Coin Toss Options

[Indy_Stu]

3-2-3 is pretty clear; I can't see how we as officials continue to make this so difficult. Bob M. is correct; it is actually a two-tiered set of choices.

"The winner of the toss shall have first choice of options for the first half or to defer and have first choice for the second half."

There are actually two options to start each half, and they are the same before Q1 and before Q3. It is the right to wait to the second half to choose one of these two options when “defer” is used by the winner of the coin toss.

"The options for each half shall be:
a. To choose whether his team will kick or receive.
b. To choose the goal his team will defend.
The captain not having the first choice of options for a half shall exercise the remaining option."

I always ask winner of toss if they want to defer choice to second half, or make a choice now. Then I ask the appropriate captain if they want “to receive or kick, (slight pause to take a breath) or you can choose which goal to defend.” Very seldom - - maybe never? - - has the same team kicked off to start each half in any of our crew’s varsity games. However, there could be a situation (inclement weather) that gives the coin-toss-winning-deferring team an advantage by kicking off twice. That is the advantage of deferring, you have the choice closer to the situation you are about to put yourself into.