Upcoming Schedule At A Glance

MEETING                                       DATE AND TIME                                 LOCATION

New Members Meeting                Monday, June 17, 2013 @ 6:30 P.M.          Palm Beach School Board (Cafeteria)

General Membership Meeting      Monday, June 24, 2013 @ 6:30 P.M.          Palm Beach School Board (Cafeteria)

New Members Meeting                Monday, July 1, 2013 @ 6:30 P.M.             Palm Beach School Board (Cafeteria)

              ECFOA Training Schedule (Detailed).pdf

2013 Tackle Football Application

     2013 ECFOA Application Tackle.pdf

Officials Registration Opens July 1, 2013

The FHSAA will begin accepting registrations for the 2013-14 school season starting Monday, July 1, 2013. Returning officials, log into FHSAA at https://officials.fhsaa.org to renew registration online in your existing account. New officials, go to https://officials.fhsaa.org/Register.aspx to register for a new account online. Please direct your registration questions to officials@fhsaa.org.

Want to become an official? Visit www.becomeanofficial.org today for step-by-step instructions on how to get started. You will also find a directory there were you can search by county and by sport to find a local officials association in your area.

Registrations must be received by the FHSAA Office no later than the following dates, before being considered a “Late Registration.” Registrations after these dates will cost an additional $10.00 for returning officials.

Officials 2013-14 Online Rules Exam Schedule

Exams can be accessed directly through the officials FHSAA registration account athttps://officials.fhsaa.org/. There will now be one online rules exam, 50 questions long and timed for 75 minutes and one online make-up exam window. Please see below. For questions, please e-mail: officials@fhsaa.org.

Sincerely,

Jana Horton

2013 FHSAA Leadership Conference

In attendance at the 2013 FHSAA Leadership Conference were LeRonnie Mason (V.P.), Jeffrey Geller (Sec.), and Johnny-Boy Davis.  The following is a synopsis of the pertinent information disclosed thereat:

A.  General Official Information / Open Forum Issues:

1. School Black-Outs Revised - FHSAA has revised the black-out (kids/officials prior school) from 7 down to 4 years; however, Associations are still able to be more restrictive if they so choose.

2.  FHSAA Game Fees - FHSAA may increase game fees in 2014 by $5.00.

3. FHSAA Registration Fees - FHSAA will be increasing the registration fee this year by $3.00 to cover increased insurance costs.  Of note, the FHSAA insurance covers officials not only in sponsored school activities, but also in any youth or other organized sporting activity.

4. House Bill 21 - State has standardized the Jessica Lunsford Act Badge (effective July 1, 2013) so it will be consistent throughout the State of Florida. Not sure yet of resulting changes in procedure and prices.

5. Concussions - FHSAA does not want officials using the word "concussion" when speaking with coaches. They would prefer that the official simply ask the coach to remove his player and evaluate his players' health. 

B.  Football Breakout Seminar Rules Changes:

1.  Helmet Rule (3-5-10d; 9-4-3l; 9-6-4g) -    
   a.  FHSAA will communicate to coaches that this is a teaching moment - new rule requires both sides to "disengage" once helmet comes off; if they don't and continue to engage, penalty should be called (if necessary, double foul for both players failing to disengage). 
    b.  Once helmet comes off, must "stop" playing; if continues (even with no contact), call the penalty. 
    c.  If player puts helmet back on, he may then participate; however, he still must come out the next play for his helmet coming off.
    d. Penalty on A is "illegal participation"; penalty on B is "personal contact foul" (both 15-yards).

2.  Gloves (1-512b) - Must have NOCSAE label on outside (unless unaltered cloth)

3.  OPI/DPI  (7-5-10) - No automatic first down or loss of down; simply 15 yard penalty and replay down. Remember, an additional 15-yard penalty (total 30 yards) can be enforced for an "intentional" pass interference.

4.  Kick Catching Interference (6-5-6) - All prior choices still in place, just adding option of 15-yard penalty from spot of awarded fair catch.

5.  Kicking Neutral Zone Blocks 9-3-8c) - Once R engages to block, all K players may now engage.

6. Towels (1-5-3a(5)a) - Towels may now be solid color (with manufacturer's logo smaller than 2 1/4"), but all players must have same colored towel (not mix and match). 

7. Coaches Field Equipment (1-6) - Anyone on sideline/outside the 9s may use electronic equipment; inside the 9s (on field) only coach may use.

8. Definition of Catch (2-4-1) - If a player is "carried" out of bounds after his progress is stopped inbounds, should be ruled as a completed pass at the forward progress spot.

9.  Scores on Try (8-3-3) - Only A may score (eliminated old safety rule allowing B to score).

C. Football Breakout Seminar Points of Emphasis:

1. Illegal Blocking - FHSAA wants focus on lead blockers being illegally blocked by defenders; this should be called as "block below the waist".

2. Use of Play Cards (1-5-3c(8)) - Play cards may not be worn on belt, only wrist.

3. End Zone Field Markings (1-2-3h) - Logos in end-zones must be no closer than 2-feet from goal line and boundaries. FHSAA would like Game Report on non-conforming fields so they can address with school.

4.  Midfield Field Markings (1-2-3l) - All fields, including turf, must have 50-yard line clearly marked through the logo(s).  FHSAA would like Game Report on non-conforming fields so they can address with school.

D.  Additional Football-Specific Notes:

1. Black Shoes - FHSAA stance for ongoing review/analysis of officials requires "all black" shoes; white markings on the shoes is not acceptable.

2. Sleeves - FHSAA will provide further clarification of stance on "Iverson" (unattached) sleeves with pads in them (over elbow and/or knees).

3. Possible Uniform Changes - No discussion by FHSAA concerning possible uniform changes for upcoming years.

E. ECFOA Specific Issues:

1.  Mileage Issues - FHSAA may have had issues with use of Arbiter last year with mileage invoices. We need to e-mail her schools we had issues with and amounts, and she will follow-up. Also, will ensure that all Associations get same invoice as schools next year, so we know how much to expect.  Mileage is supposed to be paid from "furthest away member in Association" to host school.

2.  Lack of Contract - Ms. Young was unaware and very surprised that ECFOA did not have a contract with either the individual schools, the School Board, or Palm Beach County. Ms. Young indicated that FHSAA will step in, as the ECFOA should not be working without contractual protections.  The FHSAA will investigate further with PBCSD and then schedule telecom with Justin (FHSAA legal) to further discuss.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact any of the attendees.

Thanks.

Jeffrey S. Geller

FREE FOOTBALL OFFICIATING CLINIC

If interested, please use below E-Link to register your attending a Friday, June 14, 2013, training clinic sponsored by the NFL and Miami Dolphins.  
 
    https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MiamiOfficiatingClinic
 
This is a NFL invitation to attend a 2013 mini-clinic to kick off the upcoming season.
 
Summary:
 
It is the NFL’s desire to reach out to the youth league and high school level football officiating organizations in an effort to network with local association leadership so as to build upon common bonds in the avocation of football officiating;
 
The NFL intends to provide program and mechanic resources in the various NFL markets. 
 
A secondary desire of the NFL is to identify individuals within those communities who exhibit those attributes that may produce future NFL on-field officials.  Furthermore, to mentor those persons so identified as they progress through the steps necessary to achieve that goal.

FHSAA 2013-14 Football Field Clinic Locations Announced

Football Officials:

Please see the information below for the upcoming available 2013-14 Football Field Clinics throughout the state.  Online Pre-Registration for $50 will be available for the August clinic through your officials account at https://officials.fhsaa.org on July 1.

A-1 Officials Association
Date: Fri Aug 16th, 2013 – Sat Aug 17th, 2013
When: Friday, 6:00-9:00 p.m.; Saturday, 9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.
Online Pre-Registration Deadline: Fri Aug 2nd, 2013
Site: Halifax Health-Conference Center (Daytona Beach)
Phone: (386) 295-0078
Contact Name: John Lavin
Email: jlavin12@cfl.rr.com
Sport(s): Football
Counties: Volusia County
Clinicians: Russell Tickle, John Lavin, Dennis Lyonnais Special Highlights:
•     Participating Teams:  Atlantic High School, University High School
•     Game Management
•     Penalty Enforcement
•     5 & 7 Man Mechanics

Pre-registration will become available online JULY 1, 2013 at: https://officials.fhsaa.org

Officials 2013-14 Online Rules Exam Schedule

Exams can be accessed directly through the officials FHSAA registration account at https://officials.fhsaa.org/. For questions, please e-mail: officials@fhsaa.org.

DATES TBD

Additional Rules Approved in High School Football Regarding Helmets Coming Off Players

In an effort to continue minimizing the risk of injury in high school football, three additional rules will take effect next season to address helmets coming off players’ heads during games. These three risk-minimization additions were among 10 rules changes approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Football Rules Committee at its January 18-20 meeting in Indianapolis. All rules changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

As a follow-up to last year’s rules change that requires players to sit out one play if their helmet comes off while the ball is live, the committee approved three additional rules that are extensions of last year’s change. An illegal personal contact foul was added to Rule 9-4-3 to state that “no player or nonplayer shall initiate contact with an opposing player whose helmet has come completely off.”  In addition, a new listing in Rule 9-6-4 will state that it is illegal participation “for a player whose helmet comes completely off during a down to continue to participate beyond the immediate action in which the player is engaged.”  “With its continued focus on risk minimization, the committee determined that a helmet-less player shall not block, tackle or otherwise participate beyond the immediate action in which the player is engaged when the helmet came completely off,” said Bob Colgate, NFHS director of sports and sports medicine. “The penalty would be a live-ball, basic-spot foul.”

The committee also added language to Rule 3-5-10 to clarify that if the helmet comes completely off during the down or subsequent dead-ball action related to the down – and is not directly attributable to a foul by the opponent – the player must leave the game for at least one down, with the exception of halftime or overtime intermission. When this occurs, an official’s time-out shall be called. “Player safety has been and will continue to be the top priority for members of the NFHS Football Rules Committee,” said Brad Garrett, chair of the NFHS Football Rules Committee and assistant executive director of the Oregon School Activities Association. “These rules changes regarding helmet-less players are more examples of the group’s commitment to minimize risk within the game.”

Perhaps the most significant rules change next season will be one that reduces the penalty for pass interference. While the 15-yard penalty will remain for both offensive and defensive pass interference, the loss of down has been removed for offensive pass interference and the automatic first down has been eliminated for defensive pass interference.  “Offensive and defensive pass interference and the penalty structure related to these fouls has been debated many times in recent years,” Garrett said. “Proposals that either deleted the loss of down or the automatic first down – but not both – failed to gain support among committee members. The proposal to eliminate both components, thus not upsetting the balance between offense and defense, was the key factor in the adoption of the new rule.”

Another change at high school football games next year will be the expanded use of communication devices. In specific situations, coaches, players and nonplayers will be allowed to use any form of communication technology. This expansion of the rule allows the use of communication devices during authorized conferences outside the nine-yard marks, on the sidelines and during the halftime intermission. Use of communication devices by players except conferences outside the nine-yard mark continues to be prohibited.

In Rule 2-4-1, the committee clarified the rule approved last year regarding the definition of a catch, which stated that a receiver is required to establish possession of the ball and contact the ground inbounds while maintaining possession – regardless of the opponent’s action.

“The committee clarified the definition of a catch such that an airborne player who has forward progress stopped inbounds and is carried out of bounds by an opponent before contacting the ground is awarded a catch at the spot of forward progress,” Colgate said.

In Rule 9-3-8, the committee added another provision to the rule enacted last year regarding contact by the kicking team against members of the receiving team. The new provision stipulates that the kicking team may initiate contact once the receiving team has initiated a block within the neutral zone.

The committee also approved the addition of a 15-yard penalty to the existing option of accepting an awarded fair catch for kick-catch interference.

Finally, in Rule 8-3-3, the committee clarified that the touchdown scoring team is the only team that can score on a try, and in Rule 1-5-3 the committee modified the rule regarding the wearing of towels.

Football is the No. 1 participatory sport for boys at the high school level with 1,121,744 participants in the 2011-12 school year, according to the High School Athletics Participation Survey conducted by the NFHS through its member state associations. In addition, the survey indicated there were 1,805 girls who played football in 2011-12.