High School Football Referee Guide

Hey, welcome back to the High School Referee Guide Blog!  A while back we talked about crew communication prior to the game. Let’s expand on that a little bit more today.  Some people think we just walk on the field and officiate the game, right?  Wrong!!    Today I will talk about the pregame routine and all the details we address as a high school football crew.

As a rule, we like to be on the field at least 35 minutes prior to kickoff time.  During this time members of the  crew should meet with each team’s head coach and follow these rules of communication: continue reading…

It’s been another busy football week here in Northern Colorado! I have done a Jr. High or Jr. Varsity game pretty much every day this week. Last Saturday I had the opportunity to white-hat for a local youth league. The team I officiated for was 4th graders – they were so excited about playing football! I just loved watching their energy and enthusiasm. Doing these type of things in your community can really keep an official jazzed about the sport.

Four guys from our varsity crew are going on the road this afternoon to the Eastern Plains to officiate an 8 man game. We’ll take sandwiches and other “road food”. It will be a long day (2 1/2 hour drive each way!) but these rural schools have just as much interest in the games as the big name local high schools.

Remember, as an official, it’s not about always working big games or playoff games….it’s about the kids and the athletic programs and the loyal fans at the schools no matter how big or small. Keep a good attitude and enjoy your officiating at EVERY game…

till next time…..

There are many things a high school football crew should do prior to each game and during each game.  On-field communication is one of the primary keys to looking sharp and becoming a really good crew.   You can review this information at crew meetings or even in the vehicle on the way to the game continue reading…

New high school football officials often ask for advice and I always tell them: Never stop learning from every experience. I believe that almost ALL games can be used as potential learning experiences. I try to learn something from key situations in games, from other officials (new or old), and from rule changes. Many officials will tell you that it is a good practice to write down your goals before the season starts regardless of how many years you’ve been officiating. continue reading…

What a week! I have had a Jr. High or Jr. Varsity football game every day this week so I’m behind in my blogging. Meanwhile, here are some pictures taken at yesterday’s Jr. Varsity game between two local rival schools. (the home team won!). Our crew’s first real Varsity game is tomorrow. Looking forward to working with the guys!