New Protocol for Pregame Conference (NFHS)?

[ga314ref]

Instead of a meeting at 3:00 before game time, the conference can now take place in either one of two ways:

A) At 12:00 left, with the captains at Center Court, and then at 1:30 left, with the head coaches at the table, or;
B) At 10:00 left, in front of the table, with the head coaches and captains.

Have I read this right? If so, are there any comments on the change and/or why it was thought to be necessary.

[JRutledge]

Protocol from what? This is not in the rulebook is it?

Peace

[Freddy]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Protocol from what? This is not in the rulebook is it?

Peace

2011-13 Officials' Manual, 4.2.1 or 4.2.2. Either way is okay now.

[Adam]

On this, more than almost anything else, do as your state and local leadership asks.

[Freddy]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

On this, more than almost anything else, do as your state and local leadership asks.

Snaqs brings up a valid point. And, to chime in on the original question, the reason for the newly blessed option is likely that many states were asking or inviting their R's to do the conference-with-coaches-and-captains thing in front of the table. Our crew, at the prompting of our local leadership, tried it last year and liked it. So did the coaches.
Still baffled when more than one designated "captain" is represented from each team, but heck, they can anoint all twelve or so other players "non-speaking captains" if they want to. The more the merrier. One big warm and fuzzy Cum-Ba-Ya.

[Mark Padgett]

I'm a little surprised. Shouldn't the manual say that when you meet with the coaches, you should have two uniformed police officers present?

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Freddy

2011-13 Officials' Manual, 4.2.1 or 4.2.2. Either way is okay now.

That is great, but many states do not use the manual or us any procedure. Schools dictate a lot of things in pre-game periods so who cares what the Manual says on something like this. And for the record our state we can only have one meeting and it has to be with the coaches and captains together, near the scorer's bench (An IHSA requirement).

Peace

[Freddy]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

That is great, but many states do not use the manual or us any procedure. Schools dictate a lot of things in pre-game periods so who cares what the Manual says on something like this. And for the record our state we can only have one meeting and it has to be with the coaches and captains together, near the scorer's bench (An IHSA requirement).
Peace

Good points, my friend from across the lake over which I am looking right now while at work. Whereas the title of the thread, however, was "New Protocol for Pregame Conference (NFHS)?", it seemed good to state the NFHS verbage.
I guess when in Nome, do as the Nomans do.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Freddy

Good points, my friend from across the lake over which I am looking right now while at work. Whereas the title of the thread, however, was "New Protocol for Pregame Conference (NFHS)?", it seemed good to state the NFHS verbage.
I guess when in Nome, do as the Nomans do.

Yes, but it is not a rule and it is not a mandate it is at best a suggestion. I have always looked at NF Manual stuff as suggestions to what should be done, but your state will tell you what should be followed. And being a multiple sport official this is something that is often dictated by the state or the conference you work for. Also in that Manual there are two different situations to do and they do not address things a state might want to be addressed or followed in the pre-game. It is kind of like the post where someone worried about how many fingers were in the picture to signal an out of bounds call. Do not take the information so far to suggest that if not done it is a problem if not followed to the letter.

Peace

[BktBallRef]

If the ****ing thread doesn't apply to what you do in your area, then ignore it. How hard is that?

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by ga314ref

Instead of a meeting at 3:00 before game time, the conference can now take place in either one of two ways:

A) At 12:00 left, with the captains at Center Court, and then at 1:30 left, with the head coaches at the table, or;
B) At 10:00 left, in front of the table, with the head coaches and captains.

Have I read this right? If so, are there any comments on the change and/or why it was thought to be necessary.

Different states do it differently. The NFHS puts several options in the Manual. It's not "necessary," it's just another option. It's really that simple.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

If the ****ing thread doesn't apply to what you do in your area, then ignore it. How hard is that?

I did not know anyone was complaining. I think people need to ask their local people what to do on things an stop worrying about what little change that was made in a book that no one follows to that degree.

[tref]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I did not know anyone was complaining. I think people need to ask their local people what to do on things an stop worrying about what little change that was made in a book that no one follows to that degree.

I agree! It's done a variety of ways out here depending on who the R is. Sometimes you have coaches that disappear just before the game begins or teams that go back to the locker rooms. We generally do meetings based upon our knowledge of what the teams will do.

When I am the R we get captains at 12, book at 10 & head coaches right after followed by a quick handshake of the assistant coaches. I just like to get it out of the way early & allow teams to have 7 minutes of uninterupted warmup time.

[ga314ref]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I did not know anyone was complaining. I think people need to ask their local people what to do on things an stop worrying about what little change that was made in a book that no one follows to that degree.

I normally wouldn't (and don't) reply to your posts, but GHSA doesn't consider the rule books and protocols to be suggestion manuals. They, and our better officiating organizations, are interested in consistency, fairness, and professionalism; the basketball in Augusta shouldn't be officated any differently in Rome, Valdosta, or Ranger.

I don't know if I've read anyone else who's consistently makes it seem as if officiating is a type of free-form act subject to the whims and desires of the "local people", or the individual. Reading your take on some of the issues discussed here makes one wonder why would so many people bother with establishing and maintaining a national body that should be blithy ignored in favor of willful freelancing.

Perhaps it's true, but I don't think they made this change just for change's sake, and the reason, and the change itself, made not be important to you, but it holds some curiousity and interest for me.

[JRutledge]

ga314ref,

Let me educate you on something that takes place in the real world. Not all of us work in the same state. Your state office is the organization that sets the standards (or gives it to the local associations).

The best example or more popular example is IAABO, who not only has their own books but has their own take on what the NF does and if you read there are people that will clarify things they do in IAABO states that they do not do in other parts of the country.

My state does not use the NF Official's Manual at all in any sport and what is said in it might be the basis for our mechanics, but we feel free to have our State decide to do something different as a state organization and often have made specific changes or mandates. The best example is we do not bounce the ball on the end line ever in our mechanics. The reason, many Trails and leads get out of position before they give the thrower the ball and our head clinician wanted to get us out of a lazy practice.

As it relates to this issue specifically, we have a procedure we must follow and we do not have the option to have a meeting with the coaches and then the captains separate in any sport as stated in the NF Manual. All pre-game meetings must involve a sportsmanship talk and must involve the head coach and captains (basketball and football this is a strict guideline). So if the NF changes something in that book that is their right as the NF not only does not expect the rest of the country to follow it (I personally asked), but many states are not what they call 100% members as it relates to the officiating side of things and my state is one of them. If the NF does not expect states to do everything they do, why should you? Again we work for the state offices, not the NF. The NF often is behind the times and does not change a lot of issues that might change based on incidents or circumstances, heck the book is produced every two years, I do not think states want to wait to address and issue they see in their games that are under their jurisdiction. All the NF really expects are states to follow their rulebook and even that is up to the states to interpret their rules for their officials and schools, not the NF. If you do not believe me, send a request to the NF directly about an interpretation and then tell me how many times they refer you do your local association for that information. And when people read this often have to follow very specific procedures. Most of us do not care what you do in Rome or Ranger, because I have to listen to what those in Bloomington say or I will not be working very long or sitting during the post season or lose my position as a clinician in my state. Now there is nothing wrong if your state wants this to be followed, I just want to make it clear that you must listen to those that you work for first. I will not apologize for that in any way. And we have gotten a rash of posts lately that are overrating to something that is in the book as if they do not have one finger in place they are not in compliance. Officiating is not that technical or that exact in most places and never will be.

Peace