Author Topic: Heat Timeout  (Read 6622 times)

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Offline CalhounLJ

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Heat Timeout
« on: September 02, 2017, 08:06:46 AM »
Down here in Mississippi, we administer a heat/humidity at the 6:00 mark of each quarter through the month of September. Last night, at the 6:00 mark of the 3rd quarter, Team A had Team B on its heels, no-huddle, gaining 5-6 yards every down. They were somewhere between the 40's, (maybe B's 45, or so). I stopped the clock for the heat timeout, and during the TO, A's coach asked me why. He was like, "Man, we had the momentum, were driving, and you stopped us." My question - Which is more important, protecting the players because of the heat, or protecting the momentum of the drive? How do you guys handle a situation like that?
BTW, the policy in our association is to not stop the drive inside the B20)

Offline FLAHL

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Re: Heat Timeout
« Reply #1 on: September 02, 2017, 08:17:50 AM »
The FHSAA really helped us with that one. We are to call a TO for water at the first clock stoppage after 6:30 in each quarter. They even specify that if the first clock stoppage is a team TO, the water TO will be at the next clock stoppage.  Momentum, field position, etc do not come into play.  That makes it very easy for us to administer.

I cover this in my pregame to make sure the coaches know when it will happen.
« Last Edit: September 02, 2017, 08:20:03 AM by FLAHL »

Offline sir55

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Re: Heat Timeout
« Reply #2 on: September 02, 2017, 09:59:45 AM »
The heat timeout is mandatory. It is a safety issue through September. The safety and well being of the players trumps the momentum of a drive or the ego of a coach.

Offline ncwingman

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Re: Heat Timeout
« Reply #3 on: September 02, 2017, 11:23:59 AM »
If it's an established rule that at 6 minutes of each quarter, there will be an officials timeout -- then that's what you do. Both teams should be expecting it and should plan accordingly.

That's sort of like A's coach saying "We were driving and had the momentum but the first quarter ended... you should have let us finish the drive before switching ends!". Of course you wouldn't indulge that.

Where I am, the heat timeout is much more discretionary. I mean, if it reaches 60 degrees here today, I'd be amazed. However, that's not to say that we don't have hot and humid games that require breaks, but it's not a hard established rule. Actually, at the end of last year some places actually had "smoke breaks" -- local wildfires were causing a significant drop in air quality. In those cases, we generally avoid interrupting a series but will extend natural breaks in the action for water -- extra time before a kickoff or at a change of possession, for instance.

Offline SouthGARef

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Re: Heat Timeout
« Reply #4 on: September 02, 2017, 11:28:04 AM »
I like the GHSA policy of leaving it up to the officials for that individual game.

Last night in my game the visiting team took the opening kickoff and had an 80 yard drive running the ball for a TD that ran the clock down to 6:54. After the kickoff and the next play, the 6:00 mark would've been after one play for the home team's offense and the visiting team's defense. Trust me, the kids don't need water after one play.

We actually never took a water break in the 1st quarter. The home team's drive lasted another 5 minutes and they scored with <1m remaining in the quarter. I extended the first quarter break for water, but it wasn't really needed.

My rule of thumb is to try and get one in after punts around the 6m mark or extend breaks after a touchdown while we set up for a kickoff.

Offline js in sc

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Re: Heat Timeout
« Reply #5 on: September 02, 2017, 06:16:58 PM »
Although there is no specific statewide rule on timing other than around 6 minutes, the general rule of thumb is not to disrupt a drive for the H&H time-out.  We will break around the 6 minute mark if there is a change of possession, called time-out, or other break in the action.

Offline Delta51

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Re: Heat Timeout
« Reply #6 on: September 04, 2017, 02:05:43 PM »
Calhoun, I'm in Mississippi just like you, but I handle the heat TO a bit differently.
In my pre-game with the coaches, I tell them "I'm gonna get you the heat TO as close as I can to the 6-minute mark, but I will not stop a team from driving the ball. We may take it at the 6, or 5, or 4  or 3 minute mark. But we will get it in".
They seem to understand and we move on.
I try to take the heat TO after a change of possession or kick.

Offline CalhounLJ

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Heat Timeout
« Reply #7 on: September 04, 2017, 07:06:44 PM »
Calhoun, I'm in Mississippi just like you, but I handle the heat TO a bit differently.
In my pre-game with the coaches, I tell them "I'm gonna get you the heat TO as close as I can to the 6-minute mark, but I will not stop a team from driving the ball. We may take it at the 6, or 5, or 4  or 3 minute mark. But we will get it in".
They seem to understand and we move on.
I try to take the heat TO after a change of possession or kick.
Thanks, but that's kinda my question. If it's important enough for the NFHS to designate 6:00 mark, then how much over that can you go without endangering a player. My nightmare for this scenario would be to let A continue to drive, and have a player go down with heat stroke. I can guarantee that somebody would ask the question, "Why didn't you take a heat timeout when you were supposed to. " Until I get an official interp, I'm taking the heat timeout as close to the 6 minute mark as I can.


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Offline bama_stripes

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Re: Heat Timeout
« Reply #8 on: September 05, 2017, 05:52:03 AM »
We take ours at the first DB after 6:00.  If they have a problem with that, I give them the phone number of our state office.

Remember, some coaches plan their timeout usage to include these heat TOs.

Offline prab

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Re: Heat Timeout
« Reply #9 on: September 05, 2017, 12:05:10 PM »
Wisconsin has provisions for heat time outs, however I have not been involved in a game where they were necessary for several years.

We have a middle school doubleheader tonight and are debating whether long sleeved shirts would be appropriate.

What a difference a few degrees of latitude can make!

Offline Ralph Damren

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Re: Heat Timeout
« Reply #10 on: September 05, 2017, 12:21:07 PM »
Wisconsin has provisions for heat time outs, however I have not been involved in a game where they were necessary for several years.

We have a middle school doubleheader tonight and are debating whether long sleeved shirts would be appropriate.

What a difference a few degrees of latitude can make!
In Maine, in last Friday's season opener, several crews wore long sleeves. My crew didn't...my crew was tough...plus 2 only brought short sleeves. H & H TOs are rare here but we have had on occasion. IMHO, it should be discussed in pregame with coaches .IMHO , calling it at the end of a series in lieu of a drive may help in limiting the time variable .

Offline AlUpstateNY

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Re: Heat Timeout
« Reply #11 on: September 05, 2017, 01:23:58 PM »
We take ours at the first DB after 6:00.  If they have a problem with that, I give them the phone number of our state office.

Remember, some coaches plan their timeout usage to include these heat TOs.

Not sure, but I don't think, "plan(ing) their timeout usage to include these heat TOs) was part of the logic, or reason, for initiating this policy.

Offline Rulesman

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Re: Heat Timeout
« Reply #12 on: September 05, 2017, 05:27:21 PM »
Not sure, but I don't think, "plan(ing) their timeout usage to include these heat TOs) was part of the logic, or reason, for initiating this policy.
it isn't, it wasn't, but they do. Believe it.
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Offline riffraft

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Re: Heat Timeout
« Reply #13 on: September 06, 2017, 03:15:12 PM »
Here in Arizona (it was over 100 at game time last Friday), water TOs are at the discretion of the Referee. Never had a coach complain no matter when we stop it. Believe me the kids (and our crew) are always ready for that break. 

Offline TampaSteve

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Re: Heat Timeout
« Reply #14 on: September 07, 2017, 08:56:57 AM »
The FHSAA really helped us with that one. We are to call a TO for water at the first clock stoppage after 6:30 in each quarter. They even specify that if the first clock stoppage is a team TO, the water TO will be at the next clock stoppage.  Momentum, field position, etc do not come into play.  That makes it very easy for us to administer.

I cover this in my pregame to make sure the coaches know when it will happen.
when did FL do this??  I'm out of the HS loop, but last I heard the water break" shall be as close to the 6:00 min mark as you can WHEN THE CLOCK IS NATURALLY STOPPED. (i.e. incomplete pass, stop clock for 1/10, etc.)

FYI fellas: the FL water break was until the last friday in October, but in the past 5-7 years, the State ust made it all season long - including state finals in december.

Offline FLAHL

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Re: Heat Timeout
« Reply #15 on: September 07, 2017, 10:40:12 AM »
when did FL do this??  I'm out of the HS loop, but last I heard the water break" shall be as close to the 6:00 min mark as you can WHEN THE CLOCK IS NATURALLY STOPPED. (i.e. incomplete pass, stop clock for 1/10, etc.)

FYI fellas: the FL water break was until the last friday in October, but in the past 5-7 years, the State ust made it all season long - including state finals in december.

This is from page 3 of the FHSAA Football Sport Manual:  Mandatory Water Breaks: The referee must call an uncharged one- minute timeout at the first clock stoppage after the 6:30 minute mark of each quarter. If the first clock stoppage is a timeout request by either team, then that timeout is granted and the next clock stoppage that is not a requested team timeout becomes the water break. Coaches may meet with their players during this timeout. This rule must be enforced in all games up to and including the regular season and playoffs, including both fall and spring preseason classics and jamborees.

Offline Tom.OH

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Re: Heat Timeout
« Reply #16 on: September 07, 2017, 11:13:35 AM »
Had a water timeout in a F or JV game a few years ago. Coach came out and was talking to his team, I told him no coaching and he kept it up. I told him again no coaching this is an officials time out , he still was coaching his team. I blew my whistle and said time out red. Coach said he did not call time out. I told him he kept coaching so he must have wanted a timeout. Did not have any problems the rest of the game.

Adding to prabs post, I saw one crew in week 2 wore long sleeve shirts, raining pretty hard in SW Ohio from hurricane Harvey.
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Offline Rulesman

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Re: Heat Timeout
« Reply #17 on: September 07, 2017, 05:05:44 PM »
Had a water timeout in a F or JV game a few years ago. Coach came out and was talking to his team, I told him no coaching and he kept it up. I told him again no coaching this is an officials time out , he still was coaching his team.
Look at rules 3-5-7g and 3-5-8a (2).
"Gentlemen, we are going to relentlessly chase perfection, knowing full well we will not catch it, because nothing is perfect. But we are going to relentlessly chase it, because in the process we will catch excellence. I am not remotely interested in just being good."
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