You are right, of course that we should talk to the (Head)Coach before the game. But that is exactly the problem in some areas here in Germany. I might talke to a person before the game who claims to be the Headcoach, but then in the Game somebody else claims that title and is supported by various players.

Then what ?

That's why I asked. I am trying to talk our league bureau for years into a policy that person's who claim to be coaches have to have some kind of verification and I tought that maybe there allready existed something like that in your league that we could possibly adapt.

ares

Nope. This is how our youth league works, walk up to where they're warming up, who's the head coach. Assistants/Players point to him, I go to him and ask him to certify that all his players are properly equipped and some other things. After this talk he is the designated head coach, once the game starts he will be the only one who can call timeout from the sidelines.

RE: the proposed new rule allowing coaches to call time out.

Nothing good can come of this.

Calling time outs for most of the game would be a non issue. But, at time-sensitive points in the game (end of half, end of game) when conserving time is crucial, it may be very difficult to get the time out call from the coach. And if he comes running down the sideline, on the field to get your attention, what are you going to do? Flag him? I think not.

What are we fixing with this rule change? If a coach needs to spend more time explaining the importance of clock management to his captains, that's why he's the coach. Right? To teach his kids that at critical points in the game, players need to consider the clock and/or pay attention to a coach with his veins bulging as he trys to get their attention for a time out.

Coach time outs
 

Maybe the head coach should have a red flag that he can throw on the field or we can have a buzzer on our belts. That should clear up any confusion, right?

Re: Coach time outs
 

I think the flag should be blue. That way we can give them a red one when they want to have a rule conference. :D

As a Linesman I don't like the new "head coach can call a time out" rule change. Proper mechanics have you looking at the field of play and not turning around. If the coach wants to call the TO prior to the ready for play that's one thing, but after the ready for play, the wings need to be paying attention to the field of play.

I agree with a previous post - work with the kids on clock management - they need to learn it sometime.

I also question as to why this rule change is even necessary. Sure I've had coaches yell at me wanting a time out, and (without turning around to look at them), I tell them they need a player to call it. Trouble is, you have several "coaches" yelling it. And now we have to verify it is the "head coach" that is calling it?

This is one issue that's going to have to be addressed in the pre-game conference with each head coach.

I agree in most games it is not a problem, but I have also been on sidelines where there are 25,000+ fans in the stands and the players cannot hear a coach calling TO due to a game clock running down or for some other reason. I have even seen it with a few hundred fans in the stands.
Turning the head should not be that big of a deal to see the head coach calling a TO. If he calls the time out and something happens, ie a false start, then the time out was called first and no flag.
Also pregame I would tell the head coach that he could take a step or 2 onto the field to get the officials attention to get the time out without fear of being flagged. This way we could quickly spot him and get the timeout called, reducing the chance of something happening and being missed.

I think they should put a delay of game penelty on the team if an assistant coach calls for time out and it is granted.

I do not see this as a huge problem---
the head coach is identified when the R and U
meet with him and go through the pre-game
stuff------ most head coaches are high profile
people that even the newer officials probably
know.
Remember the stupid old days when the R would not
let a team captain see the coach when explaining
penalty options,etc. ???
This is high school ball-- and we are dealing with
young men age 18 and younger. I say good idea
to let the head coach call time out !

Head coach is responsible for his sideline. If someone there, an assistant or even another player, starts yelling for a timeout, grant it. If he doesn't like it, tell him to get his assistant to shut up.