Wet Bulb Globe Temperature Measuring (WBGT) Device

[stevestod]

How many AD's use Wet Bulb Globe Temperature Measuring (WBGT) Devices?  We have 5 artificial fields in the state of Vermont, two are College (Middlebury and Norwich) and three are high school.  We just had a scrimmage cancelled because of the heat index, it was a artificial field.  Yes in Vermont, where I have used a togue during JV games in November.  It's a new thing for Vermont this year, does other states use this?

[Atlanta Blue]

Required in Georgia at all schools.

[HLinNC]

The ATC's take care of all that here.

[Rulesman]

Heat index hits 104 in Tennessee and everything extracurricular stops.

[NJOfficial]

I have only been an official for a few years but never have heard of this being used.  I am in NJ and they just started practice recently and most games don't start until after Labor Day, so it gets hot but for the most part its not that brutal.

[FLAHL]

I've never heard of it either.  I always find the administrator with the lightning detector for our games.

I can't even guess at the heat index for youth football in the middle of the afternoon on an artificial turf field in August/September.  Our guys were sunscreen on their legs to prevent a burn from the reflection off the turf.

[Atlanta Blue]

The "wet bulb" is a device that takes into account air temp, humidity, and wind speed, in order to calculate a heat index score.  When that score reaches a certain point, we have to take off shoulder pads.  If it reaches the next level, we have to take off helmets.  If it reaches a third level, outdoor practice is over.

In Georgia, it is only used in practices, not in games.  The theory as to why it isn't used in games is that players have more breaks, the action isn't as continuous, they take their helmets off more, etc.

Officials don't see it (or in some cases even know about it) because it is just one more of those things that a coach has to know about, but isn't a game issue.  I'm really not saying this is a smart IDIOT way, but there are MANY things coaches have to manage all week that officials never see.  Contact restrictions, wet bulb readings, number of quarters played by each player each week, filing practice plans for the state, etc.

I'm not complaining, it's part of the job.  But a coach has to be an accountant, a lawyer, an equipment expert, a meteorologist, and oh yeah, a mentor, in some cases a father figure, and that's before we get to actually coaching football.

So if some are a little cranky on Friday nights and don't know all the rules as well as you would like, well, it's because they were working on a LOT of other things!

[NJOfficial]

The "wet bulb" is a device that takes into account air temp, humidity, and wind speed, in order to calculate a heat index score.  When that score reaches a certain point, we have to take off shoulder pads.  If it reaches the next level, we have to take off helmets.  If it reaches a third level, outdoor practice is over.

In Georgia, it is only used in practices, not in games.  The theory as to why it isn't used in games is that players have more breaks, the action isn't as continuous, they take their helmets off more, etc.

Officials don't see it (or in some cases even know about it) because it is just one more of those things that a coach has to know about, but isn't a game issue.  I'm really not saying this is a smart IDIOT way, but there are MANY things coaches have to manage all week that officials never see.  Contact restrictions, wet bulb readings, number of quarters played by each player each week, filing practice plans for the state, etc.

I'm not complaining, it's part of the job.  But a coach has to be an accountant, a lawyer, an equipment expert, a meteorologist, and oh yeah, a mentor, in some cases a father figure, and that's before we get to actually coaching football.

So if some are a little cranky on Friday nights and don't know all the rules as well as you would like, well, it's because they were working on a LOT of other things!


You say you aren't complaining, but you actually are.  As an official I do not expect the coaches to know all the rules, but what I do expect is that if he asks me about a rule and I explain it to him don't tell me I am wrong then if you don't know the rule.  Part of the job as a coach is to know the rules, I understand you don't have the time to know the rules as much as you would like, but don't take it out on the officials. I don't understand why you would be cranky on a Friday night, I would think that is the best day of the week, its the payoff for doing all the things you mentioned. Its game night.

[dcbarisax1]

Only time I ever used or came under the guidance of the WGBT was while I was in the Air Force with a work/rest schedule.  Didn't need folks falling out in San Antonio in the middle of summer.

[Atlanta Blue]

You say you aren't complaining, but you actually are.  As an official I do not expect the coaches to know all the rules, but what I do expect is that if he asks me about a rule and I explain it to him don't tell me I am wrong then if you don't know the rule.  Part of the job as a coach is to know the rules, I understand you don't have the time to know the rules as much as you would like, but don't take it out on the officials. I don't understand why you would be cranky on a Friday night, I would think that is the best day of the week, its the payoff for doing all the things you mentioned. Its game night.

You obviously don't understand "complaining".  I'm explaining that there are MANY things other than "teaching football" that a coach has to do all week, some of it bureaucratic crap brought on by administrators and attorneys, some of it legitimate safety issues. The wet bulb described here is just one example.  Many officials have never even heard of it, we live with it every day.

Yes, part of the job is to know the rules.  But when a coach questions a rule on Friday nights, don't treat him like an idiot.  There's a chance he really is right.  I questioned a rule in a scrimmage the other night, was correct, and afterward, the wing came up and thanked me.  "Coach, I would have gotten that wrong all year.  I appreciate you pointed it out in a polite way.  I won't miss it again."  And I'm sure he won't.

I've been on both sides, I was a baseball umpire for 41 years, up to and including D1 ball.  It is the official's job to treat the coach with respect at all times, even if the coach might not be doing the same.  He has a lot more invested in it than you do, it's his job, it's your hobby.  I'm not saying any coach has carte blanche, but it's NOT equal.

[Welpe]

So if some are a little cranky on Friday nights and don't know all the rules as well as you would like, well, it's because they were working on a LOT of other things!

Not knowing the rules is one thing, it's insisting I don't that is the problem.

[NJOfficial]

You obviously don't understand "complaining".  I'm explaining that there are MANY things other than "teaching football" that a coach has to do all week, some of it bureaucratic crap brought on by administrators and attorneys, some of it legitimate safety issues. The wet bulb described here is just one example.  Many officials have never even heard of it, we live with it every day.

Yes, part of the job is to know the rules.  But when a coach questions a rule on Friday nights, don't treat him like an idiot.  There's a chance he really is right.  I questioned a rule in a scrimmage the other night, was correct, and afterward, the wing came up and thanked me.  "Coach, I would have gotten that wrong all year.  I appreciate you pointed it out in a polite way.  I won't miss it again."  And I'm sure he won't.

I've been on both sides, I was a baseball umpire for 41 years, up to and including D1 ball.  It is the official's job to treat the coach with respect at all times, even if the coach might not be doing the same.  He has a lot more invested in it than you do, it's his job, it's your hobby.  I'm not saying any coach has carte blanche, but it's NOT equal.

I understand complaining, I officiate football. Its a two way street, there are coaches that mistreat officials and officials that mistreat coaches.  Also, remember that maybe an official is grumpy on Friday night because he had a bad week of work.

I have to disagree with a coach disrespecting an official, maybe I am misunderstanding what you mean.  If a coach is disrespectful there is going to be some kind of penalty involved. 

[FLAHL]

The "wet bulb" is a device that takes into account air temp, humidity, and wind speed, in order to calculate a heat index score.  When that score reaches a certain point, we have to take off shoulder pads.  If it reaches the next level, we have to take off helmets.  If it reaches a third level, outdoor practice is over.

In Georgia, it is only used in practices, not in games.  The theory as to why it isn't used in games is that players have more breaks, the action isn't as continuous, they take their helmets off more, etc.

Officials don't see it (or in some cases even know about it) because it is just one more of those things that a coach has to know about, but isn't a game issue.  I'm really not saying this is a smart IDIOT way, but there are MANY things coaches have to manage all week that officials never see.  Contact restrictions, wet bulb readings, number of quarters played by each player each week, filing practice plans for the state, etc.

I'm not complaining, it's part of the job.  But a coach has to be an accountant, a lawyer, an equipment expert, a meteorologist, and oh yeah, a mentor, in some cases a father figure, and that's before we get to actually coaching football.

So if some are a little cranky on Friday nights and don't know all the rules as well as you would like, well, it's because they were working on a LOT of other things!

In our area, Head Coaches at public schools get $2,400 for their efforts. I'm guessing that works out to less than minimum wage on an hourly basis for most coaches. That doesn't justify unprofessional behavior on anyone's part, but it's something that I keep in mind.