Any Advice For A Rookie?

[Ref inSoCA]

Having taught new officials for the last 10 or so years, I offer these from experience---

Study, study, study.

Keep your mouth shut and listen to what people tell you. Be a sponge. Don't tell your mentors what you know about officiating because you don't know anything yet.

You already learned that it's easier to officiate while watching TV. That usually gets the talkers to be quiet.

Don't watch the ball.

Keep the whistle out of your mouth.

Work as many snaps as you can. If you work multiple Youth games on a day, work on something each game.

Keep the whistle out of your mouth.

Always hustle. Treat every game the same. That Mitey-Mite game is just as important to the parents/players as any NFL/NCAA game is to the participants.

Keep the whistle out of your mouth

[ForensicRef]

Thanks for the link MJT...I think I'll register on those boards today.

It's interesting you guys keep saying to keep the whistle out of my mouth because that's what the veteran ref told me at the beginning. Then he saw me fumbling around for the whistle when I was late a couple times and he told me "don't be late on the whistle!" Then near the middle of the day he told me to keep it in my mouth because it was better than being late. I think getting another landyard and clipping them together so I can run with it in my hand is a great idea. I thought about getting the ring whistle that fits on the fingers, but it just wasn't comfortable to me. I haven't heard of a wrist landyard. I have a landyard right now that has a little black button that moves up and down to tighten or loosen it, I suppose if I put that on my wrist and tightened it up then I could keep it in my hand and run. Is that what you meant, waltjp?

Originally Posted by MJT

2. Trying to remember all the responsibilities I've got at a certain officiating position is actually harder than knowing the rules themselves. This is why it is CRITICAL you have a solid presnap routine.

So then what are your presnap routines? A lot of trouble I had on the wing was trying to figure out whether they had 7 guys on the line. A lot of the time it seemed to me that the wideout closest to me was in "no-mans-land", but I would punch him off instead of calling an illegal formation because I couldn't see to the other side of the field to know whether they had other guys out there. The HL told me to "count the backs", but I couldn't get out of him how that would work. I suppose if they have 3 backs and a QB then if my guy is on and other opposite guy is on then they have 7.

[MJT]

ForensicRef, see the new thread I started regarding presnap routines. I'll provide mine for the R position and hopefully some guys from other positions will do the same so we all learn and confirm things. I will be working wing and deep for some college games this year, so I will do the same for those positions when I have time. It is a great thing to do.

[dvasques]

so, wearing the ring on your finger, how can you blow the whistle and signal the end of a play at the same time? Like, how can you whistle and signal an incompletion?

[Ref inSoCA]

Originally Posted by dvasques

so, wearing the ring on your finger, how can you blow the whistle and signal the end of a play at the same time? Like, how can you whistle and signal an incompletion?

With a lot of practice it's no problem. I have not owned/used a neck lanyard for about 25 years. I have a finger whistle and a wrist lanyard. The type of whistle I use depends on the position I'm working.

Why are you blowing a whistle on an incomplete pass?

[MJT]

Originally Posted by Ref inSoCA

Why are you blowing a whistle on an incomplete pass?

What do you mean? Don't confuse the newer officials and tell them not to blow their whistle on an incomplete pass. The covering official should sound their whistle quickly and loudly when the ball becomes dead on any play, including an incomplete pass. While the whistle shouldn't be in the mouth before the snap or during the play, it should be blown when the ball is certain to be dead. I don't think you will see different in any mechanics manual, and it is specifically listed in the NF manual. I know the whistle doesn't kill the play, but it should be blown at the end of the play so those who are blocking and cannot see the play know they should stop.

[Ref inSoCA]

Originally Posted by MJT

What do you mean? Don't confuse the newer officials and tell them not to blow their whistle on an incomplete pass. The covering official should sound their whistle quickly and loudly when the ball becomes dead on any play, including an incomplete pass. While the whistle shouldn't be in the mouth before the snap or during the play, it should be blown when the ball is certain to be dead. I don't think you will see different in any mechanics manual, and it is specifically listed in the NF manual. I know the whistle doesn't kill the play, but it should be blown at the end of the play so those who are blocking and cannot see the play know they should stop.

If it's in the NF Mechanics Manual, you may be right. I've never seen the NF Mechanins Manual--we don't use it.

There is no reason to blow a whistle on an incomplete pass but sine the orgoinal poster doesn't work here I won't tell him that.

[Mark Dexter]

Originally Posted by dvasques

so, wearing the ring on your finger, how can you blow the whistle and signal the end of a play at the same time? Like, how can you whistle and signal an incompletion?

You just have a bit of a pause worked in.

TWEET - pull whistle out of mouth - hands up for touchdown signal.
TWEET - whistle out - incomplete pass.
So on and so forth.

If timing becomes a factor, you can actually slide your fingers out of the whistle to leave it in your mouth and signal stop-the-clock at the same time.

FWIW, while I agree that rule #1 is "keep the whistle out of your mouth," I think a close rule #2 needs to be "'fess up when you do have the (hopefully rare) inadvertent whistle."