Hustling versus Hurrying

[JRutledge]

Hustling is primarily during live ball action and right after dead ball action. You do not need to go nuts trying to get a ball relayed during stopped clock period or in the middle of the game. The next play is not going to start until all officials are ready anyway. The bottom line is you are not going to need to run all over the place during a one yard run up the middle.

Peace

[mbyron]

Hustle: getting to the right place at the right time.

False hustle: running around like a headless chicken.

[Mike L]

What most veterans mean by "slow down" is to take the time to process what you have seen before making any call. Are you sure about what you saw? Did you see the entire action? Did it have any real effect on the play?

You will have to move and move quickly at times to get yourself into that proper position to see the action correcly however. Sometimes, you don't have to move at all. It is about whether you are in the position to get that "window" you need.

Finally, if you are thinking about your drive home or the previous game starting late during your game, you've got some concentration issues to deal with.

[archangel]

Another suggestion if the ball went "40 yds" and the ball boy is still on the sidelines,--- dont retrieve the kicked ball, and just get another one from the sidelines. Let that ballboy retrieve it.

[Forksref]

Don't hurry to the ball when the play ends. Stay back and have a wide vision of the field so that you don't miss any dead-ball action.

[Reffing Rev.]

Pre-Game the ballboys too!

If you are only using 1 ball for the whole game, I guess I can understand an official having to retrieve the ball.

Ball on the field I got it...ball off the field ballboy gets it.

We always make sure both teams have two game balls. I tell the ball boy if one goes out of bounds, the nearest official is going to want from you the other one.

On tries and field goals, place your extra ball down behind the post and you get back there to get that one.

1 rationale for this is when an official has to chase a game ball down off the field a couple of bad things can happen.
1. Extra-Curricular Activity. The official 40 yards from the field can't very well dead-ball officiate a potential conflict.
2. Official is in jeopardy (fans, etc.) No one has the official's back when he's 40 yards from the field.

[With_Two_Flakes]

Some good advice in this thread. Many old timers such as myself talk about hustle when training rookies but then fail to amplify what we mean by that. That can lead to the aforementioned "Headless Chicken" behaviour and also lead to "Happy Feet". Happy Feet is where an official feels he simply has to move somewhere, anywhere!

Rookies need to be taught to relax and let the play develop and then react to what play they read. Sometimes the correct reaction is to remain standing still.