Speaking of visible counts...

[JugglingReferee]

mick's comment that in some games, visible counts start and last longer got me thinking.

How do you admin your visible counts?

I see some officials have a hand motion extended as soon as a player touches the ball. I wonder if they're counting "zero" in their head. If I know they're new, I have no problem asking them about it.

I've often wondered that myself when watching some counts. I guess depending on the level of the players, some officials make a slower count than normal. I always try to be consistent in my timing when giving a visible count for my own benefit and practice.
That said, I always have at least a full second elapsed before I have my arm extended.

[mick]

Originally Posted by JugglingReferee

mick's comment that in some games, visible counts start and last longer got me thinking.

How do you admin your visible counts?

I see some officials have a hand motion extended as soon as a player touches the ball. I wonder if they're counting "zero" in their head. If I know they're new, I have no problem asking them about it.

When the ball is secured by the thrower, I start my my arm.
When my arm is extended at shoulder height, I have One.

[Mark Padgett]

When the ball is first touched, I drop my arm in front of me, kind of like I'm starting a "beat", then I bring it up and then out for the "one" count. It's almost like I'm counting as "and one" to start.

It's hard to describe. To visualize it properly, you'd have to see me.

Of course, if you watch enough episodes of "America's Most Wanted", eventually you'll see one with me in it.

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

When the ball is first touched, I drop my arm in front of me, kind of like I'm starting a "beat", then I bring it up and then out for the "one" count. It's almost like I'm counting as "and one" to start.

It's hard to describe. To visualize it properly, you'd have to see me.

Of course, if you watch enough episodes of "America's Most Wanted", eventually you'll see one with me in it.

Don't verbalize that when near one of the benches.

[mick]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

When the ball is first touched, I drop my arm in front of me, kind of like I'm starting a "beat", ....

...Too easy....

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by mick

...Too easy....

I knew it would be. But sometimes, you just have to give back to the community.

[boiseball]

to quote dave hall, "be dumb like a fox." He instructed us, and it makes sense to me, to be slow in starting your five count; his philosophy is that the sooner you start the count, the sooner you will get to five and have to call a violation; he wants to avoid having to call that kind of stuff, so he tries to be slow about getting the count going; coaches are not going to notice that, they just pay attention once a couple seconds go by and they do not see a count;

anyway, those were his thoughts on the issue