Balls & Ball Persons

[Coby]

With my wide collection of Houston ISD and private school games.  Both of which traditionally supply 0 ball boys.  Can I train my 6 year old to be my crew ball boy?  I can have him run to the defensive team side of the field when the ball turns over, and bring a ball with him?  My 6 year old will literally be better then 90% of the ball boys I have ever had.  This is going to be a pain in the IDIOT.  So will TASO let me or will they have problems with it?

[rickref]

We had an inter-squad scrimmage yesterday where the coach wanted 2 full quarters of full game action (sans special teams).

They had one ball person, a runner and 3 balls.  The ball person stayed entirely on the home side.  Now the ball person wasn't a small kid and was attentive to what was going on and not playing on his phone or chasing cheerleaders.

They had their play clock operator there.

They had a few kids on the chains, so that was the only part that wasn't true to what we would get on fri night.

Over two quarters, out of probably 10 instances where the ball was incomplete OOB on the visitors side, there was one time that was even close to getting to 20, and that one was down and ready for play with 23 to go.

There was one long run up the middle that ended in bounds where the chains weren't completely set up at the next snap (down box was there, chain wasn't completely "stretched") and that was it.

The most common issue was getting the clock set to 25 when it needed to be, other than that, it was much adoo about nothing.

Done many a JUCO games when the balls were kept only on the offensive teams side. Granted we had 7 men but still had the same spotting successes. Mostly set around 25-22 seconds. In agreement with Mike that if your crew is aware and pregames and talks with ball persons about what is going to happen, you can easily manage this.

[blindref757]

We worked a scrimmage last night with just ball boys on the home sides.  In over 300 plays, we never had to pump the clock back to 25 and we never had a problem with a ball on the wrong sideline.  If the two sets of ball boys will cooperate, it works fine.

[James]

We have each team supply a ball-boy, and they keep track of 2 (we don't require 3) balls for their team.

I don't see the advantage of having balls from both teams on both sidelines, as an U I know to get to my spot
and wait for the R to relay the ball in from the correct sideline. The difference in transfer time to the far hash mark should really be more than to the near hash mark (theoretically)

Our rule is also at least 12 years old, and we tell them to keep near us when their team is on O and keep an eye out if there is a turnover (but they don't have to be glued next to us when their team is on D).

[TXMike]

James -
Do you use the 40 second play clock? That is where the advantage of having balls on ea sideline will really be noticed.  Also, the mechanic of U's holding at the hash is outdated as U's are now expected to get out into the sidezone to help with action there. 

[James]

No to the play clock, and yes to helping clean up in the zone, but for relaying the ball if it is not right there we get back to the suceeding spot and let the others do the work.

Point taken about the clock, without personal experience I shouldn't have an opinion. 

[psv]

In our game Friday night, the Home Team had ball boys on each sideline.  We had to replace one over enthusiastic home team ball boy before the game (basically, not let him be on the visiting side line).

It took the H/U and Ball boys a series or two to work it out, but once they did, the U would get the home teams ball from whatever sideline it was closest too.

Worked pretty well.  We were averaging 7-9s per play getting the ball spotted.  The teams didnt move that fast on a hot, muggy evening.

[Wingmanbp]

Had our first game with ball boys on both sides. It took a series or two but we finally got used to it and it worked very smoothly. As far as the kids getting along they practically talked all game. Video games mostly but some team talk and how they thought they would do. I also must point out that it was a 57-0 blow out.