The question about switching back and forth between 2-man and 3-man mechanics got me thinking about what states use mainly 2-man vs 3-man? For instance, I know Illinois is mainly 3 whistle for all varsity games. Missouri is mostly 2 whistle except for I believe Class 3,4 and 5 are using 3 whistle in the post season.

What does everyone else use?

MA is 2-whistle all the way through the season, including the state finals.

Wyoming is 2 whistle, and until this year, 3 whistle games were absolutely forbidden. This year our state association is allowing some limited use of 3 whistles during some holiday tournaments.

Kansas, In my area, we have been 3 person for about 8-10 years.

I Virginia I believe its 3 man only on the AAA Varsity level and tournaments/playoffs.

ND uses both for varsity. Depends upon the individual schools and leagues what they want to pay for. Smaller schools rarely use 3.

Texas.

Dropped three man for majority of districts this year. Money.

Some of the private schools continue to request and pay for 3 man.

Nebraska is 2 Whistle. A couple of Conference tourneys are experimenting with 3 this season.

Wisconsin is two whistle including the playoffs although there is some indications of going to three for the playoffs in the distant future.

Depends on what chapter your in Texas because most of the schools down here are paying for 3-Man. HISD still has 3 man for Boys and Girls Varsity while some of the more financially blessed school districts and schools dont want to pay for it. Ironically enough those are the school districts that do not use the chapter to assign middle school ball games. Some private schools pay for 3, some for 2. Depends on the school and how big of a game it is.

In Illinois.
 

3 Person for all playoff games.

3 Person in most conferences. Some do go 2 Person, but that is usually becoming uncommon.

Peace

In Ohio
 

the majority of boys varsity is now three-whistle. Most of the girls varsity is still two-whistle, but a few of the big-school leagues have now instituted three-whistles for girls varsity. All sub-varsity games are two-whistle.

in New Hampshire 2 person mostly--in state semi and finals three person

in WV

3 varsity/ most jv (depends if school can afford it (i think)

Rob: In northern VA, we use 3-whistle on all varsity games (AA & AAA). We don't do single A - think that is done by Bull Run or Quantico. We do some private schools, also 3-whistle,

Utah is 2 whistle, right through the state finals, I believe.

North Carolina - 3 man all season, all games.

it varies in MS
 

In MS our association uses mostly three man and all tournaments are three man.

Still some of the smaller schools will use two man on non-district contests.

But I still believe much of our state still uses two man during the season.

The state tournaments are all three man.

Thanks
DAvid

In Nevada it is 3-person for 4A.

In Maryland it depends on what the school/board wants.

The better question is who thinks we don't need 3-person and why? The athletes are getting faster, stronger and more sneaky/dirty. The coaches are getting more "big time." I think it is becoming more of a challenge doing games with 2 people. However, it is still fun no matter what!

in WA
 

Washington State uses 2 person right now. It appears that we may be switching soon to 3 person for at least districts and state tourny

In PA, at least in western PA, it's 3-whistle for most V and, I believe, JV level games all the way up to our district championships. It does depend on the district here.

[Edited by BigUmpJohn on Dec 23rd, 2003 at 11:24 PM]

Georgia uses crew of 3 for both girls & boys varisty games. Surprised that so many states use two different crewws for boys & girls varisty games. Do most officials work for just one side ?

Arizona
 

We are strictly 2-whistle at all levels until the state tournament. Those games are 3-whistle.

I'm out of the Pittsburgh area, and we never use 3-man for JV games.

Nevada is 3 whistle for large schools (4a) boys and girls.
All playoffs for all levels are 3 person.

What is interesting from the states listed that "Money" is sighted as the reason they do not want 3 whistles. Our association figured it costs a school less than $500 for a season to have an extra official.

Some of the schools are traveling out of state etc... to go to tournaments. Can they really sight "Money" as the main factor or is it some other reason?

I've been told that coaches here are resistant to the idea because it will mean using less qualified officials in higher level contests. Smaller, more rural schools especially feel they'll get the fuzzy end of the lollipop stick.

In San Diego, CA, certain tournaments during the regular season will have 3 whistle and a few regular season varsity contests will have 3 whistle if the 2 teams agree to it. All playoff games are 3 whistle. I'm not sure what the other parts of the state do.

All Oregon game under Federation, are two whistle. Period. There are a few summer tourneys that use modified Federation rules, and three whistle CCA. These are usually ref camps.

Re: it varies in MS
 

David: What part of MS? I grew up in Hattiesburg, went to county school (FCAHS in Brooklyn), and went to USM (class of '70).

In my association, a varsity official works both. We used to have separate commissioners, but did away with it about 3 years ago. We have some guys that work 90% boys and vice versa. My varsity schedule is almost exclusively girls and it doesn't bother me at all -- pay is the same. :D

SC uses 3-man for all varsity games. Locally, we use 3-man for JV, as well. Same officials call boys and girls games.

California is mostly 2-whistle, Montana is 2-whistle the entire season, although one district is experimenting with 3-whistle.

In Georgia are boys' and girls' on the same night? In PA boys are traditionally Tues/Fri and girls are Mon/Thur. We could use the same crew for both, but they'd have to sleep in the locker room. We send one crew to do the JV game, and then a different crew comes on for varsity.

I belong to an Association that services the H.S. boys games only. (Kennewick, WA)
If you want to belong to the girls Association than you simply sign up for that Association.
In our Top 10 list of officials we only have 2 guys that do both boys and girls Varsity games, 8 out of our Top 10 do boys games only.
We only do the boys games on the night of the games...the girls association assigns their own officials for the girls games, even though it is at the same school.

Just down the road at Yakima, WA...most of their officials work both sides, I believe.

RD

California
 

The state tourney in CA is all 3-person (top 8 teams from each of 5 divisions) for both genders. Some sectional championships are also using 3. During the regular season, most leagues use 2. It is really up to each individual league to decide how many officials they want (or more likely, how many they can afford).

We are discussing going back to the 2 whistle game, after several years of 3 whistle. The conference coaches we are officiating in is complaining that, as officials we are to worried about position, proper switching, but most of all missing calls. The coaches feel with a 3 whistle officials we are missing calls because officials will not call something out of our area even when we see something that should been called.

The #1 Complaint the coaches have is a response from an official. "I seen it coach, but is was not my area.

The #2 Complaint we become lazy and are not as in tune with the game. Officials have the tendency to lose consentration.

The #3 Complaint is with a 3 whistle crew the game has become more physical, because of the # of fouls missed and not called. Due to lack of consenration & will not call out of one's area.

They feel the two person crew is more in control and has a better eye for the game.

They always complain about those things.
 

CLAY,

Did anyone in your areas sit down with coaches and explain what the coverage areas are? Because you will never solve the "calling out of the area" problem (if you want to call that a problem) if the officials are doing their job properly. It seems to me the coaches need to educate themselves, because they are not going to get a better called game at the varsity level with 2 officials. Not with the size and strength these kids have today.

Peace

North Dakota uses 3-person for Class A games and 2-person for Class B games.