Author Topic: New Official Position.  (Read 6523 times)

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Offline IrishGuard57

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New Official Position.
« on: November 10, 2019, 04:14:26 PM »
I am thinking about making the jump into officiating next season. I understand peoples experiences vary but I was wondering what position most crews or mentors will start a new guy in.

Also any tips or advice for somebody just starting in football officiating.
Thank you.

Offline CalhounLJ

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Re: New Official Position.
« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2019, 04:46:28 PM »
In my experience the most common positions are backjudge or umpire. You can learn the ropes pretty quickly in either. As far as advice, get in the rule and case books and learn!  Start with rule 2 and get a thorough understanding of exactly what the terms mean.  Good luck and welcome in advance.


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Offline GA Umpire

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Re: New Official Position.
« Reply #2 on: November 10, 2019, 05:21:42 PM »
I am thinking about making the jump into officiating next season. I understand peoples experiences vary but I was wondering what position most crews or mentors will start a new guy in.

Also any tips or advice for somebody just starting in football officiating.
Thank you.
In our area, we usually start our new members working the wings in MS and sub-varsity games.
You did not state what part of the country you are in and where you intend to officiate. 
You will need to contact the group you are thinking of joining and ask them the question(s) you have asked here.

As for advice/tips, what Calhoun LJ gave is spot on.


Offline HLinNC

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Re: New Official Position.
« Reply #3 on: November 10, 2019, 05:53:59 PM »
LJ seems to be where most new officials I see work in at because they tend to have the least ancillary responsibilities compared to the crew at large.  If you played line in HS or college, you might enjoy umpire.   If you have good "wheels" and can handle the PI vs. no-PI and kicking game responsibility, BJ may be your bag, although starting out, its hard to get a BJ gig since most games a new official would work won't be using one.

When I got my start, I also had season tickets for UT Vols football.  I began to spend more time watching the officials and less time watching the ball.  As I learned the rules, I would try to correlate what I saw on t.v. on Saturday and Sunday to what enforcements would be used in games I was working.   That is the first place that you will have to detach yourself.  What you are used to seeing and hearing on t.v. isn't necessarily what you are going to be dealing with in your games.

Wherever you work, get as many snaps as you can.  If you can move and try out other positions, do so.  The more you can do, the more useful you are.

Offline IrishGuard57

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Re: New Official Position.
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2019, 07:33:34 PM »
Thanks for the information thus far it is greatly appreciated. I just need to get my hands on some books and start learning.

Offline ilyazhito

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Re: New Official Position.
« Reply #5 on: November 11, 2019, 01:38:50 AM »
I am thinking about making the jump into officiating next season. I understand peoples experiences vary but I was wondering what position most crews or mentors will start a new guy in.

Also any tips or advice for somebody just starting in football officiating.
Thank you.
Where are you? What you do may depend on where you are. Some places use 4 and 5 man crews for varsity games, others use 6 and 7 man crews, and yet others switch between smaller crews for the regular season to bigger crews in the playoffs. You'll almost definitely start out doing midle school, youth, and/or JV games, but don't be surprised if your association is so hard-pressed for people that they ask you to do a varsity game or two. I got a full season's worth of varsity games in my first 2 years because my former association needed bodies when we expanded from 5 officials to 6 for varsity games.

I started in MD, where they use 6 officials for the vast majority of regular season varsity games and throughout the playoffs, so I.started as a deep wing in varsity games, and a short wing in subvarsity games. In DC, I.have worked short wing and back judge, because DC only uses 5-man crews in the regular season. Thus, it is possible to be asked to do any position, other than referee.

Offline dammitbobby

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Re: New Official Position.
« Reply #6 on: November 11, 2019, 09:08:05 AM »
The Redding Study Guide is far and away the best study material I have found, outside of handouts/writeups on rules/situations that I am sure most chapters have a library of (or someone in their chapter does).

Outside of those two things, I have been sorely disappointed at what I have found for study material.  If you're anything like me, reading the NCAA rulebook for comprehension is a challenge, the way it is written.  I have yet to come across any quality material that can do quizzes/tests, things like that.

Offline IrishGuard57

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Re: New Official Position.
« Reply #7 on: November 11, 2019, 09:25:30 AM »
Just to expound since two people have asked about my location. I am in northern Indiana. As far as I know they use 5 man crews for varsity games but not sure on the crew size for other levels. I'm sure and Indiana Official can set me straight on that information. I appreciate the information that has been provided so far to include the study guide recommendations. Thank you.

Offline riffraft

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Re: New Official Position.
« Reply #8 on: November 11, 2019, 03:29:50 PM »
The Redding Study Guide is far and away the best study material I have found, outside of handouts/writeups on rules/situations that I am sure most chapters have a library of (or someone in their chapter does).

Outside of those two things, I have been sorely disappointed at what I have found for study material.  If you're anything like me, reading the NCAA rulebook for comprehension is a challenge, the way it is written.  I have yet to come across any quality material that can do quizzes/tests, things like that.

I concur about Redding's. The one for NFHS has been and continues to be very helpful.

Offline Magician

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Re: New Official Position.
« Reply #9 on: November 11, 2019, 07:58:40 PM »
You could probably make arguments for and against each position other than R. And I encourage new officials to get snaps at R in youth or middle school games their first year. They'll realize it's one of the easiest positions to work during the play and it ramps up their penalty enforcement knowledge and helps them understand why it's important to report information to the R clearly.

Offline js in sc

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Re: New Official Position.
« Reply #10 on: November 11, 2019, 08:27:58 PM »
In SC, we encourage all 1st and 2nd year officials to work scrimmages at umpire and wing positions to become familiar with each position.  R and BJ are usually taught after that.  It is unusual to get Friday nights in the first year, unless the pool continues to dry up.  Each official should be familiar with these positions as it opens up your opportunities for varsity assignments.
Welcome and good luck.  I have had to hang it for health issues after 10 years and I miss it every day.

Offline VALJ

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Re: New Official Position.
« Reply #11 on: November 12, 2019, 10:18:57 AM »
Over the past few years, our JV assigner has been putting rookies on the chains to start.  I disagree with that, very strongly, but since I wasn't going to consider being given the job myself, I darn sure wasn't going to voice my opinion.

For the times that rookies get on the field in varsity games - which does happen, more than we would like - they're usually assigned in town at a deep wing position, as we work 7 man most of the time for our "city" games.  When they get sent to a 5 man game out in the country, they're usually B or U.

Offline BIG UMP

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Re: New Official Position.
« Reply #12 on: November 12, 2019, 11:31:55 AM »
I could argue for or against each position.  However, we tend to put newer officials at LJ and if strong football awareness at U.
Big Ump


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Offline refjeff

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Re: New Official Position.
« Reply #13 on: November 12, 2019, 11:40:58 AM »
Just to expound since two people have asked about my location. I am in northern Indiana.
https://ihsaa.org/Officials/Licensing 

Click on "Officials' Associations" and then "Associations Listing."  An Excel file will give you contact information for local associations in Indiana.  Contact them and tell them what you want to do.  They will be glad to help you.


Offline yarnnelg

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Re: New Official Position.
« Reply #14 on: November 12, 2019, 01:05:05 PM »
In Florida, a first year official was lucky to see the sideline of a High School Football Game within three years. Most started with the little guys. The eight to nine year olds who turn their head right or left, yet the helmet still points forward.

I was a Championship QB that had an All Conference Safety award two years before. Football awareness was in my blood. In fact, I officiated two JV High School Games my first year. I was fortunate in having the two most respected and seasoned Officials in the Association that took me under their wing as a "special" project.

If it were me, I would highly recommend that you tour the internet seeking training and mechanical videos for young Officials. When to move against the grain, what to look for in situational play, positioning .... You'll be light years ahead. Then seek a mentor. If that mentor has a crew ....follow them everywhere you can.

Offline dammitbobby

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Re: New Official Position.
« Reply #15 on: November 12, 2019, 03:14:54 PM »
If it were me, I would highly recommend that you tour the internet seeking training and mechanical videos for young Officials. When to move against the grain, what to look for in situational play, positioning .... You'll be light years ahead. Then seek a mentor. If that mentor has a crew ....follow them everywhere you can.

If anyone has a good listing of such resources as you mentioned, please share them.  There is a dearth of information on topics such as this, from what I have seen. 

The number one piece of advice I have seen given on here (and it is good advice, to be sure!!!) is to get into the rule book, especially chapter 2.  The problem is, for people like me, who are highly visual learners, it is very difficult to take the rule book, and be able to conceptualize what is being said.  That is is why Redding's is very impactful for me, because the scenarios place context around the definitions and rulings and it helps tremendously.  I've yet to find a good resource for specifically chapter 2, that has quizzes (which are super helpful to me, it's just how I learn) and scenarios with explanations that fully explain the correct ruling/response, WITH a tie back to the definition.
 
There is no no single place to find good training videos, that I have found.  I would love to see a training resource that has, for example, visual, slow-motion examples of the six types of DPI, for example, or the different types of holding.  It's not a replacement for seeing it live and in person on the field, but it helps me get better by letting me link what I am seeing with my eyes, with what I know is a defined category, if that makes sense.

I'd love - and spend a fair amount of money on - an IOS/Android app that was nothing but hundreds and hundreds of scenarios, with clear explanations and definitions.

Offline ilyazhito

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Re: New Official Position.
« Reply #16 on: November 12, 2019, 09:42:31 PM »
https://www.getitrighttraining.com
This is for PC, but it shows mechanics for various situations for any crew size. It also has high school and college versions of the application. It's been helpful in me learning college mechanics.

Offline VALJ

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Re: New Official Position.
« Reply #17 on: November 13, 2019, 08:45:07 AM »
https://www.getitrighttraining.com
This is for PC, but it shows mechanics for various situations for any crew size. It also has high school and college versions of the application. It's been helpful in me learning college mechanics.

Remember, though, that your mileage may vary.  Your state, or your association, may have their own mechanics. 

Offline Ralph Damren

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Re: New Official Position.
« Reply #18 on: November 13, 2019, 10:02:25 AM »
We start our guys, when ready for varsity, at HL. Our rationale :

 (1) Before taking the field, he will shadow a HL during an exhibition game. By hanging with the chain crew and discussions with the HL during down time, he will learn his duties first hand.

 (2) He'll begin his on-field career with a minimum of 10 on-field assignments as HL. We use 3 men in sub-varsity and the 3-man mechanics are similar to 4-man and 5-man for HL.
 
 (3) The HL will have a duty every play in interacting with the chain crew and less time to worry : "Gee, am I throwing enough flags?"

 (4) Most of his flags will be objective (encroachment ,false start, illegal formation, etc).

 He will have an observer (veteran official) at one of sub-varsity games and one at his early varsity games. He will have a mentor who he can turn to for answers and advice. He can notify the assigner when he feels ready to be assigned to another position.l

Offline ncwingman

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Re: New Official Position.
« Reply #19 on: November 13, 2019, 11:20:38 AM »
I am in northern Indiana.

Just don't reflexively Damsha Bua after every touchdown. It looks bad when you're supposed to be an impartial official.

My experiences have been starting new guys on the wings -- LJ for the first couple games but then HL shortly thereafter to get experience with the chains. This is mostly because we do 3 man youth mechanics with R/LJ/HL -- so that doesn't leave too many options. I know there's 3 man mechanics with one wing and a U instead, but I've never seen that done in practice around me.

Once you "graduate" to high school, you generally stay at LJ/HL for the first couple years so that it's the same base mechanics, just bigger and faster players. After that, people can be moved to U/BJ as needed and how they'll fit.

Offline ilyazhito

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Re: New Official Position.
« Reply #20 on: November 13, 2019, 06:45:23 PM »
Remember, though, that your mileage may vary.  Your state, or your association, may have their own mechanics.
That is why some state variations are incorporated into the software. Case in point: MD 6-man mechanics and OH 6-man mechanics are both included in the NFHS edition of the software, in addition to standard 6-man mechanics. Same thing applies for the variations on 5-man mechanics.

Offline CalhounLJ

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Re: New Official Position.
« Reply #21 on: November 14, 2019, 07:32:25 AM »
https://www.getitrighttraining.com
This is for PC, but it shows mechanics for various situations for any crew size. It also has high school and college versions of the application. It's been helpful in me learning college mechanics.
Downloaded it yesterday. It’s great! There appears to be an update because it’s also available for my MAC.


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Offline VALJ

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Re: New Official Position.
« Reply #22 on: November 14, 2019, 10:38:23 AM »
That is why some state variations are incorporated into the software. Case in point: MD 6-man mechanics and OH 6-man mechanics are both included in the NFHS edition of the software, in addition to standard 6-man mechanics. Same thing applies for the variations on 5-man mechanics.

Understandable, and worthy!  Our association has our own mechanics, though, as the state of VA does not establish its own mechanics manual.

Offline dammitbobby

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Re: New Official Position.
« Reply #23 on: November 14, 2019, 12:52:03 PM »
I got a copy of getitright for free for being part of the Battlefields to Ballfields program, honestly forgot I had it installed.  It definitely helps, and there is nothing else like this as far as I know.  Wish there more more scenarios but it's still a great tool.

Offline IrishGuard57

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Re: New Official Position.
« Reply #24 on: November 14, 2019, 06:18:13 PM »
I can't thank you all enough for the number of responses and great information. For those of you that went through the Battlefields to Ballfields program, how was it? I'm a veteran myself and have thought about applying for the scholorship.