Help with the proper signal

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

JRutledge: I understand, and may even agree, with your philosophy, as stated above. However, as a certified clinician in Illinois, would you teach rookie officials all the proper signals in the correct order, as required in your little corner of Illinois, or would you just teach them the signals that you think are important?

Actually Billy it is not about teaching or not teaching certain things. It is about what I would get upset by or what I would "downgrade" an official for if they were at camp or at a training. The new officials I come in contact with have a hard time getting their arm up with any confidence or using their voice, let alone giving the proper sequence of a violation and foul. If I worried about doing all the signals like you suggest, I would constantly be writing on evaluation camp forms to suggest what a horrible job they are doing. I want them to get the plays right and communicate the proper information, not some sequence that may or may not mean something to them. Actually it would be the veteran or more seasoned officials that I would be worried about their sequence of signals.

If a new official does not point (again) to the floor on a spot that is coming back to the same spot, I think I can get over that very quickly. Also I teach mechanics in the largest concentration of the state of official and population. So there is no "little corner" that you are talking about from my experience.

I belong (Either sat on board or am a current board member of two of those organizations) to probably 3 of the largest organizations in the entire Chicago land area and often help out with clinics and trainings yearly. And again, I am talking about one little thing at the end of a very specific situation, not every other form of communication when the spot is not obvious or clear. Then again I do not point to the spot on many violations if I am the covering official for the next throw-in and I cannot recall anyone saying a word to me to change. And it certainly not hurt my career.

Peace