Things the Mechanics Manual Doesn't Tell You

[ilyazhito]

This is a thing that I notice as an official that concerns me: bad communication. It may be surprising that I am the one saying this, because I have Asperger Syndrome, a developmental disability that affects communication, but I have been confused whenever I see bad communication among officials and between officials and auxiliary personnel (no signals about last second shots (1 minute, my responsibility), fast reporting without being in the reporting area (often occurs when HS officials try to walk and talk), not confirming communication signals, putting the ball in play with substitutes at the table, not confirming count/game situation ,etc.). This is especially when it happens on crews where I work, because I might not know whether the other officials understood me when they do not respond. Bad communication often happens together with bad mechanics (not stopping the clock when required, not sweeping the floor, unapproved signals) and bad positioning. These three things result in officials making incorrect rulings.

Mechanics like pointing at the shot clock or 1 finger in the air might look ridiculous, but they exist to promote awareness of the game situation (10 seconds on the shot clock and under 1 minute on the game clock respectively). Being aware allows officials to be in good position, such as the Lead knowing what is happening and rotating in a rotation situation, and his partners picking him up. Stopping the clock is both a mechanic required by rule and an awareness mechanic, to ensure that officials and the game clock operator know that the game clock should stop (or not start). This is why I might be willing to compromise on HS vs college foul signals, but not on communication or on stopping the clock. Ifor you are working with me, and you want to use specific communication signals that are not in the (HS/college) mechanics book, or use these signals in a way other than what is written, let me know, so that I can adjust.