Kick, receive or defer revisited

[legend]

Had a Jr, Hi. game thursday night where the team that won the toss (with their coach present) opted to defend. Asked if they ment to defer they said no defend. Again they were asked (with the question being directed to the coach this time) Are you sure you didnt mean to say defer. And the answer again for the 3rd time was "no we want to defend". Some times we just can't help them at all. By the way, loved the coaches face when after the half he realized that he was kicking AGAIN to start the 2nd half. At that point he said...and I quote "Oh so thats why you asked us 3 times if we ment defer" Costly lesson learned.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by legend

Had a Jr, Hi. game thursday night where the team that won the toss (with their coach present) opted to defend. Asked if they ment to defer they said no defend. Again they were asked (with the question being directed to the coach this time) Are you sure you didnt mean to say defer. And the answer again for the 3rd time was "no we want to defend". Some times we just can't help them at all. By the way, loved the coaches face when after the half he realized that he was kicking AGAIN to start the 2nd half. At that point he said...and I quote "Oh so thats why you asked us 3 times if we ment defer" Costly lesson learned.

Wait a minute...what did you interpret "defend" to mean? Neither the kicking nor the receiving team can be said to "defend", but if I were forced to decide which team that means, I would say it's the receiving team, defending the field against the kickoff.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

Wait a minute...what did you interpret "defend" to mean? Neither the kicking nor the receiving team can be said to "defend", but if I were forced to decide which team that means, I would say it's the receiving team, defending the field against the kickoff.

Nonsense. Defend means to defend an end. Which leaves the other team to choose between kicking off at the empty end or to receive at the empty end.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

Wait a minute...what did you interpret "defend" to mean? Neither the kicking nor the receiving team can be said to "defend", but if I were forced to decide which team that means, I would say it's the receiving team, defending the field against the kickoff.

Ridiculous. If that was the case, the coach would have been shocked a lot earlier, like when the wing asked for a ball for the kickoff.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

Wait a minute...what did you interpret "defend" to mean? Neither the kicking nor the receiving team can be said to "defend", but if I were forced to decide which team that means, I would say it's the receiving team, defending the field against the kickoff.

Check your rule book and try again. I award you no points and may God have mercy on your soul.

[jchamp]

...
"Do you want to be able to receive the kick at the start of the second half?"
...
If the answer is anything that resembles "yes", then assume he means "Defer."

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Welpe

Check your rule book and try again. I award you no points and may God have mercy on your soul.

[JRutledge]

I think at the varsity level this is rather dangerous to change their answer to what we think it should be. If they are not aware of their choices that is not really our concern. I would ask them to clarify their position because it is an unusual choice, but I do not think we should make that choice for them. I would ask a captain if that is really what they want or understand the choice, but I would not just ignore them. The other team just heard what they said too and if you do something that puts them at a disadvantage, they have every right to call you on what you did. I would make sure they they understand that if they kick they will not have a choice in the second half, but I would not just make the decision for them. After all coaches do outthink themselves and make silly decisions sometimes too. Heck and NFL coach once took the wind in OT and never saw the ball.

Peace

[CT1]

The only two options I give are "defer / receive", or "receive / defer", depending on what his coach has told me prior to the game.

[Forksref]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I think at the varsity level this is rather dangerous to change their answer to what we think it should be. If they are not aware of their choices that is not really our concern. I would ask them to clarify their position because it is an unusual choice, but I do not think we should make that choice for them. I would ask a captain if that is really what they want or understand the choice, but I would not just ignore them. The other team just heard what they said too and if you do something that puts them at a disadvantage, they have every right to call you on what you did. I would make sure they they understand that if they kick they will not have a choice in the second half, but I would not just make the decision for them. After all coaches do outthink themselves and make silly decisions sometimes too. Heck and NFL coach once took the wind in OT and never saw the ball.

Peace

I ask the winning capt. if he wants to chose now or defer his choice to the 2nd half. If either capt. says they want to kick or defend a goal, I repeat what they said and if they say it again I go with it. My view is that these are big boys in a varsity game and if they are capts. they should know what to do. If I were the coach I'd coach the capt. to choose either defer or receive, no other option (unless it is really windy). I've already had a varsity capt. screw it up this year. If the coach hasn't coached the kid properly so be it. Unfortunately it is equivalent to a turnover.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Forksref

I ask the winning capt. if he wants to chose now or defer his choice to the 2nd half. If either capt. says they want to kick or defend a goal, I repeat what they said and if they say it again I go with it. My view is that these are big boys in a varsity game and if they are capts. they should know what to do. If I were the coach I'd coach the capt. to choose either defer or receive, no other option (unless it is really windy). I've already had a varsity capt. screw it up this year. If the coach hasn't coached the kid properly so be it. Unfortunately it is equivalent to a turnover.

I have no problem with that way to give the options. I just want to make sure they understand the choices but it is up to them to know what to choose, that is all. Again we do not have kids screw this up normally and certainly if a kid said "kick" I would try to make sure that is their real choice.

Peace

[bcl1127]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I think at the varsity level this is rather dangerous to change their answer to what we think it should be. If they are not aware of their choices that is not really our concern. I would ask them to clarify their position because it is an unusual choice, but I do not think we should make that choice for them. I would ask a captain if that is really what they want or understand the choice, but I would not just ignore them. The other team just heard what they said too and if you do something that puts them at a disadvantage, they have every right to call you on what you did. I would make sure they they understand that if they kick they will not have a choice in the second half, but I would not just make the decision for them. After all coaches do outthink themselves and make silly decisions sometimes too. Heck and NFL coach once took the wind in OT and never saw the ball.

Peace

+1 agreed here.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Welpe

Check your rule book and try again. I award you no points and may God have mercy on your soul.

Hey, not my fault the guy tries to go off menu with "defend" without indicating a goal to defend. The word has no official meaning in that context, but I'd say my interpret'n is as good as any. Can we take it he didn't have his mouth guard in when he said it?