Just as the CCA mechanics are about to be used, are you allowed to, or do you dare to, use those mechanics in a high school game?

I'm not sure I completely follow the question, mick. Are you saying that MI is about to start using college mechanics for its HS games?

Either way, I don't use my college mechanics in my HS games, with very minor exceptions. I use two fingers to point direction, instead of open palm. And when there are cheerleaders all over the court, I go to the blocks for TOs. Of course, that's now the FED mechanic, too. But that's about it.

CCA Mechanics
 

In our organization we impress the fact that if you're doing a HS game then HS mechanics should be followed. There are only about 15 of us doing college and if you get two of us on the same HS game, well you will probably see some CCA mechanics sneak in.

Some of the mechanics changes for the college game have been extremely positive and I'd love to see them in the HS game.

(1) Coming tableside when reporting is great. You are right there to handle subs, answer questions from coaches, and not look like you are running away after reporting. That said, I think it will be a cold day in he11 before the NFHS adopts this mechanic. They are afraid of letting officials interact with coaches.

(2) Not putting the hand up on an out of bounds call -- a whistle should be enough of a signal for the timer to stop the clock. It's as bad as the SEC football refs signalling time out after an incomplete pass.

(3) I like the counting style of the women's mechanics for throw ins (the NBA mechanic) with no hand up keeping the clock stopped and chopping with the same hand.

(4) Walking and talking on foul reporting like in the women's game is great. It doesn't make the foul look like such a frantic event.

But, I will say this: When working HS games I try to use HS mechanics. Will I accidentally not put my hand up on an out of bounds call in a HS game the night after working a juco game? Probably. But I TRY to use the right mechanics for the right level.

Rich

Personally, I feel this is over-rated. Even if you don't come table-side after reporting, there's still somebody there for subs. And talking to the coach sounds good, but most coaches don't want to "ask questions". In the heat of a game, many just want to complain or beg for the next call. I've used the table-side mechanic in past years, and to be honest, it was absolutely great one time. Once.

And anybody who thinks you're "running away" isn't worth worrying about anyway.

I think it's probably the other way around. They're worried what the coaches will do if they have the calling official right in front of them. Without video at most games, it would be difficult to hold abusive coaches to account.

I think that's probably true. How many timers actually look for the raised hand?

Personal preference and style, obviously, but I don't really like it. I just think it looks kind of silly to be counting up around your head.

Again, in theory, I like this idea. I like the walk-and-talk b/c it looks more relaxed, more smooth, to me. But from a practical point of view, you have untrained kids as scorers, who may not know where to look or may not be as quick to pick up the calling official. Below the NCAA D1 level, I think running to the table probably is the best way to do it.

As always, JMO

Early after I started working both college and high school ball I was given this nugget of wisdom by a veteran official that I have a lot of trust in, "if you're good enough to work at more than one level, you're good enough to know more than one set of mechanics."

Since then I do my best to work high school games with the NFHS mechanics. The one that I'm the worst at remembering is out of bounds calls -- esepecially a bang-bang play -- I too often will not raise my hand in a high school game.

I was also just reminded at a HS clinic this weekend that we're not supposed to "punch" on a player control foul, just fist up, hand behind head and point -- doesn't sound too difficult, but after a lot of work in front of the mirror to get my "punch" to look right (after the team control rule put in last year in Women's NCAA) it's hard to remember to go back to the other.

While we're on the topic of CCA mechanics, did the men's foul reporting area change this year? The men's officials that I've seen have always done a bit of 'walk-and-talk,' but they usually come somewhat near the table. At our first exhibition game this year, the table got confused (in part) due to the fact that fouls were being reported from under the basket or across the court.

Complete rewrite of the 3 man mechanics - essentially calling official goes table side on all FC fouls and all fouls resulting in free throws. On a foul in the FC that reverses the ball or a foul in the BC officials do not switch at all (unless there are FTs). So walk & talk is OK since you're gonna keep moving in that direction. Also calling L to new T doesn't come all the way out since he's going back to where he started anyway.

[Edited by Dan_ref on Nov 12th, 2003 at 08:55 AM]