When to wind the clock?

[Adam]

I give them reasonable time to get to the benches. Unless someone is looking for dandelions on his way to the bench, they're generally all there before I have the timer start.

[VaTerp]

Honestly, I don't really take into account when the teams get to their benches. By the time I ask the coach if it's a full or a 30, turn around to inform my partners and the other coach of what kind of timeout we have, and report to the table I assume both teams are at their benches.

So I instruct the timer to start the clock on the TO as soon as I'm done reporting it to the table.

[stiffler3492]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

I give them reasonable time to get to the benches. Unless someone is looking for dandelions on his way to the bench, they're generally all there before I have the timer start.

That's what I've been doing. I'll take my time getting to the table to report.

[APG]

I'll give the players ample time to get to their team area. It usually doesn't take too long since the process of asking the coach for a 30/60 timeout and informing my partner allows the players time to get to the bench.

It's a pet peeve of mine whenever the timer starts the timeout early. I know our resident scorer/timer expert wouldn't do this.

[BillyMac]

IAABO Mechanics Manual: Page 79, I: State and signal to the timer to start the timing device when both teams are near their respective bench areas.

[BillyMac]

NFHS Manual, Page 38, 2.4.4.B.4: Within the reporting area, give the appropriate timeout signal again for the type of timeout (30 sec or 60 sec), verbally indicate the team color, verbally and visually give the player number or head coach (indicate by forming the shape of a “C” with the hand) making the request, and direct (visually/verbally) the timer to begin the timeout period.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

NFHS Manual, Page 38, 2.4.4.B.4: Within the reporting area, give the appropriate timeout signal again for the type of timeout (30 sec or 60 sec), verbally indicate the team color, verbally and visually give the player number or head coach (indicate by forming the shape of a “C” with the hand) making the request, and direct (visually/verbally) the timer to begin the timeout period.

And by the time Billy or I get done doing what we are supposed to do (see Billy's quote above), both teams should be in the vicinity of their team benches. Sometime, have your spouse attend a game with you and have her time you from the time you from the time you recognize a team's request for a timeout until you get finished doing with your reporting duties at the Table, and you will find that you have taken close to 30 seconds or more before you signal the Timer to start his stop watch; meaning that a full time out can last 90 seconds or more.

MTD, Sr.

[chseagle]

I'm used to the floor officials signaling to start the TO Timer after both teams are at their benches. I do the same thing for intermissions (wait for the teams to be at their benches) to start the timer.

Majority of the time I've noticed that by the time the floor official has notified the table of the TO, the teams are already at their benches discussing gameplans.

Originally Posted by AllPurposeGamer

I'll give the players ample time to get to their team area. It usually doesn't take too long since the process of asking the coach for a 30/60 timeout and informing my partner allows the players time to get to the bench.

It's a pet peeve of mine whenever the timer starts the timeout early. I know our resident scorer/timer expert wouldn't do this.