MIAMI-DADE OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION

RULES AND REGULATIONS

NOVEMBER, 2006                                                              Revised November 2006

As with any professional organization, our association needs to have operational guidelines for continuity and proper functioning.  Given the feedback from coaches, owners and the commissioner, we must ensure we continuously have the best available officiating crew in each game we cover.

1. First year officials in the association will not be assigned to work the field unless they have timed one game or observed two games with the association.  If the official has limited high school varsity experience, at the discretion of the Supervisor or the Coordinator of officials, or both, the timing and/or observation period may be prolonged, or shortened.  We need to ensure we provide seasoned officials on the field and the experience should not be gained during the game itself but elsewhere. The observers can be on the field or on the stands, but not with the timer so that the latter is not distracted. The observers will be part of the half-time conference so that the learning process continues. Participation in chain crews is encouraged and is considered part of the training process for new officials, regardless of seniority elsewhere. The first games of the season are excellent training grounds for newer officials and working the chains offers a great vantage point to assimilate the differences.
2. First and second year officials must participate in the scrimmages held before the season. These officials will also be asked to work as chain crews or to work exhibition games during the January Championship weekend. The more scrimmages the new officials participate in, the better the opportunity to work games during the season. Veteran officials are encouraged to participate in all scrimmages and must participate in at least one.
3. All officials must attend a Rules Clinic which emphasizes the difference between NF, NCAA and NFL rules. The clinic will be conducted by the Rules Interpreter, the Supervisor of Officials or the Coordinator of Officials. Officials who do not attend the clinic may not be assigned games.
4. Bona-fide absences from meetings must be called in to the Supervisor of Officials or the Coordinator of Officials.  Unexcused absences will cause for games to be reassigned to ensure proper coverage.  Excused absences will require confirmation of receipt of game assignments. If the Supervisor or Commissioner has not heard from you the day following the meeting that you are able to keep the assignments, the games will be reassigned on the second day following the meeting.
5. A game reminder will be issued via e-mail or telephone if e-mail is not available. . Please review for possible last minute changes.
6. Referees will conduct a pregame following the Association issued card that, if necessary, is modified each season. The pregame must include coverage of the differences between National Federation rules and NFL rules as they impact the game at hand. Each person in the crew will briefly recap the positioning on the field for the main elements of the game and pertinent issues of the position he/she will work that night
7. Referees will contact the coordinator of officials no later than 12:00 on Monday following their games, either via voice mail or e-mail,  with a simple game report: ”The crew worked the game as assigned”  or “ Changes were made to the crew as follows for the following reasons” and, of course, explain these. The official form is disseminated to all referees on the first season meeting..
8.  The umpire will accompany the referee to the pregame conference with the coaches and the umpire’s involvement in the pregame is to ensure legality of equipment.
9. Pregame responsibilities for the other officials include chain crew pregame and administration; ball-boy pregame and location, ball request, field goal or extra point positioning of balls; timing elements with the timer, if present or contingency plans; on-line, off-line signals between opposite wing officials; catch or no catch jurisdiction and agreement between same side wing officials; field goal and extra point positioning and signaling; any other issue arising from pre-game.
10. The referee and umpire will regroup with the crew after meeting with the coaches and confirm if there are trick plays, unusual plays, comments from coaches, items to look out for and any other pertinent issue.
11. The timer’s uniform is the Association shirt with knickers and NFL socks and the standard official’s black cap with white piping.  A black jacket is optional.  If qualified to work the field, the timer will bring a full uniform in case he/she is needed on the field. If the timer is needed on the field, he/she will replace the missing crew member unless he/she feels more comfortable working another position and the crew can accommodate the change. The only exception is if the timer is exclusively an ECO and will not become a field official because he/she is not qualified, he/she may wear the uniform as listed and replace the knickers with black pants. This person need not bring a uniform to the game since he/she will not become a field official regardless of the circumstances.
12. Please return all calls and messages from anyone in the association but particularly from the Supervisor of Officials, the Coordinator of Officials and the Assistant Coordinator of Officials. Acknowledge of importance of game coverage and that would be the reason for a call from one or any of these individuals.
13. Arrival to pre-game: By definition, since we are paid for a service we are professionals. We have a commitment to the teams and one another to arrive at game site 2 hours before the game, typically 5:00 p.m.  This allows for sufficient time to un-stress from the ride, have a thorough pre-game and adjust for last minute issues. If you are unable to be at game site under this time frame, please contact your referee so that he knows of the tardiness and stress will be minimized.  If the referee does not know of the tardiness the crew must be adjusted no later than 5:45. If the crew is adjusted in any way, that is, the timer is brought to the field or, the crew is adjusted down to five person, the late arriving official will become the timer or will simply sit out, depending on the circumstance. (For example, the timer may not be able to come to the field and the field officials have been adjusted from six to five and pre-game conducted).  Once changes are made, they will not be “un-made”.  It creates havoc and confusion and disrupts the entire process. The referee will notify the Supervisor and Coordinator of officials of these changes and the cause of the changes at the earliest convenience on Sunday.
14. We will work with six person crews maximum. Under emergency situations, as listed above, we may have to work with five (and hopefully never, ever four) but we will not deploy a seventh official.  While the intentions are good and we do not charge the teams for the additional coverage, we have to change mechanics, philosophy and teams begin to wonder why we provide a seventh official for some games for free and not for others.

As with any dynamic process and organization, these regulations will be updated periodically to improve our group and ultimately the product our group puts out on the field for the leagues we serve.

Thank you for your continued interest. Your cooperation is anticipated.