First white hat assignment!
 

I've also posted this on another site, so apologies to those of you reading this twice, but I'm looking for as much input and advice as I can get...

I just got my JV schedule for the year, and I've been assigned three games at referee for the first time. Other than the obvious answer of "buy a white hat", any advice for an aspiring referee?

Buy 2 white hats?

Know your rules inside and out. Memorize all the signals and penalty enforcements. And slow down. And slow down more.

Get a veteran umpire to work the games, they can save your butt on penalty enforcements.

Get a decent flipping coin.

Stand back around 10 yards from the NZ. I thought it seemed too far back when I first started, but you will definitely want to be back a ways. I stand about 10 yards back behind the RT for a righty.

Take your time when you signal. Stop moving. Go a little slower than you think you should.

Let your umpire and wingmen work for you. If your umpire is getting the ball, let them. You will want to relay the ball in from the sidezone if it is out a ways, otherwise, don't feel obligated to touch the ball or be in the pile.

Be sure to follow sweeps to the side zone and OOB.

Don't watch the QB. Watch the defenders near the QB. That is where the action is.

Study, study, study. Be sure to talk out what you are going to do with the U and make sure he agrees. Go over the signals.

Don't forget to give a prelim signal on a penalty. Once you get the penalty information, tell your U to get the appropriate captain while you give prelim signal to the pressbox.

Know what side the pressbox is located. Seems obvious, but you don't want to signal to the wrong side.

Write down what you are going to ask the coach. Use a cheat sheet if necessary. Make sure coach confirms that everyone is legally equipped. Make sure he understands the new rules, particularly the restricted area one and the 3 minute warmup one. Get captain's numbers. Make sure home team knows he is supplying the chain crew (can be problematic at some smaller schools).

I stand even farther back -- probably 12-15 yards, a bit wider than the RT (for a RH QB). My eyes can close that extra 5 yards better than I can backpedal. And I look more relaxed if I don't HAVE to backpedal.

I have 2 Eisenhower dollars. Go to a coin store and spend 2-3 dollars for one. Perfect flipping coin, although I sometimes use a 50-cent piece I got in Australia.

I don't touch the football unless I have to. In 4-man, it's more often cause my umpire will go downfield to get a ball if needed and I'll spot it. If you're going to spot the ball, make sure you know where it goes. As a new white hat, I'd recommend letting your U spot every ball.

Keep a good pace, but slow down. :D Wait for a box before winding on first downs. Make sure the box is right before giving a RFP. Try to be in position before a RFP -- no need to be up at the LOS and then have to scamper back.

On prelims. I do NOT signal a prelim on penalties that occur prior to the snap (false starts, encroachment, substitution (dead ball), delay). It's awkward signaling those twice, since 99% of the time it's going to be accepted (the distance aspect). On the ones where it makes sense to decline the distance aspect, you'll know to ask. Otherwise, let the umpire step it off and signal the pressbox once.

This year I'd take any off days and find a game with an experienced WH and watch him work. Pick up all the little things he does.

The best advice so far.

10 yards is nowhere near enough at any level over jr. high. We're doing 15 pretty much all the time except maybe on obvious kneel down plays. There's no good reason to be any closer than 12 yards at the snap otherwise.

Practice your signals in front of a mirror, and I'd get flash cards with the foul on one side and the signal on the other. Go through them until you know them forward and backwards. If you give good signals, everyone will assume you are a good R.

We don't wear white hats in subvarsity, including JV. Check to make sure you do.

I always get the coin flip call before a toss, have the other captain repeat, and say "If I drop it, we'll do it again." Practice that.

Otherwise, just have fun.

I agree with 15 yards. That's about where I go for everything. I know some find that deep, but with a 15 yard cushion at the snap, you don't have to move on a short drop -- nothing says you have to maintain a 15 yard cushion all the way through.

When I started in TN, we only wore WH on Friday nights. Here someone always wears a white hat. I would prefer keeping the WH clean for varsity games, but instead I usually get 3 new ones for each season as for about 75% of my games I'm the R.

Sort of Off-topic. I had about a week and a half notice before I had my first chance to WH. I studied my rear end off and for the first time that "light bulb" went on and I felt like I understood alot of the rules I wasn't too sure about before. After about half way through the first quarter of the game, I thought "ehh... I'd rather be a LJ" :D
Just my opinion though.

Some people feel the same about being the referee -- it's a mental challenge and I enjoy it.

No white hats for subvarsity games? Interesting, I haven't heard that one before. What is the rationale for doing that?

Here, the R always wears a white hat, regardless of the level.

If anyone here wears a white hat for a sub-varsity game I think everyone looks at them as being a little high on themselves. For most sub-varsity games, a number of officials are hired but no specific position assignments are made. The 3-5 officials get together 15 minutes before the game and decide who is going to work where. To show up wearing a white hat is a little presumptive.

I had worked a handful of white hat in JV/freshman/youth games before my first varsity game. I actually found it the easiest position to work during the plays and as long as we weren't administering penalties, it was also easy. I almost felt like I wasn't doing anything!

I always bring both hats. Most games, it's my crew working as a crew -- in that case it's a 90% chance I'll white hat. If I'm with another group, I'll go where they tell me. I *always* show up wearing a black hat, though, hoping I can go work a wing. *I* find it easier. :D

Wow, how different things are in different parts of the country. Here, not only do we work 4 man for everything below varsity but our positions are also assigned. We have some flexibility say, for example, a veteran at R wants to work a newer guy in at R instead but for the most part, our positions are all assigned.

Don't forget your coin!

I worked a MS game one with a guy doing his first WH. He forgot his coin and nobody else had one so we wound up using his PBR key ring fob. (and that doesn't stand for Professional Bull Riders)

Personally I would've chosen "Strings-No Strings"! :D

Rich, don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking the WH position. You have to be well rounded in all the rules vs knowing just your position. I guess I like getting out there and running and "trying" to keep up with the young guys.

I understand. I work BJ/wing a few times a year just to get some good running in. I could go back to working a wing fulltime someday -- just not in the cards for now.

When I was in IL or MO we never wore WH for sub-varsity games. WHen I came to NE it is assumed R will always where a WH.

My advice...which has not already been given.

Buy a data-wallet with signals in it, or at least copy and carry those, because chances are your first or second game someone will bring you an aiding the runner call or failure to wear required equipment call.

Rehearse your coaches conference and your coin toss. If your state allows it, do the coin toss off the field as early as possible.

Even though its a sub-varsity game do a pre-game with your crew.

During warm-ups learn the number of each team's passers and kickers and whether they are right or left handed/footed, so you can set on the correct side of the formation.

Keep it simple.

You are probably right about the distance: 12-15 yds. To be honest, I don't think about the exact distance anymore. I will have to check next game. I do know that when I first started, I lined up too close to the line and the QB.

I worked in Louisiana, Mass, Idaho, and now Alabama and the referees all wear white hats for all levels.

Interesting. Our association (as is obvious from the fact that I'm asking in the first place) assigns specific positions. We've been known to switch amongst ourselves on JV games (the assigned LJ is usually a BJ, while the assigned BJ is normally an LJ), though not on varsity games.

I actually look forward to doing JV games "out of position" - especially at BJ - because I like seeing a different view of the game. Everything but U, anyway - I usually U once a season, simply to remind myself why I don't U more often. :)

One of my favorite on-field moments actually came last year when I was working out of position at BJ. We had a run play to the side, and the wideout was about 15 yards downfield holding the DB. The play got blown up in the backfield, so it didn't affect the play, so I ran in to warn thw wideout about his hands. "Son, remember that when you're leading the sweep, the only person I have on the entire field to watch is you, so if you're holding, I *will* see it. OK?"

Consoldiating comments on all the replies into one (more) post...

Already checked that, I've got the same long-time vet for both of the first two assignments. There were a few guys I would have requested if I had been given the choice, and he's on the list, and (hopefully) he can keep me out of trouble.

I've seen a thread (don't remember if it was here or somewhere else) about using a cheat sheet for the pregame conference. Can anyone cut-and-paste (or perhaps PM or email me) a copy of a sheet they use?

I've worked WH a couple times in scrimmages with a long-timer that I trust (who happens to be involved with our training class), and he pointed the same thing out about positioning. I was lining up about 10 yards deep and really wide, and he pointed out how badly I'd be out of position on a running play to the far side. He suggested 15 yards, one step wider than the tackle, and that seemed to work nicely.

Our association has our own coins (a center standing over the ball ready to snap, with the tails end of the coin being.. well, his tail). I've already decided to steal a line from one of the WH I worked with years ago about "this side is heads, and I think you all can recognize which side this is" that broke the tension with the team captains.

That bit about the box is probably going to be the toughest part for me to remember. I think it was another board that I mentioned that our Commish wants all of his referees to have a year at HL before switching over, and I think this is part of the reason. I'm working HL all year on Friday nights, so hopefully I won't have much trouble remembering this! :)

I got a new wallet for my game cards last year that has two laminated cards in it - one is basically a copy of the page in the rulebook with the penalty distances, and the other is all of the signals. Knowing that the only signal and penalty that aren't on those is the HC, I think I'll be OK. I've already had the nightmare about not remembering any of the signals to use! :)

I definitely plan on a pre-game. I've got at least one (maybe two) officials in each game whose name I don't recognize, so he's probably a newer official. I'l definitely be trying to make sure we're on the same page.

Thanks for all the tips, guys. Please - keep them coming! :)

I've done rock-paper-scissors in JV and freshmen games just for fun. I also did it once in a varsity game. We do the coin toss while both teams are on the field for warmups. I always ask the coaches what they're going to do if they win the toss. If one team wants the ball and the other wants to defer, there's no need to flip the coin. So one game I asked the captains if they wanted to do rock-paper-scissors so I would have an official winner of the toss. They thought it was a good idea, so we did it!

No one here wears white hats for undercard games either. We see who shows up and decide who's doing what. As a varsity R, I always want to do something else if I can. My preference is LJ so I can b.s. with the home team coaches.