I would like to start some conversation about the amount of times your crews exchange balls.

As Umpire I usually have a towel, especially if it has rained in the previous couple of days, so I dry off the ball as much as possible; and I usually try to get as many balls in as possible. But the thing is that my crew is against getting new balls in whenever plausible. I'm thinking that these little things are causing a little friction between our crew and the coaches. So my question is when and how often do you change balls.

Whenever a coach or ball boy wants.
Whenever a C or BB wants when it comes near your side.
Long incompletes, passes OOB.
Slightly damp or wet ball when an opportunity presents itself.

Any, all, additional ideas about this topic. Of course you also have to consider the point of the game (ie you wouldn't change a ball ran down the middle in a 2 minute offense). So for these purposes just consider run of the mill plays where there is a 12-18 second huddle between plays.

First, I live in Alabama. It is very humid, the players and officials get very sweaty and there is usually dew on the ground by game time. We do not use the NF official's manual, we have written our own.

With those things in mind, we generally allow the teams to exchange balls after every play if they wish. We allow the ball boy to bring the ball directly to the umpire. We instruct them prior to the game, the importance of promptness. If he delayes the ready, we do not allow the exchange.

A vast majority of these kids work their tails off and I feel it actual speeds up the process of putting the ball in play. Especially on sweeps and incomplete passes. The ball boy usually has the new ball to the umpire before we get the pile sorted out when the ball is in the side zone.

We have had all those discussions about allowing the ball boy on the field. Bottom line, with a good ball boy it works very well and does not delay the process.

Here's a quote from the Canadian Level 2 officials manual,

"The ball should be changed on every play in order to keep the ball boys involved continually in the game and to allow the officials ot keep the play moving. Remember - Use them or lose them."

Seattle. We change the balls every play.

Georgia, We change balls every play if teams wish. If the ball boy is not preforming properly (IE: getting the ball to the umpire in a timely manner) we ask hime to give the ball to one of the wing officials including the BJ and FJ.

Upstate New York - we hardly ever change the ball mid-possession, unless it's raining/snowing pretty hard.

Balls
 

We exchange balls on all long pass and when we are near sideline Okla.

It's up to each team how often they want to change balls.

One thing I instruct the BBs is that if the score is close, and we are in the last few minutes of each half, they should wait for instructions from the HL or LJ before bringing in a fresh ball.

I allow ball changes on a new series of downs and during inclement weather, every down or as often as necessary.