Hustling versus Hurrying

[stegenref]

I've had several white hats this year tell me to slow down. But other things I've heard and read say you're supposed to hustle. How do you know when you're "hustling", but not "hurrying" too much? Where is that balance? And what's so bad about running fast?
The latest incident happened the other night during a JV game. I was the umpire and one team was kicking a try (PAT). After the ball was kicked, I turned around and there was no ball-boy or anyone back there to retrieve the ball and it had gone like forty yards, so I ran after it to get it for the HL, since I was the closest official to the ball. I like making sure the ball is ready for the kickoff team when they get out onto the field, instead of them waiting on us. Plus I like to keep the game moving along since I had a 45 minute drive home and the game had started late due to a previous game running over. Anyway, when I came back with the ball, the WH told me to "slow down" and "save some for later".

[NorCalRef12]

In the situation you described, I think the WH was just worried about you getting tired out. But if you can run to get the ball and still be good to go, by all means hustle back there to get it.

There is a difference between hustling and hurrying. Typically, new official's will hurry which only makes your vision bounce around and make things harder to see. For someone who hasn't played football for a while and is just getting into the game, it can seem like it is moving very fast. New official's think they need to speed up and get on top of the action in order to see everything. The opposite is actually true.

When you hurry, you are more concerned with where you are going than the action that you should be keying on. You should hustle to get in the correct position, but once you are there, slow down, stop if possible, and watch the play.

There is more to it than this, but this is the general idea.

[whitehat]

Try watching some good college (or good HS) officials, their mechanics, how they move, when they don't. if a wing, don't start moving on the snap, see what is happening then shuffle down field, let the play come to you...

NorCal is right. the more you slow down the more the game will slow down for you and you will see more. No good R will mistake your controlled, slow, deliberate hustle with laziness. some officials are just lazy and wont retrieve balls, dont pinch in on short yardage spots, BJs who stand in the middle of the field...etc...

[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.