SA Gridiron Rules Update

Well the season is very close now.

Update to the rules for the upcoming season:
1. Kickoff - Teams will be kicking off from the 30 yard line this year. There will also be a 25 sec clock when the Ref blows the ready for play. This will start when either the kicker is handed the ball or when the ball is placed at the correct spot for the kickoff, allowing teams sufficient time to gather their thoughts and to have a drink.

All other rule changes from the NCAA are located at:
http://www.sagoa.info/resources/2007/2007NCAARulesChanges.pdf

If you have any queries of which other rules affect GASA games this season then please email training@sagoa.info

Grant Martin

SAGOA Training

Well a good start to the upcoming season 2007/08. Another well prepared training session that kept people thinking about the role we play in officiating American Football, NCAA. Thanks to Simon and Gordon for taking the reigns to add any further detail to an already jam packed curriculum.
It was great to see new faces and of course the old faces are welcome back at any time.
Reminder to register but if you can't do this we will fix it up at the next SAGOA meeting to be held October 14th, same venue, 10am. This will be about mechanics and rules and have an onfield component rather than just theory. So bring along appropriate footwear for the day.
The web site is getting updated with the training info and as such any information we didn't cover on the day is in the presentation. Where I have used other PowerPoint presentations from elsewhere I have left in tact the presentation as recognition of other peoples work. If there is anything incorrect in any of the work presented please email me so that I can rectify any errors. Please ensure you have a full and correct uniform before week 1, 20th October. Remember we have a couple of new officials so if you have spare bean bags, caps or tops please bring them along.
Due to other commitments in early October I won't be adding to the blog site until the week before the season begins. Good luck to all.

Grant Martin
SAGOA Coordinator of Officials

SAGOA Training

SAGOA Training is on this Sunday at 10am to 3.30pm.
www.sagoa.info/calendar.htm

Please check the link for location and other details.

Grant Martin
SAGOA Training Officer

Sportsmanship

Rules Meeting

On the 30th August 2007 SAGOA acted on behalf of GASA to organise a rules committee and explore the issue of sportsmanhip. GASA has spent much money over the past 12 months to improve the marketability of the game in SA. As a member of the league SAGOA has undertaken research across Australian states with comments from other officials, administrators, coaches, players and spectators.
With all of this in mind SAGOA presented GASA with the comments below and some recommendations to follow up. Please read through the whole document below and best of luck for 2007/08.

30^th August 2007

Marion Sport and Community Centre, 7.00pm

Meeting open at 7.30pm

Discussion on attendance being that there was an urgent meeting held on Tuesday night by GASA which in turn could have affected this meeting.

•Unsportsmanlike Acts

•ARTICLE 1. There shall be no unsportsmanlike conduct or any act that interferes with orderly game administration on the part of players, substitutes, coaches, authorized attendants or any other persons subject to the rules, before the game, during the game or between periods.

•a. Specifically prohibited acts and conduct include:

•1. No player, substitute, coach or other person subject to the rules shall use abusive, threatening or obscene language or gestures, or engage in such acts that provoke ill will or are demeaning to an opponent, to game officials or to the image of the game, including but not limited to:

• (a) Pointing the finger(s), hand(s), arm(s) or ball at an opponent, or imitating the slashing of the throat.

•(b) Taunting, baiting or ridiculing an opponent verbally.

•(c) Inciting an opponent or spectators in any other way, such as simulating the firing of a weapon or placing a hand by the ear to request recognition.

•(d) Any delayed, excessive, prolonged or choreographed act by which a player (or players) attempts to focus attention upon himself (or themselves).

•(e) Obviously altering stride as an unopposed runner approaches the opponent’s goal line, or diving into the end zone when unopposed.

•(f) Removal of a player’s helmet before he is in the team area (Exceptions: Team, media or injury timeouts; equipment adjustment; through play; between periods; and during a measurement for a first down).

•(g) Punching one’s own chest or crossing one’s arms in front of the chest while standing over a prone player.

•(h) Going into the stands to interact with spectators, or bowing at the waist after a good play.

. After a score or any other play, the player in possession immediately must return the ball to an official or leave it near the dead-ball spot.

This prohibits:

•(a) Kicking, throwing, spinning or carrying (including off of the field) the ball any distance that requires an official to retrieve it.

•(b) Spiking the ball to the ground [Exception: A forward pass to conserve time (Rule 7-3-2-d)].

•(c) Throwing the ball high into the air.

•(d) Any other unsportsmanlike act or actions that delay the game.

•SECTION 32. Fighting

•ARTICLE 1. Fighting is any attempt by a player, coach or squad member in uniform to strike an opponent in a combative manner unrelated to football.

•Such acts include, but are not limited to:

–a. An attempt to strike an opponent with the arm(s), hand(s), leg(s) or foot (feet), whether or not there is contact.

–b. An unsportsmanlike act toward an opponent that causes any opponent to retaliate by fighting (Rules 9-2-1-a and 9-5-1-a-c).

The purpose of this meeting was to look at ways players could celebrate great plays and scores within the rules set down by the NCAA.

The committee spent much time going over words and how they are to be interpreted and what this would look like in a game situation. All agreed that celebration was an important part of the game but taunting and trash talk was not. It was felt that the Australian culture influenced the way that the game is played in this regard but it is not something that is allowed by rule.

The Australian Gridiron community made a conscious decision choosing NCAA rules when the game was implemented into Australia and as such follow their ideas surrounding the way the game is played. We do though need to acknowledge that Australia is a different place to play this unique game and need to also look at sporting trends through the Australian Sports Commission.

It was accepted by the group that acts that are genuine celebration within a team environment would be acceptable but those that brought attention on an individual may at times be unacceptable. Players running from a sideline to join in a celebration during a game would also be deemed unacceptable, except in cases of close wins or the end of a finals game.

Discussion centred around what is an orderly game. This was defined as having a play run and that the officials are able to reset the ball for the next play within 10 to 15 secs and then blowing in the ready for play 25 sec clock for Offence.

Illegal Delay of the Game

ARTICLE 2. a. The ball shall be declared ready for play consistently throughout the game by the referee when the officials are in position. Consuming more than 25 seconds to put the ball in play after it is declared ready for play is an illegal delay. (page 75, 2007 NCAA Rule Book)

The NCAA is moving towards a 45 sec clock like the NFL and while we don’t necessarily have the 45 secs displayed as such we train the Referees and officials to get the ball in at this regular pace of the game.

In regards of player interaction the rules to sportsmanship are quite specific about how opponents are to treat each other. The nature of the sport is to beat your opponent on the field in a combative nature. Actions that provoke or demean an opponent as a sportsperson are not a part of the game. Though some players may have a good rapport with each other this is not always knowledge to an official. The official is trained to manage this with or without a flag and that is his judgment. While some players may believe that taunting is a part of the game to mentally provoke an opponent and that it is the Australian way to do things we must also see this as a preventative method of officiating before things get out of control and the image of the game is tarnished. While players find this restrictive in managing their passions the game is also about mental toughness as well as managed physical aggression within the rules. The game is about building character and team play, as well as winning.

The rules that have been developed for sportsmanship within the USA are about respecting the game and your opponents.

Participants reaffirmed after much debate that SAGOA is currently officiating the rules correctly in accordance with NCAA policy on interpretations. This comes about after much contact with US officials via email and NCAA newsletters. Sections bolded or underlined were under discussion about interpretation.

SAGOA reaffirms it stance on sportsmanship and that GASA and the clubs help promote the styles of sportsmanship for the image of the game.

Points to ponder?

1. SAGOA suggests promotion of team celebration of those players on the field and that GASA promotes team celebrations as a means for entertainment for the game.
2. That any celebration that delays a game, is excessive and brings attention to oneself or is choreographed still be considered for USC behaviour.
3. That GASA actively support the notion of positive sportsmanship at local league level for teams. Whether this is a voting system of some sort by SAGOA officials or league officials or board members.

Regards

Grant Martin
SAGOA Training Officer

SAGOA Coordinator of Officials

Trick plays

On the weekend an interesting trick play was shown by a junior team. It was meant to deceive a team by showing 'wrong ball.' There was some discussion as to the legality of a snap by a centre to a person in the backfield. The centre does not need to stand up and turn to hand the ball as discussed as this rule applies to other down linemen. The centre with the ball needs to snap the ball to the person in the backfield in one smooth motion, it need not be between his legs. So to all defences as soon as the centre picks up the ball after setting himself up the play starts and the officials judge whether the snap is legal or not.
Now to the showing of the 'wrong ball.' This is completely illegal and is Unsportsmanlike Conduct. Any interaction with the sideline to put off your opponent is not apart of the sport. It is to deceive and not to beat your opponent in a combative manner according to the rules. It may appear to be a smart play but it is not a fair play. The act of showing or calling a 'wrong ball' or 'wet ball' should be penalised for USC and the officials not the coach should be notified if the ball is wrong or wet, not the coach.
Some Youtube videos are saying this play is legal when in fact it is not according to the above interpretations. Discussion with US officials say the coach also risks ejection from the game for such a prepared play. In fact this may be a warning to coaches and players not to believe that all plays, even those with commentary, shown on these sites is legal.
If you have any trick plays you wished to discuss please email me before a game on the weekend so that the legalities can be checked well before hand.

Grant Martin

Welcome

Welcome to a new way of informing the players and other people about the way American Football is officiated. This is to complement the existing web site www.sagoa.info where the current rules and training documents have been posted.

This is not a QandA area but rather where information can be transferred to people interested in Gridiron easily. It will be an area to show interesting videos if need be or have links to other web sites, as well as scenarios and followups to concerns or unusual plays seen the previous week.

If you think there needs to be an answer to a particular rule then please first email secretary@sagoa.info or to contact Grant Martin or Simon Pollitt on game day for an idea to post here.

Regards

Grant Martin

SAGOA Coordinator of Officials