Communications…As officials, one of the things that we always need to do is to communicate adequately the nature of any fouls that we rule. It is especially important for our partner(s) to know what we have ruled.
There is a protocol to be followed at the spot of the foul. This lets everyone who is watching the game know what is going on. It is as simple as 1-2-3. Unfortunately, too many of us are not following all aspects of this protocol. This leads to confusion, a resulting reduction in the credibility of the crew and can lead to errors in how we handle specific situations.
Step 1…When a foul occurs, we sound the whistle and raise a straight arm up with a closed fist.
Before we let the world know what has happened, we should make eye contact with our partner(s). This will help to ensure that we do not fall victim to the dreaded Blarge ruling.
Step 2…Tell the world what happened. Verbalize the color and number of the player who fouled and signal what the player did.
Step 3…Tell everyone how the game will resume. If a throw-in will follow, indicate where the throw-in should take place from. If free throws will be awarded, signal how many free throws. Also verbalize the number of the player who will attempt the free throws.
The non-ruling official(s) should ensure the correct player goes to the free throw line.
Once all of this has been done, the ruling official should go to the reporting area, stand still and report the foul to the scorer.
When signaling a foul, use approved high school signals. Do not use signals from other levels. Doing so can introduce confusion to a high school game.
Approved High School Signals
This is not life or death. However, doing it right enhances our credibility and professionalism. How each of us operates, reflects on all of us in the organization.