Apologies for the lengthy bulletin this week but there is a lot to cover – please take the time to read through.

We’re now two weeks into the season and starting to settle in. The improvement from Week 0 to Week 1 was noticeable, and now the challenge is to keep that progress going. Consistency is the key. Bring the same focus, preparation, and energy every week. Crews that keep refining their communication and mechanics will see the game slow down and their confidence grow.

Mechanics
Mechanics aren’t optional. They’re the foundation of good officiating. We’ve already seen improvement, but there’s still work to be done. Take time this week to review the mechanics for the position you’re working. Start in the right spot, use proper signals, and handle your coverage responsibilities with discipline. Clean, sharp mechanics show professionalism and give coaches, players, and your crewmates confidence that you’re in control of the game. It is evident on film when the crew is working as one unit vs. five individuals.

Film Review
We’ve now got a good amount of film from the first two weeks. Make sure you’re watching not just your own work, but also how other crews are handling mechanics, communication, and situations. Pick out the positives you want to copy and the mistakes you want to avoid. Film is one of the best tools we have to improve – use it. Additionally, for your knowledge, I request on Hudl the game film from every school we officiate every week at all levels – this is a time consuming process but has been extremely effective the past few years – I still suggest you mention film to the coaches in pregame and let them know to expect a request from us.

Customer Service Mindset
How we communicate with coaches and players matters just as much as the calls we make. Your tone, body language, and demeanor go a long way toward defusing tense situations. Be approachable, calm, and professional. Listen first, then respond clearly and confidently. Our credibility on the field depends on it.

Dead-Ball Officiating
Most preventable problems happen after the whistle. Keep your eyes on players until they separate. Hustle to get between opponents when needed and use your presence to calm things down before they escalate. Presence and communication usually fix issues better than flags. Recall that players are not to make spectacles and draw attention to themselves in high school football. Use the guide of Prolonged, Directed (at an opponent) or Choreographed. Don’t allow taunting, baiting, or language directed at opponents or officials. At the same time, recognize normal excitement and emotion that doesn’t cross the line. Use good judgment, be consistent, and back up your crew when these calls are made.

Sideline Management
This continues to be a point of emphasis. Officials working the sidelines need to be firm about keeping coaches and players behind the restricted area. Handle it early and handle it often. Waiting until the game is heated makes it much tougher. Set the tone from the opening kickoff. This is for your safety and theirs.

ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS

Heat Delays and Water

Heat was an issue for contests yesterday and could be again today and into tomorrow. Defer to the school staff on whether CIF rules allow play at that time. Be flexible with time – if the game has to be delayed we are expected to stay within reason. If you have another game from the San Fernando Unit that you will be late for contact Danny Vargas asap. The schools are required to have credentialed officials for their contests – the rules also allow coaches to mutually agree to shorten quarters. This is an option if the delay is significant enough that officials would not be able to stay and Danny is not able to accommodate the school with other officials.

Referees should be meeting the sideline trainers of both teams before every game. Instruct them to inform the crew if they see a player that needs to be attended to. It is not always the case that a significant injury is caused by a big hit that everyone sees. Empower the professionals on site. Same goes for heat illness – on hot days instruct the trainers to inform the crew if they see signs of heat illness or feel an additional water break is necessary. As a crew you also have the authority to take a Referee timeout at any time that you feel a water break is necessary. I suggest aiming to do this near the middle of the quarter and after a change of possession – unless absolutely necessary for player safety do not take an artificial timeout in an instance that alters the momentum of the game.

Conflicting Game Assignments

You are all independent contractors and responsible for your own availability. Please ensure your blocks and the games you accept allow for the natural delays that can occur during a football game – including traffic traveling to and from. We should not have officials artificially speeding up games or leaving contests early to work a game for another unit. We have already had multiple instances of this occurring in the first two weeks. It is not fair to the players in your first game if you leave early, nor is it fair to the players in your second game if you arrive late. If you take a schedule that might leave you in this predicament it is necessary that you inform Danny and allow him to determine if it is appropriate to leave you on the game or replace you to ensure all games are properly covered.

Lower Level Clock Rules

Clock rules are prescribed in the rule book. The clock stops on a change of possession by rule and starts upon the next snap. Officials have zero authority to alter this basic concept unless we are operating under the running clock provisions.

The unit has made one exception to this, in coordination with the Foothill League ADs to run the clock on change of possessions when there are double headers and 3 hours or less between contests. This is because the league and coaches have been adamant over the years that they want the varsity game to start on time. In pregame conferences with the coaches you should remind them of this.

The standard is to run the game as normal for the first possession by each team. Then run on change of possessions until the last 2 minutes of the first half and last 5 minutes of the second half (if the game is at all in doubt).

For singular lower level games there is no policy to alter the timing rules. As stated above, NFHS rules do allow by mutual agreement the shortening of the quarters. For most kids at the frosh and JV levels this season is one of their only opportunities to get on a football field. We often talk about how limited our season is as officials – for the players on these teams it’s 10 games maximum – and for most kids on a frosh team it’s significantly less playing time than that.

Final Note
Game 3 is about locking in good habits. Keep building on what you’ve done, support your crew, and remember that every snap is a chance to get better. Stay sharp, stay professional, and keep enjoying your time under the Friday Night Lights.