Using a clip at a SV game

[Official_21]

I am just curious as to how many of you use a clip when officiating a SV game?

I am debating, if I work HL, as to whether or not to use a clip..as it would make it easier during the chain flip.

Would it make things easier or harder?

[El Macman]

I am just curious as to how many of you use a clip when officiating a SV game?

I am debating, if I work HL, as to whether or not to use a clip..as it would make it easier during the chain flip.

Would it make things easier or harder?

For the reason you state, it would be much easier. But, you might only clip it on at that time, if you don't have a dedicated clip man. But, i would hope you wouldn't be measuring much in a SV game.

[TXMike]

Yep, the SV fields are so well-marked why would you ever need to measure?   

[Welpe]

It seems to not be standard practice around here to use a clip all the time in sub-varsity games. Considering some of the chain crews we get, I can understand why. When I work H, I'll clip the chains just before we flip them after the 1st and 3rd quarters.

[Joe Stack]

Nope. We'll measure on rare occasion, but our fields are usually pretty well marked as most games are on varsity fields or schools that put turf on campus fields. I wouldn't want to keep up with a clip or teach the kids on the chain crew how to use it.

[Etref]

If I am working a SV game with a new official, I encourage him to use the clip just to get to know how to use one the right way. Also, there may be a measurement ( just so he can learn how).

[940AC]

Most of our SV chain crews are HS athletes, and it blows my mind how much they DON'T know about working the chains.

[clearwall]

I'd be happy if I could just get a SV chain crew to pay attention and come when i call them. Adding a clip would be like asking a Computer Major to write a pre-med dissertation.

[Welpe]

The funny thing is in California we used a clip at all levels with very few issues usually...why pray tell is it so hard here? 

[James]

Same here.
We have the restriction that the chain crew have to be over 13 (each not total!). Whoever has the down marker is also responsible for the clip (some places will have an extra body who wants to help so he does it alone). After setting 1st down, he gives the marker to the back stick and does the clip. They are (almost) always back just in time to set 2nd down.
A good pregame and a a few reminders and we are usually good. We have on occasion thrown someone of the chain crew however (one time a we noticed that one guy was listening in on the teams calls from the sideline and giving signals to the other team!)

[Arbitrator]

 

To my knowledge, there is absolutely no prohibition of using a chain clip at the subvarsity level in Texas. In fact, I don't even think that there's any hard and steadfast requirement for it being used on varsity games.

So long as the provider of that clip has the time to fully instruct the chain personel on its proper usage, I don't really see a problem with it. If one can successfully do that, then I couldn't help but agree that it would be an invaluable learning tool for all involved. But without providing that proper instruction to the chain people however, then it could well cause more problems for them than it could possibly solve. I know that when I was a young official, we tried using it at the subvarsity level with varying degrees of success. But overall, we found that it was just a lot more beneficial for us at the varsity level.

Provided that you do have the time and the resources for the proper instruction of and the patience for those that are learning to use it, then it may well pay dividends for you!   

[TxSkyBolt]

Often times, we have a new set of kids on the chains for the second half.  Not worth the hassle to use a clip.

Best regards,

Brad

[Osric Pureheart]

In Britain we regularly have to use chain crews full of people who just came to the game one day to see what this weird "American Football" thing was all about and suddenly they got grabbed and asked to be chain crew.  Out of all the many issues I've had with trying to get various crews to understand what they're supposed to be doing, I can't remember a problem that was caused by using a clip.  Even the couple of times where we literally had to resort to "you stand there, you pull it tight, keep pulling, keep pulling, you stand here and show 1" on every first down, the clip wasn't a problem.

[chymechowder]

fwiw, in Mass I'd be surprised if anyone's got a  clip going for a JV game...unless it's a new official who wants to practice using one. (but yeah, good luck getting your boxman, an injured freshman player who's talking on his cell phone, to reset the clip for each first down.)

[mishatx]

I've only used a clip at a SV game once: my very first, and I set the clip myself.  It was more for getting familiar with the process than anything else.