Problem chain crew's
 

I just finished my first year of officiating and really enjoyed it, I however have had a few situations where the chain crew has been less then helpful and in one instance I took away two phones and threated one with removal for arguing with his "friends" (chains on the home team side). what do you guys do with problem chain crews?

Get the coach to fix it. Immediately. New kids if necessary.

If its adults or non-player kids, notify the AD. If it's players, let them know you're going to go have a talk with the coach. That is normally enough to get them in line.

I would not put myself in the position of "taking" their personal property. Ask them to shut them off and not be on them during the game is sufficient. If they can't heed your request, fire them.

I have "fired" two chain crew members in my career- 1) JV game, varsity player- inattentive, flirting with the visiting cheerleaders. 2) varsity game, adult boxman, kept standing perpendicular to the sideline, thus blocking me-this just irritated me, when he commented just before halftime about a particular non-call, that was enough to invite him not to return for the 2nd half

A 3rd came real close-varsity game

Chain guy- "That wudn't a fumble"
Me- "Uh, yes it was"
Chain guy- "Yes, it wuz"
Me- pointing to home stands- "You wanna go sit over there?"
Chain guy- "No"
Me- "Alright then"

We had one game this season with a chain crew of newer officials, assigned by the conference assignor. One of the crew members is notorious for being a PITA.

At halftime he came in and announced that he would not be working the clip in the second half, because the sideline was too tight and he refused to risk getting his ankle stepped on.

My approach was to offer him a choice: he could do the job correctly, or he could leave and we'd find someone else (one of my crew is recovering from surgery and said he would do it). He asked if I was "kicking him out," and I said I was not, just giving him a choice. He chose to leave, and my guy helped in the second half.

I like handling it this way because (1) I'm not telling him what to do, (2) he has a choice, but (3) we insist on a standard of performance, and (4) get the job done right in the end, one way or another.

A number of problems you can avoid with a Chain Crew, can be eliminated in your pre-game instructions, which should be direct and to the point. Explaining why you want them off the line, why and when you want them to drop the stakes, why you want them to wait for YOUR instructions to move, the importance of the clip and their being part of the officiating crew requiring no interaction with players, coaches, cheerleaders or spectators helps set a proper tone.

Often, especially at lower levels, the chain crew you have is new to the effort and may be somewhat ignorant as to what is required. Ignorance can be corrected with good instructions, Stupid is likely uncorrectable and you need to identify what you're dealing with as soon as possible.

A Linesman should develop a well rehearsed, consistent, STANDARD,pre-game instruction script that covers all material points. The more you give it, the better and more decisive it will sound, and the more chain crews will follow instructions.

3 years ago. I was working a youth league game in DE, I think it was some kinds of pop warner regional championship or something along those lines.


it was an rare October snow storm in PA. So I was having real trouble finding a competent 3rd man to run the box. Finally someone stumbled down and said he'd do it. I thought he was just cold and had trouble moving. Against better judgment and because it was freezing and we were 10 minutes late because no one wanted to leave their blankets and hot chocolates to work the sticks. I said fine whatever.

one of the biggest mistakes ive made on the field.

he lasted half a quarter. He was from the other team and kept yelling at the kids on the sideline and on the field. He argued with 90% of my spots and calls.

oh and about midway through I was convinced he was high, but it didnt matter cause i could smell the booze reeking off him. Once I realized what I was working with, I had him not only removed from the chains, he was escorted off the field entirely. He probably drunk drove home :(

edit: Oh I forgot to mention, I can be sure, but I think he tried to take a swing at me after I informed the white hat we were not proceeding until he was removed. I heard commotion behind me, and when I turned back around he was being restrained and eventually walked off the field.

After the game, the coach from the losing team (the drunk guys team) followed me to my car to berate me for being a homer, and throwing his "friend" off of the chains.

Fun times. thats why i'm a umpire. I hate the sidelines.

This was when you should have sent him packing.

Now, see, where I come from, that's no threat at all. It's hard to get volunteers to hold sticks when they'd much rather get a better view of the game and a seat, if there are stands around the field. So their answer would be "Yes" rather than "No", unless it's a child who wants to feel important, and that usually works for only 1 game. Sometimes games are held up for several minutes while they plead for people to hold the sticks. I've seen this in NYC & Chicago, and I don't imagine it's an unusual state of affairs. I've even seen a couple of games where it wasn't until after the opening kickoff that they realized they had nobody for the sticks -- or they were trying to get volunteers at the same time, knowing they didn't really need them for the opening KO.

I had 2 games this year...both JV games for a pretty solid program in this state. One where we had to do the "Boys, please put the phones away or we'll need to stop the game and find others to work for you...thank you." and another that had a 6 pm start and got underway at about 6:10 after the coach and some PA announcer help finally found a parent or two....one was a cheerleader mom and another a parent from the visiting team to work the box and the lead stick. Good stuff.....and yes, the HC was notified of chain crew needs at 5:45 or so. And no, it wasn't lousy weather. I've allowed a KO without a physical chain crew once when they were "just coming down now" and we stood at first and 10 for a whole bunch of minutes. I won't allow the KO if the crew isn't present. Seems to get addressed a lot quicker.