Chain Crew Questions

[reddevil19]

Hi all. I made my first venture into this forum as a PA announcer for a junior college, and now I'd like to ask a few questions from my high school day job position.

Yesterday, as I ran the clock for our final frosh home game, I couldn't help but realize that our game had the worst chain crew operation I think I've ever seen. Now of course, I know in my area that we're always seemingly recruiting kids out of the stands 15 minutes before gametime to do this at the 9th/JV level, and this year, it's just seemingly been a disaster not only at our home games, but at a couple of the below V road games I was at also. One of our goals for next year is to get interested students to do PA for below Varsity games, and yesterday it hit me that it might be a good idea to do the same sort of thing to get some good kids that would be interested to make them a full-time chain crew.

Even though this will be for next year, I don't know how active this forum is in off-season, so I thought I'd put this out there now so I'll be ready to go when it is time. Any input from you guys is appreciated as to what areas I should focus on when I attempt to implement this during the Spring Scrimmages. I made a quick list of some basic common sense things like staying focused and remembering safety. Specifics that I could get into training would be great.

Thanks in advance for your comments!

[wisref2]

A few of our local schools have the same kids for every game. They are interested, they hustle and they're fun to have on the sidelines.

http://www.nfhs.org/core/contentmana...structions.pdf is a good document for them.

[SWFLguy]

I could never understand why schools with huge $$ budgets could not find some cash to pay trained chain crews for the games.
Most kids might work at sub varsity level just for some food and drink at
the concession stand at 1/2 time or at the end of the game.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by reddevil19

Hi all. I made my first venture into this forum as a PA announcer for a junior college, and now I'd like to ask a few questions from my high school day job position.

Yesterday, as I ran the clock for our final frosh home game, I couldn't help but realize that our game had the worst chain crew operation I think I've ever seen. Now of course, I know in my area that we're always seemingly recruiting kids out of the stands 15 minutes before gametime to do this at the 9th/JV level,

In 40 years, I don't recall ever seeing a game where that was not the case.

One thing that really does is slow games down. A combination of slow administration and oversolicitousness toward the coaches, along with late arrivals (of everyone) has caused some of our multi-game youth football matches to be shortened by darkness. Games with 8 minute quarters and hardly any passing have lasted 2 hours, even with a shortened half time interval.

Robert

[HLin NC]

Frankly I prefer adults on a chain crew. Many of the middle schools in our area use teachers/staff members. Don't know if they require it or sweeten the pot with a stipend but they seem to work out the best.

One notch above worse than kids is parents. Kids get distracted but parents try to coach and tend to want to question everything going on. I don't mind answering a question if its put to me in a civil way but when I have to start issuing warnings to my chain crew, its more trouble than its worth.

The only chain crew I ever fired was a group of varsity players at a MS game who plainly showed they were more interested in anything going on besides what their coach had sent them to do. Flirting with the girl managers on the visiting sideline and moving the box on an incomplete pass were the straws that broke my camel's back.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by HLin NC

Frankly I prefer adults on a chain crew.

So, for the first time since I've been an adult (no, wait, I think I did once in my 20s) -- and that's a long time -- I volunteered for the down box today at our 18-and-unders game. The chain was handled by one pair in the 1st half, another in the 3rd Q, and a mom & child in the 4th.

My one complaint as a down box handler is lack of a definite spot by the wing. I want a clear tap on the calf, rather than just ambling backward toward the sideline. If you want to give me a mark and then change it, that's fine, just reset yourself and tap the calf again. We had a poorly lined field that may have resulted in the wing's being noncommittal about the spot.

Also, I'm holding that mark until you give me a definite signal to move. Yes, I can see that we're moving way down there, but I don't think it's my place to act on that until you wave me off the old mark.

Robert

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

So, for the first time since I've been an adult (no, wait, I think I did once in my 20s) -- and that's a long time -- I volunteered for the down box today at our 18-and-unders game. The chain was handled by one pair in the 1st half, another in the 3rd Q, and a mom & child in the 4th.

My one complaint as a down box handler is lack of a definite spot by the wing. I want a clear tap on the calf, rather than just ambling backward toward the sideline. If you want to give me a mark and then change it, that's fine, just reset yourself and tap the calf again. We had a poorly lined field that may have resulted in the wing's being noncommittal about the spot.

Also, I'm holding that mark until you give me a definite signal to move. Yes, I can see that we're moving way down there, but I don't think it's my place to act on that until you wave me off the old mark.

Robert

On a first down? Sure. On every play from scrimmage? I doubt I'll be waving you down after every play.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

On a first down? Sure. On every play from scrimmage? I doubt I'll be waving you down after every play.

I wound up pulling up stakes whenever I saw the U very demonstratively spot the ball -- he held it up overhead in one hand before putting it down. But I don't want to take any chance they'll still have some use for the previous spot. Maybe there's a penalty marker I don't see.

Robert

[HLin NC]

I'll come to the sideline on first down but after that you get my heel to mark off of. I don't tap anything.

Some college level HL, SEC I know has some, don't even do that. They let the box just spot off the ball.

[Suudy]

Originally Posted by HLin NC

I'll come to the sideline on first down but after that you get my heel to mark off of. I don't tap anything.

Some college level HL, SEC I know has some, don't even do that. They let the box just spot off the ball.

I've worked the chains at Pac-10 games at our local school (Washington State) for years. All the HLs setup the chains on a 1st down. Most ask whoever is running to box to spot the front of the ball. There are a couple who always set up the box every play.

I have had a couple of times where the local crew cheats the visiting team. They'd spot the box at the back of the ball for the visitors and the front for the home. Since then, when I run the chains I set the box every play.

I've even done a game where the chain crew had to be replaced. They were drunk and tried to pick a fight with an assistant coach on the visiting team. I don't know what happened to the guys, but we never saw them again.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by Suudy

I've worked the chains at Pac-10 games at our local school (Washington State) for years. All the HLs setup the chains on a 1st down. Most ask whoever is running to box to spot the front of the ball. There are a couple who always set up the box every play.

I have had a couple of times where the local crew cheats the visiting team.

They need to go ASAP. This is absolutely not permitted.

Originally Posted by Suudy

They'd spot the box at the back of the ball for the visitors and the front for the home. Since then, when I run the chains I set the box every play.

I've even done a game where the chain crew had to be replaced. They were drunk and tried to pick a fight with an assistant coach on the visiting team. I don't know what happened to the guys, but we never saw them again.

Who would allow drunk people as part of the officiating staff, and even on the field? Whoever that was (likely more than 1 person), they had a serious lapse of judgment.

[Suudy]

Originally Posted by JugglingReferee

They need to go ASAP. This is absolutely not permitted.

Amen! But how do you know unless you go back and mark the box every time? When it occured when I was on the field, we had a 1st and 15 (after a false start) on a major line. After an incomplete pass, our U noticed that the box was a half yard behind the major line. He started keeping his eye on things and found out the box guy was doing this only to the vistors. We got together and tossed the box guy. But the damage was done.

And from other stories I have heard, there are home crews that do this, so we are told to mark the box every time and keep our eyes on it. This problem is not being handled by the AD's at these schools, so we takes steps ourselves to keep it fair. By marking the box everytime we are being preventative.

Not that it should matter, but I'd also like to note that these are B sized schools (the smallest schools in the most remote locations in the state). I've never had this occur at the larger schools.

Originally Posted by JugglingReferee

Who would allow drunk people as part of the officiating staff, and even on the field? Whoever that was (likely more than 1 person), they had a serious lapse of judgment.

Amen again! They didn't seem drunk when I gave my pregame, and I didn't smell alcohol. But apparently after the scuffle with the coach, somebody detected alcohol. It was determined they were drunk and run off. It wasn't school property (it was at a public stadium), so who knows what happened. I've never seen them again at that stadium or with that team, so perhaps they have been sacked for good.

[Mike L]

I once had to ask the box guy to release his lip-lock on the chain girl and move up for 2nd down. That was pretty special.

[Texas Aggie]

One notch above worse than kids is parents.

Not in my experience. At virtually all the private schools we work (subvarsity) they have parents come down and do the chains. Its almost always a pleasure. The only thing I have to remind them if I'm HL is to not cheer for their team, especially when they are in and around the bench.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

Not in my experience. At virtually all the private schools we work (subvarsity) they have parents come down and do the chains. Its almost always a pleasure. The only thing I have to remind them if I'm HL is to not cheer for their team, especially when they are in and around the bench.

Not cheer?! I'm not a parent but I still had my coach's blazer on and I'd yell out advice to my team if I had any. You can't ask officials' assistants to appear non-partisan. I complained about calls too. (The ref ignored my yell about his making the ball ready for a kickoff from the 50 instead of the 40.) The only thing I refrained from was stealing the visiting coach's signals. And I didn't intentionally get the stick in the way of incoming subs, just accidentally once.

Robert