Pre- Game Responsibilities
The
officials have five primary responsibilities before the game begins.
- Pre-Game Conference
The officials are required
to meet prior to the game to review their responsibilities and coordinate
communications. The referee conducts the conference. The extent and depth of
topics will vary from game to game, crew to crew, and referee to referee.
- Checking The Field:
The field must be checked prior to the game. If
possible, the field should be check an hour before the game. If the field does
not meet the requirements, penalties may be assessed.
- Coach's
Certification:
A game cannot start without this certification. It
must be done with the Head Coach. Try not to interrupt or impose upon the
coach. You will certify the head coach by asking “ Coach, are all your players
equipped by rule, and you are aware of the expectations of good sportsmanship”.
- Check
Pre-Game and Halftime Ceremonies:
Officials and coaches must
know if there will be a National Anthem, introductions, etc. So that everyone
is on the same time table
- Instruct
The Table Personnel and Ball People:
The timers and scorers have
a great deal of power in during the game. Few are professional or even adults.
The Referee must make sure that they know what he expects of them. While the
referee instructs the table, the umpire can instruct the ball people.
The crew that
is thoroughly prepared for the game does a better job than one which waits for
problems to develop, then tries to sort them out.
On the field pre-game
The crew should be on the
field at least 20 minutes before the game.
If possible, have the scoreboard run down to game time and take captains
at 5:00 minute mark. If the referee has
not obtained captains’ numbers, in-home numbers and done the coach’s
certification, it should be done now.
Do not chat. Be professional.
At this point final instructions should be given to the
table personnel and ball people. Also
at this time, officials should inspect equipment. Make sure goalies have mouthpieces. After walking the field a last time ensuring placement of cones,
and taking notice of field conditions, the officials should go to the near side
wing area for further discussions and to await the time for the coin toss. Officials will be available for stick checks
at this time. This is the time to catch
and correct illegal equipment.
Captains/Coin Toss
Referee will get the home
team, and the umpire will get the visitors.
Meet at the corners of the box and walk to the center of the field at
the same team. The home team will face
the benches; the visiting team will call the toss. Be sure to find out who is calling the toss and what the call is
before the actual toss. Show the teams
the coin. Referee will toss the coin
and catch and cover. Don’t flip the
coin over, just show the teams. Rotate
the teams to have their backs to the goal they are defending. Inform the team losing the toss that they
will have the first alternating possession (tap on shoulder) if needed. Impress upon the captains the equipment rule
and its penalty for violation. Remind
captains of good sportsmanship and their role as leaders.
Table Personnel
Home
team has the official scorer and timer, unless otherwise designated. Notify if a player has 5 personal
fouls. If there is a problem in the table
area, have them write down the time, and if there was possession, and sound the
horn twice at the next DEAD BALL. Notify nearest official of 1 minute, and
count down the last 10 seconds, including zero.
Line Up
Both
teams’ starters will
be called to the center of the field to line up with their left shoulder to the
goal they will defend, and the goalies will have their backs to this goal. Officials will be introduced, a few short
words from the referee, have goalies shake hands first, and then everyone else
meet their opponent. Then proceed to
your position. Instruct both teams to have all necessary equipment and to use
it properly. Check the goalies for
readiness. Set up for face-off.
Opening face-off
The referee usually takes
the first face-off, but it is entirely up to him. He will run the far side of the field during the first half,
unless he deems it necessary to run the bench side. All other face-offs will be taken by the trail official. Face-off official be sure to stay with the
ball. Make sure the goal is covered on
fast breaks. Hustle!
Counting
Official
taking the face off will be responsible for at least 99% of the initial 10
second counts. Trail official will take
the goalie 4-second count, and the 10-second defensive clearing line
count. Lead official will take the
offensive 10 second count once it crosses midfield. Other counts will be taken by the ON official. Counts are done from navel and down. Help your partner by signaling when the ball
enters the box by raising your arm above your head and then point down into the
box. Only one official counts, check
with your partner.
Goal Scored - Procedure for Face – Off
Lead: When goal is scored, he
blows his whistle on the way into the edge of the crease, and holds it for 2-3
seconds, while signaling. Only one
whistle on the goal. Lead then
retrieves the ball from the net, and jogs to the top of the box to transfer the
ball, and give the number of the goal scorer to the trail. After transfer, he activates his beeper
while pumping his arm, and jogs to his face – off position at the corner of the
box. The Lead then writes the score
down, and checks for the proper number of players on the field, and then
signals he is ready to the trail.
Trail: After goal is scored, come in a few
steps. You need to watch for late hits,
taunting, etc. After all is settled,
move to the top of the box to receive the ball and number of the goal scorer
from the lead. Turn and jog to midfield
to the Center “X”, cross over midfield to ensure you are facing the correct
way. Put the ball on the X, and either
straddle it or put your foot on top of it.
Write the score down, and wait for the ready signal form your
partner. When you receive the signal,
bring the players in and begin your face – off mechanics.
Penalty
Enforcement
Throw your flag in the air
to be visible, call out “ flag down”, and blow play dead at the appropriate time. Get out in the open and make eye contact
with your partner and make sure you both know what is going to happen. Give a good, clear call of the player’s
number, uniform color and give the penalty signal and the duration of the
penalty. If you are the bench side
official, make sure you make the call into the field first and then to the
table area. If you are the far side
official, relay the call to the bench side.
After you make the call, angle away from the bench and move toward the
middle of the field. Don’t give to
coach an opportunity to take a shot at you.
After you finish reporting the call, pump your arm and start your
beeper. Your partner will be getting
the ball ready for play, put it in as soon as practical.
Man Down Face–Off
Non face–off official
will come up as close to the centerline as is possible to help with the offside
call. You should communicate to each
other the number of the player that should stay onside if an attack player comes up to the vacant
wing area.
Penalty at End of Period
If there is an uneven
situation at the end of a period make sure of possession. Ball in flight at the end of a period is
possession if the ball is caught. Flag
down at the end of a period is possession.
Make sure you report the penalty, and are aware where the ball should
start at the beginning of the next period.
If you are checking sticks, you must be very organized. Let your partner get the sticks while you
report the penalty. Cover this in your
pre – game.
Time- out procedure
Teams are allowed 4
time-outs per game, all full time-outs, with maximum of two time outs per
half. Any dead ball situation or if you
have possession of the ball is the correct time to allow a time-out. Time-out may be called by any player on the
field or by the head coach. During dead
ball situations, blow your whistle several times to signal a time-out. If possible,
just verbally call for time out in dead ball situations when the teams are
ready to restart the game, don’t create a difficult situation. Cross-your arms over your head, verbally
signal what color called time-out and point to the bench that requested the
time-out. Try to be near the middle of
the field, where the teams cross to watch for any infractions. Be sure to keep the coaches off the field. If there is a visible clock, record the time
of the time-out. Use the remaining time
to talk with your partner, check the score etc. Always remember to have eye contact with your partner when
putting the ball back into play. If a
team has used its last time-out, remind the coach.
Fight Procedure:
If a fight should start
during the game, the most important action to take is to freeze the
benches. This is the responsibility of
the bench side official. If he is
stopping the fight, then the far side official MUST come across the field to freeze the benches. The next important issue is to get the
number of players leaving the bench area.
The official who is controlling the fight should get those players
numbers. After all is settled down, get
together with your partner and sort everything out. Make your decisions, report the penalties, and get the game
going. After the game, be sure to call the supervisor of officials to let him
know of any ejection.
Overtime
Procedure
Get the captains at the center “X”, have the coin
toss. Face-off to start to overtime
within 2 minutes, unless any exceptions apply.
One dead ball time-out per team per overtime period (not accumulative). Three minute
periods. If no one scores in the period
change ends and continues until a goal is scored. No stick checks when the game is over. Check the table for the score and jog out of the area.
Equipment Check Procedure
This
should be covered in your pre-game, but talk to each other during the 1st
period. Talk with your partner, and be sure which team he is getting. Try and
chose someone that has had an impact in the game thus far. A rule of thumb is
to take the bench in front of you. Have the player keep his helmet and gloves
on while you are doing this check. . Check his shoulder pads, arm pads, and
mouthpiece if not attached. If they are legal, leave them with the Player. If
they are illegal, bring them to the center of the field to consult with your
partner. A full service stick check is done at the middle of the field away
from the players. If any equipment is illegal, throw your flag up in the air,
and report it to the table, and start play within the required timelines. Don’t
bother to show a coach what is wrong with a stick. If a helmet and stick are
illegal, penalize the stick only and have the team fix the helmet.
Settled Situations
Lead official must be on
the goal line. Trail official should be about 5 yards outside the box and about
5 yards into the center of the box. The “on” official is the official covering
the player with the ball and the defensive players playing him. The “on”
official has the primary action. The “off” official is the official covering
any action outside the “primary action” such as illegal picks, pushing,
holding, crease violations, offside, etc. The play should never get behind
either official. Both officials must operate as a team, constantly moving and
adjusting to the play and movement of the ball. Officials must try to avoid the
straight line positioning of the defensive player, offensive player, and
official. This situation puts the official at a disadvantage of being able to
get a true read of the play. At all times, one official MUST cover the goal.
Both officials must be
aware of gray areas where shifts of responsibility may occur. There must be a
definite understanding between officials as to when “on” becomes “off” and vise
versa. This should be emphasized during the pre-game conference. Verbal communication or pointing with hand
to signify when you have the ball or when you are giving up the ball should be
used early in the game if needed.
Depending on the abilities
of the teams, the Trail official should be expecting to break to transition as
the ball comes loose or the defensive team gains possession. In situation, the
Trail must break upfield ahead of the ball and beat the ball into the attack
area and then to the goal line.
Transition:
As soon as the defense
gets possession of the ball and starts to clear it, the Trail official becomes
the Lead official, and the Lead official becomes the Trail official. The Trail
stays with the ball and has the 10-second defensive count. The Lead breaks to
the centerline immediately. The Lead has the initial offensive count; The Lead
has the immediate offside. The Lead must try to stay ahead of the ball, if you
are trailing the ball, you must run to your position on the goal line as the play
is developing. Hustle, until you are in the proper position. If the clear is a
fast break, the Lead must stay with ball and cover the goal. The Trail is
responsible for the offside call in this situation.
Free Clear
When a team is awarded a
free clear, be sure the trail hustles up the field to become the new Lead. The
new Trail should hustle up to midfield, put the ball one step over the line
make sure the player has 5 yards and blow the whistle to put the ball in play.
Post Game
After the game is over, it is a good time to go over
situations that occurred during the game while they are fresh in your mind. Use
this time to help each other. If something happened, and you are not sure if it
was handled properly, look it up in the rule book, talk it out, or write it
down to discuss at the next meeting. If it had a direct impact on the game, you
should contact the supervisor of officials immediately.
Pre– Game conference.
-
Phone
call. Call the Referee 24-48 before
the game.
-
Meet and check the field and note any special problems
-
Set up rotation, and equipment checks
Bench Side, Far side
Opening Face-Off
Stick Checks at the end of the first period, unless done at a timeout
-
Instruct
the Table
Time Keeper and Scorer
Ball Boys
-
Be
Available for Equipment Checks
-
Coin
Toss Procedure
Referee Has the Home Team
Umpire Has the Visitors
What is the call Before the toss
Alternate Possessions
-
Check
Nets
-
Face
Off Mechanics
-
Goal
Area Responsibilities
-
End
Line Responsibilities
-
10
Second Counts
-
Restarts
-
Delay
On Restart, what will you do
If Penalized team rolls the ball away
If awarded team fails to pick up the ball after five seconds
-
Mechanics after goal
Late hits, flag, no face off if after goal has been scored
Responsibilities by position
Beeper Activation
-
Transition Game
Position Responsibilities
Off Sides Call
Counts
-
Procedure for Restarts
Whistle and one arm up
Direction
Substitution
Beeper
Make sure your partner is ready before restart
-
Calling Fouls
Strong Calls, Good Signals
Relay Calls to Partner and Bench
Be a consistent crew, call early to establish criteria for fouls
Rotate if Necessary
-
Time out Procedure
-
Play On Situations
-
Stick Checks
-
Stalling
Check with each other
Warn the team that you are going to call stalling
-
Unsportsmanlike conduct, conduct fouls
-
Mouth Pieces
-
Other Situations
|
