Things the Mechanics Manual Doesn't Tell You

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by SC Official

I'm 99% sure the NFHS manual says the crew is supposed to hold up a finger at one minute, and at ~15 seconds the OTO is supposed to tap his/her chest.

I wouldn't put money on that 99% if I were you. I could be wrong, but I don't think there is any mention of that in the officials manual.

[LRZ]

Page 47 of the 2017-2018 NFHS Manual, 2-Ref system, 4.3.6 Last-Second Try for Goal: "Officials should communicate when there is one minute left in each quarter by raising one arm straight up above the head and extending one finger in the air."

Same language for 3-ref, page 81.

As for chest-thumping, see page 47 again: "The Trail official is responsible .... and should communicate this .... by signaling with the hand-on-chest signal when the game clock is near 15 seconds."

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by LRZ

Page 47 of the 20178-2018 NFHS Manual, 2-Ref system, 4.3.6 Last-Second Try for Goal: "Officials should communicate when there is one minute left in each quarter by raising one arm straight up above the head and extending one finger in the air."

Same language for 3-ref, page 81.

As for chest-thumping, see page 47 again: "The Trail official is responsible .... and should communicate this .... by signaling with the hand-on-chest signal when the game clock is near 15 seconds."

Great.

In the book I searched (I don't have the latest revision with me at work), it is not there, at least not in that form. It does talk about communicating but it doesn't say anything about raising the arm or thumping the chest. Must be a recent update.

Most people I know do those things, but I didn't realize they had added it to the book.

[LRZ]

"what are good sources to consult for philosophy?"

Try Husserl or Heidegger.

Seriously, you ought to stop pursuing these kinds of questions on the internet. Ask local refs whose work you respect, and learn how things are done where you work; don't you have local mentors? And learn how your assigners want things done. If you move to another state, repeat the process.

You've been posting here long enough to recognize that posters take different positions on a lot of this stuff. How does it help you to hear X say, "Do it this way," and Z, "No, do it that other way"? Philosophies of officiating may not travel well.

You don't need Philosophy of Refereeing 101, you need experience, which you can then process to devise your own philosophy, your own sense of what's important.

[ilyazhito]

Newsflash: The NFHS manual actually DOES say that, in both the 2-person and 3-person sections.
4.3.6. Last-Second Try for Goal:
... D. Making the Ruling:
1.Officials should communicate when there is one minute left in each quarter by raising one arm straight up above the head and extending one finger in the air.
2.The Trail official (2-person) is responsible for making the ruling on any last-second shot and should communicate this to his/her partner by signaling with the hand-on-chest signal when the game clock is near 15 seconds.
5.3.6.D (The 3-person Last-Second Try for Goal, Making the Ruling) is the same, except opposite side official (Trail or Center) replaces Trail.

AFAIK, how to judge contact is partially a function of knowing the rules and partially a function of experience/watching video on how similar plays are officiated, not necessarily a mechanics issue.

Supplemental books, like the "Basketball Officiating Mechanics Illustrated" and "The T: Technical Fouls at the Right Time in the Right Way", explain various stuff not covered in the standard manual (U's stand on the blocks for quarters, it does not matter where; calling official for technical fouls can go opposite the table; when to rotate;transition coverage), but how much do you actually find their suggestions useful in games?

On a different note, what are good sources to consult for philosophy? IMO, the casebook explains why certain plays should be ruled a certain way, but I don't know how much officials actually apply casebook interpretations to real game situations, just like officials sometimes go off the script set by the NFHS manual.

Do men's or women's college officials go off-script at their level as much as high school officials do? What other things might college officials do in addition to what the CCA books describe?

[SC Official]

Originally Posted by ilyazhito

AFAIK, how to judge contact is partially a function of knowing the rules and partially a function of experience/watching video on how similar plays are officiated, not necessarily a mechanics issue.

On a different note, what are good sources to consult for philosophy? IMO, the casebook explains why certain plays should be ruled a certain way, but I don't know how much officials actually apply casebook interpretations to real game situations, just like officials sometimes go off the script set by the NFHS manual.

1) Which is exactly why I said the manual can’t teach you good judgment. But part of good judgment is being in the right position, which the manual does have guidance for. But it’s very elementary and can only teach you so much.

2) Your assigners, veteran partners, camp clinicians, publications...many options. But you will have to learn to filter philosophical advice so you can get rid of the bad stuff.

Stop comparing everything to the mechanics manuals. As you work more you will learn that many officials haven’t read them in years. They keep up with the major changes but don’t have every detail from the current year’s manual memorized. And newsflash, assigners do not care if you can quote the entire manual from scratch if your playcalling sucks and you question everything you’re told.

My advice to you would be to listen way more and talk way less. Based on the way you post on this forum, the perception is that you are too concerned with trivial details to the extent that it overshadows the good advice you are receiving.

[BillyMac]

I'm certain that the IAABO Mechanics Manual has the hands on chest last second shot responsibility signal.

I'm fairly certain that the IAABO Mechanics Manual doesn't have any signal for nearing the end of a period. We're pretty much on our own, usually covered in the pregame conference. Many use the finger in the air. Some use pointing to the wrist, like a wrist watch. A few point to the clock.

I occasionally have a game (maybe once or twice a season) where the up and down court action is so intense, often with no whistles, that I may not look at the clock for a while. The action may be so intense that the players, coaches, and fans are concentrating on the court action and aren't paying attention to the clock, offering no clues.

And then, unexpectedly, the horn sounds, almost giving me another heart attack. I hate it when that happens.

If any of you are ever my partner, and the clock is winding down, feel free to give me the finger.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by ilyazhito

....

Do men's or women's college officials go off-script at their level as much as high school officials do? ...

Do you know how most times folks misuse the phrase "begging the question"?
Well you have the true definition of "begging the question". You're making an assumption that HS officials "go off script" a lot. But anyway, I digress.

Can you quit with the "how many times" and "how often" type questions? Ask about situations where some of us do not go by the manual and why. Give us a play you had and whether or not you handled it properly mechanically. Those type discussions will be a lot more beneficial (and interesting) than all these questions that have no true quantifiable answers.

[ilyazhito]

Foul signals are a situation where some high school officials go off script, because the approved signals are few and not descriptive enough (the block signal is supposed to be used for all types of impediment, but college has developed a specific signal to describe tripping, the kicked ball signal.). This is just one example of reasons why high school officials who do college as well might go off script.

High school and college have different procedures for throw-ins (no bouncing across the lane or across corners in HS, T and C adjust to L movements, and T administers all sideline throw-ins), so do college officials follow those procedures in HS games, or do they do things the college way (L administers endline and below-FTE throw-ins)?

[bob jenkins]

I try to use HS mechanics in a HS game and college mechanics in a college game.

Perhaps surprisingly, the most difficulty I have is with the three-point signals.

[SC Official]

Use high school mechanics in a high school game and college mechanics in a college game. I’m a former college official and work with college officials every season. We use the mechanics we are supposed to use, and incorporate variations where acceptable. If someone wants to punch on player control fouls, that is not something I care about, and in fact I do it myself on the prelim.

Again, this is not something you should lose sleep over. If college officials are incorporating “unapproved” mechanics in a HS game, that is between them and their assigner, and they are more than likely not trying to big time anyone. They probably either forgot or think they have a better way of doing something. It really is not that big of a deal.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by SC Official

If college officials are incorporating “unapproved” mechanics in a HS game, that is between them and their assigner ...

I have no doubt that this is a true statement in many, possibly most, areas.

However, here in my little corner of Connecticut, observers trained for the purpose of rating, as well as partner ratings (although to a more limited extent), also factor into the equation.

From out local board's rating guidelines: Utilizes proper mechanics, up-to-date techniques and procedures as detailed in the IAABO Officials Manual.

Mechanics make up 10% of one's rating.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I have no doubt that this is a true statement in many, possibly most, areas.

However, here in my little corner of Connecticut, observers trained for the purpose of rating, as well as partner ratings (although to a more limited extent), also factor into the equation.

From out local board's rating guidelines: Utilizes proper mechanics, up-to-date techniques and procedures as detailed in the IAABO Officials Manual.

Mechanics make up 10% of one's rating.

Which gets us to the question that ilyazhito *should have* asked -- he needs to use the mechanics that are important to the assigners at the level he is working (and that might be *all* mechanics; and it might include the "state" assigners as well as the "local" assigners, depending on the area -- and NO, thazt's not an invitation to say how games get assigned in the various leagues / state series in your area or all 50-states -- no one cares).

If he gets to the point where he only cares about some higher level (and I don't think he's there yet), he can use the *signalling* mechanics for the higher level and it's no big deal if the lower level assigner reduces his schedule. He still needs to use the *floor coverage* mechanics for the level he is working, or the game will suffer because his partners won't know what is going on.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I have no doubt that this is a true statement in many, possibly most, areas.

However, here in my little corner of Connecticut, observers trained for the purpose of rating, as well as partner ratings (although to a more limited extent), also factor into the equation.

From out local board's rating guidelines: Utilizes proper mechanics, up-to-date techniques and procedures as detailed in the IAABO Officials Manual.

Mechanics make up 10% of one's rating.

Who receives the ratings?

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