GCO & PCO

[Patrick E.]

Any area employ one person to be both the GCO and PCO?

Asking for a friend who only wants to hire one official to run both clocks because “that’s what we do in basketball.”

[scrounge]

In OH, we are specifically prohibited from having the same person do GC and PC. If they don't have a separate person for the PC, we keep it on the field.

[GA Umpire]

Any area employ one person to be both the GCO and PCO?

Asking for a friend who only wants to hire one official to run both clocks because “that’s what we do in basketball.”

My experience working either clock is that you cannot do both at the same time.
Both have different start and start times during the game.  You cannot keep your attention on one without making a mistake on the other.

In GA, schools with a visible play clock must pay for two officials to operate the clocks.  One for the game clock and one for the play clock.

[FLAHL]

We require a separate GCO and PCO in our area.

[AlUpstateNY]

We require a separate GCO and PCO in our area.

NYS now requires separate operators for Game and/or Play Clock Operators.  A single timer, for both clocks, is an accident waiting to happen.

[CalhounLJ]

We had a pco Friday who thought he could keep up with the scoreboard and the 40 simultaneously. All efforts to convince him otherwise failed. He screwed up 7 times in a row before he finally found someone else to run the scoreboard. My advice- DONT DO IT!!!!!


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[bama_stripes]

I have done this on occasion in the past for subvarsity games.  I wouldn’t think of doing it in a varsity game with the new 40/25 PC.

[HLinNC]

We don't have enough officials to provide too many PCO or GCO's but we are instructed to only do one and only operate the clock, if so hired. 

[Ralph Damren]

IMHO, you would need someone with a split-personality as two brains would be needed to do both.

[Magician]

We don't have enough officials to provide too many PCO or GCO's but we are instructed to only do one and only operate the clock, if so hired. 

We don't use officials for clocks. They are hired by the school and usually an employee of the school or local person who has done it for 30 years. They generally do a nice job. It would be great to use young officials if you have that luxury but this is a nice alternative.

[NVFOA_Ump]

In MA we use board member certified officials as CO's.  The BJ or the R, mostly the BJ, has always handled the play clock.  None of our fields that I'm aware of have visible play clocks so I don't expect that there will be any changes and that the BJ or the R, mostly the BJ, will continue to handle the play clock as we have always done.  In our JV and F games the R will have the play clock.

[Ralph Damren]

We have a couple  of schools in Maine that are considering the purchase of visible   play clocks. My suggestion is that if you can't get a board member to be the operator, have a volunteer from their board set with the play clock operator and give instructions. Most of our officials are eager to learn,too.

[UTchad]

We contact the AD during the week of the game and basically state this, "With the new 40 second play clock we require a game clock and a play clock operator. If you do not have someone to run the play clock, we will be keeping it on the field."

Haven't had any issues yet but the season is still young.

[KWH]

In Oregon where we currently have Zero visible play clocks, we are guiding the schools to purchase Wireless Play Clock Systems that are controlled remotely by the Back Judge.
The schools I have spoken with are supportive as they don't have to pay an additional body, and the officials are for it as now they have no one to blame other than the Back Judge!

For an example of a Wireless Play Clock System, look no further than the inside cover of your 2019 Rules Book.

FWIW - This is not an endorsement of Ready Ref but it is an endorsement of any visible play clock system that can be reasonably and easily be controlled by the Back Judge!

Speaking from experience, attempting to have a 40/25 PCO and the ECO combined into one person is a fool's parade.  NFHS says they should not be the same person!
But is entertaining watching someone attempt to do it against advice! Unless of course you are an on field official that day!

[d0d0joe]

In Central Florida we provide an official to be the COs. One school has a visible play clock (and has had it for a few years) and they get to hire two COs from our association (predominately younger, older or injured officials).

Side note: If the CO is a qualified field official for that level of game, they come in uniform and will report to the field should an official become injured. It doesn't happen often, but I got to do it in a playoff game when the Umpire pulled up grabbing the back of his leg on a long kickoff return in the 3rd quarter. I got to work my first playoff game on the field for about a quarter and a half.

[dieter]

In Illinois, the GCO and PCO are both provided by the school. It is highly suggested that they not be the same person. If the school has a remote controlled play clock, we are instructed to NOT be the operator and instead someone from the school should be the play clock operator.

[prab]

Wisconsin does not have many high schools with visible play clocks.  In the unlikely event that we arrive at a field which does have one, we have been instructed not to use it. 

[scrounge]

Wisconsin does not have many high schools with visible play clocks.  In the unlikely event that we arrive at a field which does have one, we have been instructed not to use it.

If they have it and have a qualified operator avail, why wouldn't you use it?

[prab]

If they have it and have a qualified operator avail, why wouldn't you use it?

I have no idea!

[AlUpstateNY]

One possibility would be to inquire if the visiting team has access to, and experience with, a 40 (or 25) Play clock and might be at a disadvantage.

[NVFOA_Ump]

If they have it and have a qualified operator avail, why wouldn't you use it?

According to our guidelines the GCO and PCO (if we have a visible play clock) have to certified officials who are part of the officiating crew assigned by the responsible assignor for the game.  Although, in reality, except for possible playoff games at college sites or at Gillette Stadium (where there are visible play clocks) the play clock will be kept on the field, in most cases by the Back Judge.