Keeping the Sidelines Clean - is an article I authored for Referee Magazine in the September issue. Before summitting it to Referee, I gathered information from a number of officials group. Now, I'm looking for feedback and would apprecicate whatever you have to say.

http://www.referee.com/

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Keeping the Sidelines Clean

Sideline warnings have been authorized by the rulebooks for a number of years now, but some officials haven’t used them effectively. The initial violation brings a warning and doesn’t cost the team anything, so why isn’t it used more often?

For so long, coaches on the field have been viewed solely as a wing official’s area of responsibility. In reality it’s the crew’s responsibility and everyone needs to take a proactive approach.

How? The referee and umpire, during their meeting with the head coach before the game, can address the subject of coaches in the team box. On a kickoff, the umpire is positioned on team R’s 20 yardline and the linesman at team R’s 30 yardline. As the teams are lining up, those officials can remind coaches and players, adding another voice. On scrimmage downs, wings can get help from the "get-back" coach to keep the sideline clean. When coaches and players hear the same message from all crew members, it will be more effective.

There are officials who feel that only the wing official should call for a sideline warning. But if the referee can see that a warning is needed, it would be appropriate for the referee to make the call.

There are situations in which the wing official doesn’t have a complete view of what’s happening behind him, but the referee, umpire and back judge – with an inside-out view – can see that coaches are outside of their team box. The information can be passed on to the wing official, who can then give a sideline warning. The input from the inside officials can confirm and support what the wing official is already contemplating, which confirms for the wing that it’s the appropriate decision.

With the entire crew actively addressing sideline situations, it will result in a well-managed and safer sideline.

Written by Neville Owen, Santa Cruz, Calif. A retired firefighter, he has officiated high school football for more than 35 years

Good tips on sideline management.

Was a point of emphasis by our state instructor last night.

Good article, good tips, I think it would have been nice to explain the proper proecdure for calling a sideline warning. Many people aren't sure whether or not to throw the flag like a real penalty. Also they are not sure if they are the one who signals it or if the WH signals it.

Portland, Oregon
 

In Portland Oregon our goal is to clean up the sidlines this year by;the following steps:
1) The Referee will remind the head coach in the Pregame meeting
2) The wing officials will remind the head coach when the introduce themselves.
3) The first offense will be a <b>informal verbal reminder</b> however the head coach will be reminded if their is another situation we will be forced to <b>"Start the Process!"</b>
4) Sideline Warning
5) Sideline Interference - 5 yards
6) Sideline Interference - 15 yards
7) Sideline Interference - 15 yards + Head Coach is ejected
We are hopeing to use alot of preventative officiating but we also believe a few ejections will probably be required to get the message across.
We will implement some of your suggestions and thanks for the advice.

Snake Eyes,

- In NFHS's Officials Manual, page 22. -

- CONTROLLING THE SIDELINE AND TEAM BOX -

Is the procedure for a sideline warning... step-by-step. Starting with the warning, through the third and subsequent violations.

[Edited by Green on Aug 27th, 2004 at 11:05 AM]

Excellent article.

The biggest problem with sideline clean-up is the leverage the coaches have over officials. Having worked a number of years in NY (Long Island) the coaches boxes have expanded well onto the field. I did spend one season in northern California and it was amazing how the coaches did not try to enter the field.

There was one basic difference. In California the coaches did not rate the officials. In NY the coaches do.

Go figure!

I know the procedure! But there have been posts asking those questions, it would have been nice to review it briefly, that's all I was saying.

Ed,

Thank you!

There are many different relationships that officials and coaches have at the high school level.

In some parts of the country the Home coach contacts the Crew Chief to hire his crew. I know a Crew Chief in Illinois that has games scheduled as far out as 2006. Maybe the Home coach hires the crew because they enforce the rules.

[Edited by Green on Aug 27th, 2004 at 02:41 PM]

And maybe not.

LJ, Last night I had an interception coming back towards my sideline. The kid ran it from the goal line to about the opposite 40. In the middle of the runback I'm running down the sideline, actually about 2-3 yards inbounds; I have to move about 5 yards out of the way so I don't run into a group of about 3-4 coaches. They were a little mad, until I told them that that was their warning (didn't want the coaches making that bit of difference) After that I had about 4 extra get back coaches!
If you scare them, even if it isn't really costing the team anything, they usually get the point real quick. good article.

BigGref,

Like you said, the warning got their attention and was very effective and it didn't cost the team anything. Keeping the sidelines safe (for the officials) and well-managed, is its purpose.

Sometimes having a non-coach, can be effective. Some coaches have a tendency to get so involved with coaching and neglect their "Get-Back" duties. During a game, the "Get-Back" coach, was told to, Get-Back!.



Ed,

California doesn't have a state official's association, in our section alone there are six associations each with their own procedures. Our section, is one of ten.

[Edited by Green on Aug 29th, 2004 at 07:04 PM]

What I submitted to Referee in the cover letter for the article.

“One reason for the article, is, on some assignments the Wing officials are the younger and least experienced on the crew and can be confronted with difficult situations beyond their skill level and need the support of the crew.

Another, is that some Referees, Umpires, and Back Judges are reluctant to get involved with the sidelines.”

Some of these Referees, Umpires and Back Judges are NOT only the young ones (which one might suspect) but some of the older ones that have a significant influence in their association or officials group, that just don’t want to deal with the sidelines. So much for the crew concept and leadership.

When I asked for feedback, I was curious to learn who might respond and the reasons.

The way officials are dealing with, or more correctly, not dealing with the sidelines, is an on going problem throughout the countryside as reported by our NFHS representative.

[Edited by Green on Aug 29th, 2004 at 11:59 PM]

I have a question about sideline management in general. Does any region of the country limit the number of coaches in the coaching area to 3 , as the rules state? In my section on NJ the coaches are shocked if I tell them that only 3 coaches and zero noncoaches are permitted out of the team box and into the area between the team box and the sideline.

Try 2007 :)

I have almost full schedules for 2004, 2005, and 2006 already. It's insane, frankly, but leagues feel like they need to "lock up" crews as quickly as they can.

--Rich