More Play Clock Operator Issues

[ElvisLives]

Not a total crisis, but annoying.
A, kickoff, A-40, 8:00 (3).  A makes a somewhat surprise on-side kick, and successfully recovers.  Not a big mess.  Easy ruling.  So, we go about spotting ball for the next down.
I check the play clock, and it is at 25, and holding.  I signal for 40, and he starts it from 25.  I signal for 40 and he sets it to 25 and holds.  OK.  At this point, I should probably have just "chopped" it in.  But, I felt like the PCO needed to learn that the PC should have been 40 and started on the dead ball, just as when Team B is in possession after a free kick.  I move to the ball and signal very strongly three big double handed pumps.  He sets it to 40 and starts it.  Yea.

Yeah, yeah. I know.  I'm being anal.  I just want the UIL to step up and REQUIRE clock operators to get training.  I think we (TASO) would be glad to offer that training, but the UIL needs to gives us the support needed, and mandate training.

Robert
 

[TexDoc]

Not a total crisis, but annoying.
A, kickoff, A-40, 8:00 (3).  A makes a somewhat surprise on-side kick, and successfully recovers.  Not a big mess.  Easy ruling.  So, we go about spotting ball for the next down.
I check the play clock, and it is at 25, and holding.  I signal for 40, and he starts it from 25.  I signal for 40 and he sets it to 25 and holds.  OK.  At this point, I should probably have just "chopped" it in.  But, I felt like the PCO needed to learn that the PC should have been 40 and started on the dead ball, just as when Team B is in possession after a free kick.  I move to the ball and signal very strongly three big double handed pumps.  He sets it to 40 and starts it.  Yea.

Yeah, yeah. I know.  I'm being anal.  I just want the UIL to step up and REQUIRE clock operators to get training.  I think we (TASO) would be glad to offer that training, but the UIL needs to gives us the support needed, and mandate training.

Robert

I get some of our officials doing the clock most of the time and they are usually not so great.  And, they supposedly get training.

[Official_21]

When I first did the clock back when I was an on field official, we didn't have this training and I was thrown 

Suffice it to say, I did not know what I was doing back then.

Fast forward to 2019, I decide to come back as an auxiliary official and lo and behold we had training here in the Houston Chapter on clock operation.

First had a classroom session at one of our regional meetings to go over clock operations and then had a scrimmage where we ran both clocks. The scrimmage is what put everything together for me and I have a better understanding of running the game/play clock

Now if this is not a glowing testimonial from me as to the advantage of training clock operators, I don't know what is 

[Clear Lake ref]

Just because the training happened doesn’t mean people get it right.  Ever.

[Official_21]

Just because the training happened doesn’t mean people get it right.  Ever.

True..but I am one of those people who TRY to get it right so my ears don't bleed out from the crew chief after the game 

[ncwingman]

True..but I am one of those people who TRY to get it right so my ears don't bleed out from the crew chief after the game 

A good crew chief won't make your ears bleed, regardless of any mistakes you may make.

[Official_21]

A good crew chief won't make your ears bleed, regardless of any mistakes you may make.

True but that statement was just a bit of humor on my part...but on a serious note I do try to do my best when it comes to running either clock.
I owe that much not only to the kids who are playing their "Sunday" games, but the officials on the field as well and if I make a mistake, no matter how bad it is, I will owe up to it and learn from it.

[mccormicw]

For the past three weeks we had clock issues with operators that correctly explained how to operate the clock during the pregame.  Jokingly, our crew decided that we might have better luck if we didnt talk to clock operators before the game.

On a related note...we had a clock operator tell TXMike during the pregame that TXMike was mistaken about the rules for running the 25/40 clock.  Funny thing was that TXMike conducted the training for the clock operator.

[Official_21]

On a related note...we had a clock operator tell TXMike during the pregame that TXMike was mistaken about the rules for running the 25/40 clock.  Funny thing was that TXMike conducted the training for the clock operator.

Not sure if I should laugh or cry..maybe both? 

[Joe Stack]

I hate to say it but some of the worst clock operators I've had were not only former officials but former Referees. They never got the concept of the 40 second clock and started the 40 when the U spotted the ball -- never seeming to get why we didn't chop it.

In a weird situation, he didn't start doing that until the last minute of the game where it became crucial. Always watch the clock like a hawk.