Use of Flags

[varefump]

Here in Virginia, the powers that be have declared that flags will not be used by the line judges in any of our state tournament matches. I have objected to that ruling but to no avail. The two reasons given are (1) not all associations have/use flags, and (2) it's a safety issue.

My question to the forum, which states or localities allow line judges to use flags?

Also, has anyone heard of an incident where someone got hurt because of the use of flags?

[refnrev]

Illinois and Indiana do not use them.

[Andy]

AZ encourages the use of the flags during the regular season and region playoffs, but it is not mandatory. Flags will be used at all State playoff matches.

Personally, I prefer that my line judges have flags. It's much easier for me to spot the movement of the flag in my periphial vision if necessary.

[TimTaylor]

Have never seen them used here in HS. The college matches I've lined for we've used them about 75% of the time.

[stmaryrams]

Never thought it would be that controversial.

Ohio uses them when available for season and for every playoff match I've ever seen.

[blueump]

What? Safety? Some poor sprawling player impaled on a line judge's wreckless flag? I'd can't even imagine any safety issue!

[TravelinMan]

Georgia uses flags. IMHO, I'd just as soon not use them. Sometimes the up judge can get confused by signals from a linesman who is not accustomed to using flags during regular season. I say if you use it during states, you should use it during the regular season. I can see using flags in a sport like soccer when you have to cover so large a field and the signals are either in or out and direction. But I do think it is overkill in vb.

[MCBear]

Travelin' Man, but the use of the flags is a great help during volleyball matches. Many times, the line judge is screened from me (as the referee) by players being between us. Believe me when I say that I can pick up the movement of that red or neon orange flag a whole lot easier than I can see hands and arms at times.

I have one association where I am allowed to let my line judges use flags and then I belong to another one where, since I and one other official are the only ones who own flags, we cannot use them during the matches. There are times that if it is non-league match, I will have the LJ's use the flags anyway because it makes my life a lot easier during play.

[TimTaylor]

Jan,

I haven't yet seen them used from the referee's point of reference, but can only imagine it would be a lot easier to see out of your peripheral vision - especially for things like an antenna call.

The supposed safety issue doesn't seem very relevant to me. I worked lines for a bunch of Div III matches this year, and if an old fart like me can get out of the way of the bigger/faster/stronger college players, I don't think the folks doing our HS matches would have a whole lot of problem.....

I can see where training the myriad of lines people we see during the season mught be a small issue, but we use certified officials for all HS playoff matches, so that wouldn't be an issue. Think maybe I'll suggest it to our commissioner/SRI for possible use in future playoffs - sorta run it up the flag pole and see if anyone salutes......

[refnrev]

The only safety issue I can see is for the linesman. Some irrate mother runs out of the stands, grabs the flag, and works the linesman over with it! Being a long time soccer ref I think flags would be kind of fun, actually.

[Andy]

Our state tournament wrapped up here in AZ over the weekend. In addition to the two matches I officiated, I was assigned lines on two other matches.

I had not done lines for some time, so I was really getting into it, whipping that flag down for the in calls and up for the out calls.

Between game 1 and 2, my assignor came over and told me to calm down, it looked like I was having too much fun out there..which, of course, I was.