NFHS Clock question

Discussion in 'Referee' started by sam_gordon, Sep 13, 2019.

  1. sam_gordon

    sam_gordon Member+

    Feb 27, 2017
    So I've been tabbed to run the clock/scoreboard for my son's V HS games. But I have a question on restarts.

    I know to look for clock stoppages:
    * After a goal
    * Before issuing a caution
    * After an injury (depending on how long it takes to work out)
    * Sub by the winning team w/less than 5 minutes in the half

    So my question is, when should the clock start? On the whistle? When the ball is actually in play (when it's kicked or thrown)?

    I know we're only talking maybe a 30 second difference over the coarse of the game, but I like to get it right. And no, the CR is not always doing a wind the clock signal.

    Thanks
     
  2. code1390

    code1390 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 25, 2007
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    When the ball is kicked or thrown into play not on the whistle.
     
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  3. ptref

    ptref Member

    Manchester United
    United States
    Aug 5, 2015
    Bowling Green, KY
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Correct. The whistle simply indicates that you are ready to play. Play, and therefore the clock, does not start until the ball is actually put into play.
     
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  4. sam_gordon

    sam_gordon Member+

    Feb 27, 2017
    Thank you both. Just didn't want to assume.
     
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  5. Law5

    Law5 Member+

    Mar 24, 2005
    Beaverton OR
    Your list didn't mention when the referee is issuing a disqualification (i.e. red card). The referee can also stop the clock any time they think they should. The key is to look at the referee for the crossed wrists signal any time they blow the whistle.
     
  6. malackym

    malackym Member

    Feb 9, 2011
    Warren Ohio
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    And just as a reminder, if the goal differential is 6 or more, the clock doesn't stop on goals, or when the winning team or both teams substitute in the last 5 minutes of the 2nd half.

    Mark.
     
  7. swoot

    swoot Member

    Feb 28, 2009
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That is the Ohio "mercy" rule. Not sure if it applies in every state.

    Remember to stop for the taking a penalty kick also.
     
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  8. sam_gordon

    sam_gordon Member+

    Feb 27, 2017
    It wasn't meant to be an exhaustive list. :) I thought about saying "issuing a card".
     
  9. sam_gordon

    sam_gordon Member+

    Feb 27, 2017
    I learned that one the hard way. :p I got it right on my second game. :thumbsup:

    @ptref, I'm pretty sure you're in my state (KY), regarding not stopping the clock if the GD is 6+, true or not?

    And while we're already 1/2 way through the season, my son is only a sophomore, so I'll probably be doing this the next 2 years also.
     
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  10. kayakhorn

    kayakhorn Member+

    Oct 10, 2011
    Arkansas
    That is definitely not a universal rule.
     
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  11. Bubba Atlanta

    Bubba Atlanta Member+

    Mar 2, 2012
    Yep, Atlanta
    Club:
    Atlanta United FC
    And sometimes, but not always, when the fans are screaming "stop the clock!" :rolleyes:

    Also remember to do a visual check of the scoreboard every time you think you've started or stopped it. Sometimes you haven't.

    Lastly, it's good to get in the habit of looking for clock signals every time you hear a whistle. You won't have any trouble with that your first season, but after that there's a tendency to get complacent and let your attention wander. I really hate having to repeatedly blast my whistle or even to holler up at the box to get the timekeeper's attention. :mad:
     
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  12. Rufusabc

    Rufusabc Member+

    May 27, 2004
    We wish.
     
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  13. Rufusabc

    Rufusabc Member+

    May 27, 2004
    In my state, it’s a paid position. Fairly close to the referee fee. And, the guys who hold the chains in the pointyball games? Yep, fairly close to the same fee.
     
  14. DefRef

    DefRef Member

    Jul 3, 2017
    Storrs CT
    In CT, when we had our rules interpretation meeting, we were specifically told that there is NO provision to not do that, no matter what the score is. And if the team in the lead subs, stop the clock, even if trailing team subs also.
     
  15. kayakhorn

    kayakhorn Member+

    Oct 10, 2011
    Arkansas
    I got lost here :(
     
  16. chwmy

    chwmy Member+

    Feb 27, 2010
    I would make a point, then, to speak with the referee before kickoff. I personally would want you to only stop and start based on my signal. (Crossed arms, arm wind). Yes, stops and starts are preceded by the whistle, but but not always immediately. And some things that seem obvious might not actually be- ball in the net isn’t always a good goal, right? Injured players don’t always need the trainer or want to be forced to sub off. Etc.

    The most accurate thing to do is to do what the ref indicates. And if the ref doesn’t do his job, that’s on him.
     
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  17. malackym

    malackym Member

    Feb 9, 2011
    Warren Ohio
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Thanks to all for correcting me here!

    Mark.
     
  18. sam_gordon

    sam_gordon Member+

    Feb 27, 2017
    umm... yea, no. Pure volunteer. This is my 3rd year with the team (son played JV as 8th grader). The same person has been running the clock for apparently years (decades?). I was talking w/the JV coach after practice on Monday and he informed me the guy was not associated with the school at all (I had assumed he was). And after all the years and games he's been doing this (B & G, JV & V), he still hasn't learned what to look for/understand the game. I commiserated.

    On Tuesday, as I walked up for the game, the old scorekeeper was walking off. The JV coach told me that he told him a parent was going to run the scoreboard for boys from here on out. Guess who got volunteered? I'm also doing coach's video for the team. Yea, not ideal, but workable. So Tuesday was my first game and I know I made mistakes. Thursday was my second and I was pretty much on. We'll see how the rest of the season goes.
     
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  19. sam_gordon

    sam_gordon Member+

    Feb 27, 2017
    I do know enough to LOOK to the ref after a goal/injury. I don't stop the clock on my own. Sorry if I gave that impression.

    While that's true, IMO, it's the fans that suffer. The ref doesn't need the scoreboard to tell him how much time is left, that's on his (their?) watch. And while the scoreboard clock isn't truly "needed" I think it's nice to have. Of course, I'm one of the parents who starts a countdown timer on his watch during club games. I won't know how much time is added, but I'll be pretty close to knowing when the game/half will end. Sorry, just the way my mind works.
     
  20. ptref

    ptref Member

    Manchester United
    United States
    Aug 5, 2015
    Bowling Green, KY
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Since when, or do you just make up your own rules?
     
  21. ptref

    ptref Member

    Manchester United
    United States
    Aug 5, 2015
    Bowling Green, KY
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    KY has no rule about not stopping the clock after a certain goal differential. Not sure where that info came from.
     
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  22. Bubba Atlanta

    Bubba Atlanta Member+

    Mar 2, 2012
    Yep, Atlanta
    Club:
    Atlanta United FC
    Not stopping without a signal from the ref is generally good advice. Maybe not so much for restarting though. If the ball is in play, there's not much reason for the clock not to be running. Might be one somewhere sometime, but one is not immediately coming to mind.

    And make sure you know how to add some time, especially in the waning minutes of a close important game, where you might hear the ref ask you to "put 20 more seconds back on the clock," or "reset the clock to a minute and 47 seconds."
     
  23. malackym

    malackym Member

    Feb 9, 2011
    Warren Ohio
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It's a rule in Ohio High School. I forgot that on my original post.

    Mark.
     
  24. kayakhorn

    kayakhorn Member+

    Oct 10, 2011
    Arkansas
    The only reason I can think of is a "restart" where the players take it upon themselves to put the ball back in play without the referee's signal. When the referee inevitably brings the ball back for the real restart it would be nice if the clock hadn't been running.
     
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  25. sam_gordon

    sam_gordon Member+

    Feb 27, 2017
    I think that was one of the reasons the other guy got "fired". True story... I was at the field picking up my son from practice. There was a girl's V game going on. Regulation ended 1-1. District game, so it went to two five minute OT. "Former guy" didn't know how to set the clock other than the 10's digit. So he set it to 10 minutes and started it while the girls took the break before the first OT. When it got to 5, he stopped it and started it for the OT.

    During the break between OT, the CR said "I'll just keep the clock on the field".

    If I was energetic, I would have gone up to the PB and set it for him, but I wasn't so I didn't. :)
     

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