Wireless Headsets

[Texas Aggie]

I've been to basketball camps where instructors were behind us on the baseline saying very brief instructions during a live ball. That wasn't distracting to me, although an ear piece walky-talky might have been. In fact, when I trained new officials, I would do the same thing, although I limited virtually all remarks to "stay out of the lane" and maybe a couple of others ("watch off the ball"). That's where real time communication is most helpful. In football, after the ball has been spotted but before the huddle breaks, I can't see anything wrong with quick bits of information.

I would caution instructors to limit themselves to one remark or one issue, and also have some sort of signal that that official gives when he doesn't understand something without tipping everyone else (like holding his arms out and palms up) there off that he didn't get the point.