Please clarify the following.
What is the proper mechanic for stopping the clock when the ball goes out of bounds on your line? I have read that you have to put up your hand first to stop the clock and then point direction. I have also been told that we are not supposed to put our hand up and just point direction. I need some hard evidence to prove what is the correct way not what each official would like to do. Was it discussed at the NCAA clinics this year? If possible please quote references or links with references.
Thank you

CCA Men's BB Officiating Manual, Section 14 Out of Bounds(Page 43 0f 2005-06)
"Three distinct and separate movements may be made for an out-of-bounds call...
Stop the clock, point the direction, then indicate the throw-in spot."

Straight from the book for you.

Notice the key word MAY.

We have actually been given conflicting instructions on this issue. The rulebook has an appendix showing all the approved signals. The rulebook tells us that the stop clock signal may be omitted on an OOB violation. (NCAA 2006 rulebook, Appendix VII, BR-176.) This is actually a change from 2 or 3 years ago, when the rulebook said that there was no stop clock signal for an OOB violation (2003 NCAA rulebook).

However, in the '04-'05 CCA Men's Basketball Officiating Manual (Men's Crew of Three), page 25 says:

So what do we follow? The rulebook or the manual? The answer is you follow what your supervisor tells you. At the 2 camps that I attended this year, both run by D1 men's assignors, the assignors have told me that they want to see the stop clock signal. I'm quite certain that other assignors don't care. But since I'm trying to impress those assignors, guess what I do?

Just to throw in my two cents - in NCAA-W the mechanic is to just point the direction and not use the stop clock signal first.

So in NFHS is it required to use the stop clock mechanic when a ball goes OOB? Or do you just blow whistle and signal direction?

NFHS does require the stop clock signal before signaling direction.

Why?

To signal to the timer to stop the clock.

the whistle and an open hand on the violation is the correct mechanic to stop the clock, then you point.

Remember in NFHS and below you are dealing with amateur clock operators etc.,

In NCAA ball the clock operators are paid professionals who do it game after game after game.

So in NCAA games they know when to stop the clock, but in HS ball they need a little reminder.

Signals are an important part of officiating IMO and when you see an official with horrible signals it does reflect on the official to coaches and fans.

thanks
David

"Brevity is the soul of wit" -- William Shakespeare (Hamlet; Act 2, Scene 2)

<font size = -4>Wow, two Shakespeare references already today and it's not even 9:30 am!</font>

"Now we sit through Shakespeare in order to recognize the quotations." -- Orson Welles

"WTF?!" -- Dan_ref

I was going to claim "shut up" but "wtf" works too.

btw, shut up.