Two man mechanics question

[flyfishhi]

Our high school administrators decided to cut costs this year and switched to a two man system. After my last game another official politely informed me that our mechanics were incorrect. He said that at half time the referees were to switch touchlines, i.e. if you were nearer the visitor touchline the 1st half, you should be nearer the home touchline the 2nd half (assuming the teams were located on opposite sides of the field). You didn't switch which half of the field you covered, just which touchline.

I've never heard or seen anyone do this in a two man system. Have we all been doing this incorrectly, or was he informed incorrectly? (He insisted some guru I'd never heard of told him this).

[OldAndNew]

Look at page 87 of the 2008-2009 NFHS Rulebook:

In games playe in halves, officials should exchange field sides at halftime and 'lead' to their left starting the second half, assuming they were leading to their right in the first half.

So yes, that person is correct, but NOBODY I know of ever does that!

BTW - is there ANY HS game that is NOT played in halves? [Yes, I KNOW that in some places, they play 'quarters', but two of those still make a half!]

[ants4200]

That is a correct option but not required. At least not in Ohio.

[refontherun]

He said that at half time the referees were to switch touchlines, i.e. if you were nearer the visitor touchline the 1st half, you should be nearer the home touchline the 2nd half (assuming the teams were located on opposite sides of the field).

I've never heard or seen anyone do this in a two man system. Have we all been doing this incorrectly, or was he informed incorrectly? (He insisted some guru I'd never heard of told him this).

This procedure is common practice where I come from and we use the two-man for all midle/high school games until playoffs. I don't remember ever being told of a specific reason for doing it, but I can't think of a reason not to do it either. We usually keep both teams on the same touchline segregated from the spectators.

Each ref carries alot more resposibility in the two man system. Trying to stay with the offside while pushing up past mid-field when you can. Ball in and out, and a very extended foul quadrant to worry about. Swapping responsibility for subs at half time makes alot of sense.

[boylanj64]

First off, I'm sorry to hear about your having to switch to a two-man.

Secondly, he was technically correct it is an option. What I sometimes do when forced to run a two-man is switch positions midway through each half rather than at halftime, so as not to disadvantage any particular player who I might be looking at all game long.

[flyfishhi]

OK, thanks everyone for clearing up my confusion. I'll see how many of the old guard I can convince that this is a good option, I'm betting not many. We have done 2-man only with the intermediate and JV levels in the past and I am certainly not looking forward to an entire season of 2-man on varsity boys.

The coaches weren't consulted, the referees weren't consulted, this was basically a $$ issue due to budget restrictions. :( I expect major problems compared to the DSC after about 3 games when the boys (and some of the better girl's teams) figure out where the blind spots on the field are located.

[Rufusabc]

I WATCH a lot of two man and have never done it. I can safely say that IF you have a good pairing, they will come off the field pouring with sweat. Think about what you are being asked to do in a two man. Stay with the second to last, but also move forward to help in the other half while all the while watching the line. That's why you rarely see a good two man being done. Way too labor intensive.

How much are they saving? Two centers at 65 or 70 dollars apiece versus a center and two ar's (35 a piece, maybe)...comes close to the same money.

[flyfishhi]

How much are they saving? Two centers at 65 or 70 dollars apiece versus a center and two ar's (35 a piece, maybe)...comes close to the same money.

Oh if it was only that much money. I laughed when I saw this. Hawaii pays the lowest of anywhere in the country for referees, well there may be someplace lower, but no one advertises it.

OK, how much are they saving? Hold on to your wallet.

Last year we got $33 for Centering Varsity, a whole $25 for each AR, so the total cost to the schools was $83 (plus whatever our referee administration is taking that we don't know). So this year we are getting $38 each for 2-man, so yep, they're "saving" $7 so we can work about 50% harder and do about 30% as well. Can we all say - "penny wise and pound foolish"

[o5iiawah]

as much as it pains me to say, I actually kind of like being in the 2CR. Even though I have not been reffing for a while, I get into a weird habit where im forever untrustful of my ARs. Then I feel like I have to be in position to call evey single play even if its something very close to them.

With a 2CR, if the play is close to the other CR, I simply defer to his call all the time because he had the better view. I dunno, maybe I need more games in traditional.

[Gary V]

And they cut a pointy-ball referee and a basketball referee position too? No, I thought not. And most likely the pointy-ball ref gets much more than $38 for working his game. After all, there's got to be some compensation for contending with all the boredom of waiting for play to resume.