"Designated Spot" ???

[JBleach85]

The whole idea of keeping your hands away from your mouth is so that the score table can also visual see what you are verbally saying to them. Most of the time scorekeepers have been trained to look at the officials face to see the color and number. You association probably wants this done at all levels so it everyone, new and old, can get a feel for this.

I can see the point about "designated spot." I personally only use it in coming out of a time-out when a time is on the baseline because even if you don't have a made basketball before the timeout it is good to let the new offense know that they cannot run the baseline. On the sideline, I really don't see a point for it because there is no reason why a person should run on the sideline.

The main thing advice is just try it because this is what they want you to do. It is the way the mechanics are written and it has probably had been successful somewhere, so that is why they made a new mechanic for your association.

JB