Pregame and Pregame Coaches Conference
 

I'll be white hatting a varsity game for the first time Friday (mixed crew). I was wondering if anyone had suggestions for what to cover in our pregame as well as the pregame coaches conferences.

For our pregame, I was thinking that Kicking game and measurements were two things we should touch on. Anything else?

For the coaches conference, I know that we ask them the following, but also thought there was more:

Everyone legally equipped?
Captains?
Kicker/Punter right footed?
QB right handed?
Any special plays?
Halftime 15 or 20?
Wraps or casts we need to look at?
Where are you going to be at halftime?
Where are you going to be right before the game?
We'll take captains 3 mins. before gametime.

Anything else I left out?

If there is a band comming out onto the field, it might interfear with the 3 minute coin toss. Ask if there are any other pregame festivities.

boxers or briefs?

nah, better not....but be aware of your surroundings....if you're talking to the visiting coach and the PA guy walks up, he doesn't need to be in on your conversation with the coach. I've seen it happen first hand. Not good.

Here's our sideline talk. "Coach, as you know sideline control has become a POE. We are going to look to you to handle your sideline and keep it under control. Please keep your players behind the coaches box and please give us room to work so we don't have to worry about getting injured or injuring you. We don't want to have to control your sideline but we will if we have to. Is that fair?"

For the Coaches Meeting:

You might want to confirm the time of day with both coaches.
Not sure how your league works it, but you might want to get game balls from the head coaches.

Since it is a mixed crew, you might want to discuss keys and some of the following mechanics in your pregame so that the crew is on the same page:

Coin-Toss (Who's got what?)
Dead Ball Officiating
GoalLine Coverage.
Who's ruling on Forward Passes on the quick outs? If it's a 1, 3, 5 step drop?
What are you doing if its Backward?
Who's key is the Man-in-Motion?
Who's Counting Offense/Defense?
Trys? Responsibilities if it breaks down?
Who's got LOS/Ineligibles downfield responsibility?
Who's calling illegal forward pass if QB runs away from sticks?
Roughing/Grounding help?
Penalty Proceedures (Who's got the ball, who's covering flag)
Ball Rotation (if applicable)
Who's Timing Timeouts?
Discuss Game/Play Clock.

If it is a close game review OT @ halftime.

After that, it there's enough time try to talk about screwed up plays or something you heard about.

Good Luck with your first assignment as the hat.

One thing I always tell the coaches is that they have 3 responsibilities:

1) Their Players
2) Their Coaches
3) Their Fans

And I let them know that if there is a problem with any of those three we will be coming directly to them to have them resolve.

Really, the fans??? Obviously the coach has direct influence on the players and other coaches...but unruly fans are not his responsiblity...heck...most of the time they are yelling at the coach anyway.
cheers,
tro

I like to ask the coach if he wins the toss, what does he want to do and I tell him to make sure his captains know whatever his option is - and if they lose the toss and the other team defers to make sure his captain knows to receive the ball.

First of all, good luck tomorrow. I remember my first white hat (heck, it was just 2 years ago) and I was a little nervous, but once the game got going, I was fine.

Since we haven't hit league play yet, I also ask the coaches if they would like to go to OT should the game end in a tie. I also check with the home coach about emergency personnel (trainers, ambulance, etc.). This year I also tell them that any player on the field may call a timeout, as well as one designated coach on the sideline, and then I ask him if he will be that guy.

Again, good luck. Let us know how it went.

In the last 3 years i have made an effort to introduce myself to the starting QB of each team. Like the coaches i like the first name basis between the two of us.

While speaking to the QB i want him to know if he has a question or a timeout request to call me by my first name. I will call him by name when setting the ball and waiting for my whistle. When the clock will start after penalties. I also can communicate with him as far as his cadence being to fast (players not getting set) or other concerns.

Seems to relax him and i have found nothing but good has come out of it.

We don't deal with the fans nor do we expect the coaches to. They paid for their ticket into the game so they can "cheer" all they want. I don't even listen to them. If they are really bad I would think that the game administrator or security will handle any issue.

I'm guessing he's referring to the fans/boosters/whomever that mill around on the sidelines, from the 25 down to the goal line. Sometimes they are in the way, or they have a mouth on them, etc.

those are the very ones I was talking about...The others are not an issue for us to be concerned with ever. There have been issues that we have had and the coach needs to get someone from his school to take care of these people.

If it's bad enough, or these "special people" don't respond to your instructions you can have them removed from the sideline area. It's always nice to give such people an opportunity to make a choice, they can stand wherever thay wany and say whatever they choose in the parking lot, or they can do as you ask in the sideline area, but they can't do both.