false starts...the game clock runs?

[joeminnesota]

First thing, I'm a college student who has always been interested in football offficiating, does anybody have any advice for getting started? I looked through the Minnesota State High School Athletics website and found where there are some statewide clinics later this month? Should I just start there??

question:
An example situation (in High School Football):
team A is ahead of team B and team A has the ball with several minutes left in the 4th quarter.
With the clock already running, team A goes to the line and is set, but false starts, obviously resulting in a dead ball 5 yard penalty. However, once the ball is set and the whistle is blown, not only does the play clock start, but the game clock starts as well.

Couldn't team A conceivably commit false starts the rest of the game resulting in the clock to wind down and eventually run out, or at some point does the clock stop??

[Schultj]

If you are a new official, you should try to get into a officials association in your area. A clinic would be good in your first year too. Odds are that you won't get many games this year since the schedules are already done, so shoot to get some connections for next year. In my area, many varsity schedules are done in the fall for next season and the underclass games are scheduled by March, so if you want games for '04, you will have to move pretty fast.

As far as your scenario, the referee has the authority to not stop the clock if he feels that the false start is being used to consume time on the clock according to NFHS Rule 3-6-3.

[Mike Simonds]

Join the closest high school official's association this year. You can learn a lot and even though it may be too late to do high school games this season, you can start to study to the rules and have older guys available for mentoring. Also, they can get you started with youth league which is a wonderful place to get your experience.

You are making a wise decision to get started now at a young age.

Good luck to you.

[cdnRef]

Even if all the positions are filled for the season ahead, working on the chains - while not glamerous - is a great way to get familiar with the sideline mechanics (which is where you'll probably start)

[ABoselli]

If you meet a guy named Derock and he starts talking to you about tossing out the rule book and just using game sense, run.

[KWH]

Listen very closely too and adopt into practice all advice provided to you by ABoselli!!!

[ABoselli]

If only I could get my wife to think like that.