HS Varsity Crew Sizes

[OverAndBack]

If you've worked with various numbers of officials and done it long enough, you can adjust, right? If you have enough experience to be getting playoff games, it shouldn't take you too long in a particular game to focus and re-adjust what you have to do in a 6-man game versus a 5-man game or a 5-man versus a 4-man. You just do it. You have to do it.

[bisonlj]

Originally Posted by OverAndBack

If you've worked with various numbers of officials and done it long enough, you can adjust, right? If you have enough experience to be getting playoff games, it shouldn't take you too long in a particular game to focus and re-adjust what you have to do in a 6-man game versus a 5-man game or a 5-man versus a 4-man. You just do it. You have to do it.

If you have never worked 6-man or reviewed the mechanics, just talking about them in a pre-game is not enough preparation no matter how much you've worked. I've been there and done that but luckily it was just a couple college JV games and scrimmages. The mechanics for the wings is very different between 5 and 6-man (much more than the variations some 5-man crews use). I was surprised at all the differences when I started working 7-man in college games this year. I assume you've worked some 6 or 7-man mechanics but do you remember how long it took you to learn them? Would you really want that first experience to be a game as important as the state finals. I would be more comfortable if the additional officials were added in the first round of the playoffs so the officials had at least a few rounds to become accustomed with the new mechanics.

[Toadman15241]

W. PA uses 6 for regular season and 7 for playoffs. State playoffs use 7 as well.

[bisonlj]

Originally Posted by Toadman15241

W. PA uses 6 for regular season and 7 for playoffs. State playoffs use 7 as well.

I would guess the mechanics from 6 to 7 are much less dramatic than from 5 to 6. Anyone who has been through that care to elaborate?

[GoodScout]

Originally Posted by bisonlj

I would guess the mechanics from 6 to 7 are much less dramatic than from 5 to 6. Anyone who has been through that care to elaborate?

We do four-man here on Saturdays (6th, 7th and 8th grade games) and six-man on Friday nights. It's a big transition, and the first time some of our younger officials get on the field after doing four-man for several years they're a little awkward on the mechanics. But they quickly pick it up.

[ajmc]

This may surprise many school and league andministrators, but the game of football has evolved, just somewhat, over the past 30 years. The way the game is generally played today, a 4 man configuration places coverage requirements on the wing officials, that is simply unrealistic.

The players are faster, the strategies employed are far more complex, varied and spread out and they develop over much wider portions of the field. Couple that with this increasingly nonsensical expectation of microscopic precision on the most minute detail and it's no wonder the frustration level is so high on the review of 4 man mechanics.

With the development of decades of youth football, the notion that sub-varsity contests are somehow less complicated or can be managed with a 3 man configuration is just wishful thinking. Added to that environment is the component of younger, less experienced coaches whose expectations are often "off the charts". There's simply no arguing 3 man mechanics, whether it's R-U-L or R-LJ-L or any attempt at a variation, you can't fill 4 holes with 3 pegs.

Advocates and critics agree that experience is beneficial. The more snaps, games and exposure the better. Unfortunately, snaps, games and exposure also naturally bring "years" with them, as the years increase so does age and one of the things that age doesn't mix that well with (in most instances) is continued or increased physical speed, which may be the greatest assest a wing official needs in a 4 man configuration.

Adding a 5th official (BJ) makes a big difference, although the coverage responsibilities of the wing officials remains considerable. The 6th man, makes a huge difference in the responsibilities, and focus of the LJ and L while the reduced coverage area suits a more experienced (older) official's physical capabilities (in general).

About the only things that have remained totally unchanged in the game of football, over the past 30ish years, is the mechanics for 3 and 4 man coverage, while the game itself has evolved dramatically. Doing an even outstanding job with a 4 man crew, isn't serving the game as well as the game deserves, which is not a negative reflection on the officials busting their tails chasing the game.

[Forksref]

Someone mentioned that the U has more responsibilities in 6-man compared to 5-man. Can you elaborate?

[GoodScout]

Originally Posted by Forksref

Someone mentioned that the U has more responsibilities in 6-man compared to 5-man. Can you elaborate?

U handles the kicking team on free kicks. After the kick, monitors action on the kicker and then watches initial blocks in center of field.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by GoodScout

U handles the kicking team on free kicks. After the kick, monitors action on the kicker and then watches initial blocks in center of field.

More vs. different?