Too many basketball officials do not follow the rules and mechanics that are set forth by the NFHS. These officials seem to modify the NFHS basketball official’s manuals to their own interpretation of the rules/mechanic’s. Unless a state association and or a particular officials association have amended NFHS rules then we should all try to comply. The “2003-05 NFHS Basketball Officials Manual”, NFHS Publications 2003 has a section ‘Duties of Game Management’; it is written under the heading of Officials’ Pregame Protocol that an official may conduct two conferences or a single conference. Although this information refers to 3 person mechanics, #104 instructs a 2 person mechanic crew to read page 88 for conducting their pregame protocol. What has been written for two conferences is that officials shall begin at the 0:12:00 mark, get respective team captains. The Referee will introduce or cause introductions, he/she shall discus sporting behavior expectations, out of bounds line, team color and team basket to shoot at and to cover any other unusual situations. Later on at the 0:01:30 mark, the officials shall greet head coaches, address sporting behavior expectations, and check on legality of player equipment.

If I am not mistaken, these are guidelines not requirements. All states are different and all schools are different. It is not a law that these guidelines get followed. And if an official is that ridged, they will not have much success running these meetings.

Peace

The floor did not recognize JRutledge. You are out of order, sir.

Who are you? :rolleyes:

Peace

I think that WyMike is poking some fun at Johnny's strict interpretation of the mechanics for pregame conferences. I enjoy a bit of sarcasm now and then myself.

I do agree with JRut, the mechanics regarding pregame conferences are there for the officials to serve as guidelines. I don't think that they need to be strictly followed every single time in every situation. For example, we did something different in Delaware becuase we had a card that we had to read, and we greeted the coaches with the players, so there was no need for the intro at the 1:30 mark. In VA, we do it differently, and I prefer to meet the coaches at 2:00 personally. And what is to happen if one or both teams are in the locker room at the 12:00 min mark? The book says nothing about that. It doesn't seem to me that pregame conferences are high on the list of mechanics that should bear strict enforcement. As long as everything gets done, we should be good to go. Like JRut said, they are guidelines.

The IHSA requires us to have a pregame meeting with the coaches and players at the same time. Our state had this policy in place before the NF used put this in the mechanics book. If I am not mistaken, Mary Struckoff who was an Asst. Executive Director with the IHSA and over the Official's Department changed this before she left to go work with the NF as an Editor for the Basketball Rulebook. We are not instructed to have two separate meetings. We had a policy in place before the NF put their guidelines in the mechanics.

Peace

Johnny, regardless what the book says, I do what my assignor wants, and what is the general practice in this area. It's political folly to do otherwise.

Rainmaker, you should continue to be more submissive to your assignor. As I wrote initially, your association and not your assignor might alter the NFHS rules to best meet your interest and you should try to comply with it. I never wrote officials mechanics were to be followed only by what is written by NFHS. If all of you had comprehended my original topic and re-read the inside front cover of your '2003-05 NFHS Basketball Officials Manual', you will have better knowledge.

”This basketball official’s manual is based on procedures adopted for use by groups associated with the National Federation of State High School Association (NFHS). While the basic mechanics are similar, certain details must be flexible enough to accommodate conditions in each state and to permit improvement through experimentation. Hopefully, each state association can subscribe to and support the philosophies and procedures that are outlined in this manual.”

JRutledge, your mistake was a reference that NFHS basketball officials manual procedures are only guidelines and not procedures. A guideline will guide you through steps of a policy to conduct acceptable procedures. Usually these guidelines form acceptable rules to be used. There isn’t anything rigid about NFHS Officials Pregame Protocol. More than ever, it is noncomplex and light hearted in details.

Johnny, what's your gripe?

None whatsoever... But if you would read the original topic posted by stmaryrams, you might be able to understand me and others.

Have a pleasant day.

Then why didn't you post it under the "original topic posted by stmaryrams?" Wouldn't that have made more sense?

True.

That's been my point all along. Click and REPLY, not NEW TOPIC when you want to respond.

Yes but your previous points were not written nicely.

Juulie will tell you that in PBOA, the assignor is the association! ;)