting though.

Is that for high school or college?


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High School. SC is not anal about many things. Giving a preliminary is not one of them.

Never heard that and I work JUCO and NAIA that is all governed mechanically by the CCA that produces the book. Do they make it a requirement? Not really, but we are go give some preliminary signals for things like a PC foul, birddog (optional), FF1 and FF2, count the basket or no basket. Is it required to give a "push" or "hold?" No it is not, but never heard anyone tell me or other officials that you cannot give one. Often a preliminary helps sell the call or describe immediately what the player did at the spot. Maybe this guy heard something at a camp and equated it to what is required across the board, which may or may not be what others are saying. Having been to many camps and heard many clinicians all over the Midwest and parts of the south, never heard anyone say you are not to give one in JUCO level specifically. And I also tend to work with D1 guys who I see use preliminary signals rather often when working all lower level college games.

Peace

I wish observers cared more about positioning and playcalling. I assign for 20+ schools and I couldn't care less if officials give a prelim.

Officiating is about all those things. And depending on the situation, they are looking for the "why nots" not the "why."

Peace

What Happens Next ???
 

I love it when my partner gives a good preliminary signal. That way, I know if it's a shooting foul, or a non-shooting foul, which tells me to start getting the players ready for a free throw, and to identify a shooter; or to get the players ready for a throwin at a spot indicted by my partner.

When a partner fails to give a good preliminary signal, I'm forced to guess, or wait until he gets to the reporting area to find out what happens next.

Around here, the "hit and run" (not giving a good preliminary signal) is high discouraged, and frowned upon.

I give the "two" every time. But whether it's a hack, a push, a hold or whatever means absolutely nothing at the spot of the foul.

Getting plays right is job 1.

That's not what a preliminary signal is.

I do agree with that, but part of the job is to convince everyone that we got the play right. And a big part of the job is are signals and when we give those signals. If the observers (everyone in the gym) has no idea what we had, it does not matter how much we actually got the play right. I have had coaches complain more about plays where we got right, but they did not see our signal and it got them even more upset.

I had a coach yesterday want an explanation on every call I made and if he would have paid attention to my presentation at the table, he would have seen and heard what I had. I am very descriptive at the table what I called and use my voice.

Peace

At the table I signal. We're all talking about the spot of the foul....where giving a preliminary signal on a garden variety foul is just not needed.

I know the difference, my point is that it is part of the package. No one says anything that it trumps getting the play right. But when we blow our whistle it matters what else we did or we would not raise out hand and we would only go to the table and report the foul.

Peace