HS Varsity Crew Sizes

[AUgrad2006]

I'm a newer (2nd year) official in Georgia where we use 6-man crews for varsity games. I am potentially moving over the next year and recently discovered that the state to which I am moving uses 5-man crews for varsity. This got me thinking a little about what the ideal crew size is for a varsity game. Personally, I think it helps tremendously to have two deep officials because this not only adds coverage downfield but also puts two guys on each sideline.

I know a lot of states use 5 man, some use 6, and I think one or two may even use 7. I'm just curious what other states use and what everyone thinks about the effectiveness of each respective scenario.

[johnSandlin]

In Michigan, we use 5 man crews for varsity games. However, there is speculation, that we could be going to 6 man crews in the future.

Nebraska and Iowa uses 5 man crews for varsity. Use of 4 and 3 man at the subvarsity and junior high levels vary by school or conference.

[TXMike]

Texas normally uses 5 but 7 man crews are authorized and we do have a 7 man manual. They are rarely used though. We have never, and I doubt we will ever, b authorized to use 6 man crews Experience has shown you are better off dropping the 6th and just use 5 or go to 7 since using 6 leaves a huge no man's land that does not get covered well.

[JugglingReferee]

Ontario: each officiating group assigns officials based on the number that they have. In my area, we are lucky to have a large enough membership to use 4 for regular season games, 5 for county playoffs, and 6 for county finals, sectional, regional, and provincial playoff games and finals. (7 is used only in CIS (equiv. to NCAA).)

However, we sometimes put 5 or 6 on RS games - but these additionally officials are not paid - they volunteer for the experience of another game, or to gain experience in crew sizes of greater than 4 officials.

[voiceoflg]

Originally Posted by JugglingReferee

Ontario: each officiating group assigns officials based on the number that they have. In my area, we are lucky to have a large enough membership to use 4 for regular season games, 5 for county playoffs, and 6 for county finals, sectional, regional, and provincial playoff games and finals. (7 is used only in CIS (equiv. to NCAA).)

However, we sometimes put 5 or 6 on RS games - but these additionally officials are not paid - they volunteer for the experience of another game, or to gain experience in crew sizes of greater than 4 officials.

Five for 11 man football is hard enough. Four for 12 man football?

[Reffing Rev.]

In 5 years I've been in 4 states...

Illinois - 5 officials all the way through, and yes, downstate we have plenty of officials to go to more. (I did see a 6-man crew work a tv game, and they were as sloppy as could be, I think they added a 6th since they were on tv and made up the mechanics)

Indiana - 5

Missouri - 5 officials regular season, districts, and state playoffs.

Nebraska - Outside of the Omaha-Lincoln areas 5 officials has just recently become the norm. In fact there are still a dozen or so crews working 4 officials on 8-man games. The state only allows 5 man crews to apply for playoffs. Here schools pay the crew, so its $300 for the crew whether you bring 4 or 7. Since I just moved here, I was #6 on our crew, and we worked 6-man in the old Illini-Badger NCAA d3 conference, but I wouldn't try to teach that to a crew of 5 guys who have only worked 5 for 3 years in a pregame. We're now wrestling with school in basketball, state wants to go to 3 and schools who have been paying $100 for 2 are only willing to pay $120 for 3.

Having worked 6 man I enjoyed the dead-ball help on the sidelines, and the over-the-top help. I worked both a deep wing and an umpire, as a deep wing you have to be a little slower and trust your umpire to kill the obvious short-hop in front of the player. Umpire, has to do what he is suposed to do anyway, he just has to be more diligent about it.

All that being said, I would rather have 10 well trained eyes, than 12 so-so trained eyes.

[waltjp]

New Jersey -

5 man crew for varsity. There's been some chatter about expanding this to 7 man for post season play.

3 or 4 for subvarsity, depending on how many the league or school is willing to pay.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by voiceoflg

Five for 11 man football is hard enough. Four for 12 man football?

Yes. Naturally, we do not see some things. But the number of times that a coach complains is very very minimal.

On a crew of 4, the limiting factor is when a newbie is on the crew. Sometimes, we have a senior guy as a volunteer 5th, working deep, and slightly favouring the newbie's (as HL) sideline. When I'm a U or R, I also favour the newbie's sideline.

In recent memory, I've had only 1 call that I saw that I didn't flag that I should have.

[HLin NC]

N.C. standard for varsity is 5. JV's use 4 or 5 depending on local procedure.
Middle school and youth use 4. Some rec leagues may go with 3.

[tjones1]

Illinois uses 5-man crews. However, I've heard some are using 6.

[Refster]

Ohio uses 5 man crews. I like either 5 man or 7. Like to have a guy deep in the middle of the field.

[Forksref]

ND does not mandate it. Most games are 5-man crews. Some of the really small schools will request 4 to save money but that is becoming more infrequent. Large schools will pay for 5 for JV but most are 4-man games. JHS is anywhere from 3-4 depending on who can make it to a 4:30 game.

5-man for all playoff games.

I agree with rather having 5 than 6 in order to have the middle man for better angles.

I can't see us ever going to 6 because we have enough trouble trying fill our 5-man crews. We need more people!

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by Refster

Ohio uses 5 man crews.

I have not done playoff games, but I understand that we use 6 for them. I have heard that we will go to 6 for all varsity games in the next 2-3 years.

[FredFan7]

Illinois has five. Sometimes officials may use 6 if they have a sixth man on the crew who is a designated sub (one official has a kid who plays football, etc.). If all six are available they may work the game. There is NO guarentee that the sixth man will get a check, though...if that happens the five split their checks with him.

I would wish the IHSA would expand to six or even seven man crews, but I don't think there's enough officials (especially downstate) to fill all the spots.