Things the Mechanics Manual Doesn't Tell You

[SC Official]

Originally Posted by ilyazhito

I might not need that personally, but it is the approved mechanic at the HS level. Plus, my partners need to know what I am doing, so it's helpful to give a little signal like that to them as a heads-up.

I spoke to a guy in my area who calls HS and NCAA ball...

I've worked college games where people signal at 1:00 and the OTO somehow indicates he has the last-second shot. I've worked high school games where no one does it or they do it differently. It really is not a big deal, and if you can't adjust to that then it's going to be a tough ride. It is one thing if you work a game where your partners are not switching correctly after fouls. This is something that is so minute in comparison. The reality is that there are few absolutes in officiating. Auxiliary/unapproved signals are one thing that varies greatly.

No one on this forum will tell you not to use approved mechanics. But if you are, for instance, giving a prelim on a hand check foul as the NFHS manual says, you are going to look pretty silly on the floor, especially at a camp. But if that is what the powers-that-be in your area want you to do, then by all means comply when you are working those games.