I want to start working the ref position for sub-v games next year. This will be my fifth year and due to circumstances I worked as a utility official this year that required me to work all positions except ref. Any advice/recommendations besides knowing THE BOOK extremely well?

Every game you watch on TV from now on, start making the call of what the penalty enforcement should be. It doesn't matter if it is a college game or NFL game, do your penalty enforcement as if it was a NF game. Write down ones you are unsure of, and look them up.

Also to help you with the distance enforcement and signals, make flashcards. I used green flashcards for 5 yard penalties, yellow for 10, and red for 15 yarders. On one side I put the penalty and on the other side I put the signal which is used. The visual of green, yellow, and red will help you remember them as a visual reminder even on the field. I am a teacher and the color scheme visuals will get deeper in your memory than if you do not use colored cards. I still use them every year before the season as a review. When you can go thru them really quick and not make any mistakes, you will be very confident. The "Athletic Rules Study" program, in the back of your rule book, for $30 is a great program, especially for the use of the penalty enforcement part. For each penalty you must click live ball or DB, clock status, enforcement spot, distance, LOD, DQ, automatic 1st down, and the signals which must be given. It is great for penalty enforcement although some of the ball status and clock status one are not as you would assume.

Make penalty enforcement your pride and joy and make it a goal to not make any mistakes on penalty enforcement. See grantsrc's site http://home.comcast.net/~minnmo/football.htm for great stuff he compiled from many of us officials.