I know most of you are old hands at three-person, but I've never done it. It's unlikely I'll be doing a three-person game anytime soon, but I was watching a game last night with three officials and I was just curious if there's any good place (online or otherwise) to get a good primer in the basics of three-person mechanics. It seemed very smooth the way the officials would rotate - I was just a little confused about the lead, and how he would slide almost from one sideline to the other.

Three-person is just a different animal for me, I'd just like to read something if there's something out there that puts it in simple language.

Here is a study aid that you might find useful.

http://shop.officiating.com/x/product/thibodeaux_dvd

Check out http://iaabo.org/PriceLists.htm for instructional CD-Rom that I think is a good tool. They also offer videos.

OverandBack,

Attend some camps this summer. That would be a great way to get more knowledge and understanding. Just because you are new does not mean you cannot learn. I learned 3 Person my first year and it helped me get games because I actually knew what I was doing in the system. You might find yourself filling in one day when someone does not show up or the weather gets bad and there is no official to cover. Go to as many as you can and you will be surprised what you would understand in a short period of time. Then you would also gain further exposure in your area and that will help you in the long run. Then when you watch these guys next year, you will have a greater understand of what they are doing and you will learn more yourself. It is never too early to learn 3 Person mechanics. BTW, things change every year too. All you really need is a basic understanding and adjust when they tell us to do something else within the system.

Peace

I've never done 3-man, but in watching it, I have this question: What causes the T and C to switch to C and T during the same possession?

The proper term is "rotation." The word "switching" is during dead ball periods or when the clock is simply stopped. Rotation is officials moving while the ball is active or live.

The Lead Official is the one that initiates the rotation based on where the ball is. The floor for the most part should be balanced with the Lead and the Trail on the same side of the floor with the ball. That is basically what you are seeing.

Peace

JR Thanks! That explains what I have been seeing.

Do not NOT NOT use Louisiana's manuals to study. They still put the C opposite the table and do NOT rotate during a live ball, EVER, EVER. It's like three-man, but from 1990.