Game Protocols

Pre-Game Protocol (The Pre-Game Responsibilities of the Referee)
1. Arrive to the intramural game sight at least 10 minutes prior to start of game.

2. Notify your midshipman sport supervisor that you are present and check out a referee's jersey from the supervisor. You should have already checked out a whistle(which you keep) from the intramural equipment cage in Macdonough Hall on the 1st deck. The supervisor will tell you what field or court you are on. a. make sure you wear a watch to time the contest or sign out a stop watch from the intramural gear issue. b. look over your playing field or court and assure that it is a safe and playable surface(no obstacles etc.)

3. There should be more than one referee from your company, meet and and talk with the other referee about how each of you will call the game and which side of the field or court each of you wants to cover.

4. Once you get to your field or court, call both coaches together from each team. a. introduce yourself to the coaches and the coaches introduce themselves to each other and shake hands b. have the coaches point out to you who the field captains will be from each team.(one from each team). Only the field captain may approach or talk to you(the referee) during the course of the contest. c. go over with them how you will call the game and some brief rules that you will be reinforcing throughout the course of the contest. d. coin flip: have one of the coaches call heads or tails. The winner of the coin flip will have the decision of first ball possession or what side of the field or court they wish to defend. e. wish both coaches good luck.

5. Give the teams a brief couple of minutes to get their teams ready to play after the pre-game coaches talk, then blow your whistle to summon them to the playing field or court.

6. Ask both field or court team captains if they are ready to start and blow your whistle to begin the game. Start your watch, if time is kept in your contest.

During the Game Protocol (Referee's Responsibilities During Contest)
1. Know the rules of the sport you are officiating. You will be tested by the participants during the course of the contest. Refereeing is not an easy job and could be stressful if you don't pay attention to the rules and sell your calls.

2. Once you blow the whistle to begin the contest, the flow of the contest lies with your knowledge, leadership and also in how much you care to be a good referee and follow the responsibilities of this position.

3. You make the calls: a. stay up with flow of the game. MOVE! Do not just stand around on the sideline with your hands in your pockets, talking to your buddies. b. when you blow your whistle, blow it loud enough so both teams can hear it, even on the sidelines. b. blow whistle to signal all goals c. blow whistle to end all plays d. blow whistle to indicate any fouls, unsportsmanlike conduct, end of time, timeouts, delay of game, start and end of game. e. blow whistle for any injuries(referee's timeout) f. blow whistle for any coaches or players harassing you or using vulgarity towards you.....warn them they will be kicked out of the game....and give the other team the ball.

4. You may not make every call, but make as many calls as you can, that are necessary. The more you try to do this, the easier refereeing will become.

5. Do not worry about what others think of you while you are officiating, you are not out there for a popularity contest. You are there to earn respect from the teams as a referee and to help control the flow of the contest in respect to rules and safety.

6. Officials will now award sportsmanship points in flag football and fieldball. These points count towards color points. Points given will be 0,2,5 or 10. Officials will tell coaches their point totals at the end of each quarter.

End of Game Protocol (End of Game Responsibilities of the Referee)
1. At the completion of the contest, blow your whistle to signal the end of the game.

2. Ensure that the final score is correct.

3. Immediately leave the field or court and go directly to your midshipman sport supervisor and return your referee's jersey and tell the supervisor that your contest is completed.

4. The midshipman sport supervisor will hand you a team sportsmanship rating form, in which you will fill out at the site and give back to the supervisor. In sports of flag football and fieldball(1999-2000), the officials will already have their rating cards, but will turn in to supervisor at end.

a. since the coaches rate the officials, the officials will now rate the company teams they officiate on fairplay and sportsmanship.

5. Your responsibilities are now complete and you may return to the hall.

The Department of Physical Education appreciates the extra effort you put forth to referee the contests and make the intramural program better.

UNIFORM AND IMAGE STANDARDS

Referee's Uniform
Each Midshipmen referee will wear the following uniform: 1. A black and white striped short or long sleeve referees' jersey - may be worn over regulation Physical Education t-shirt or Navy issued gray sweatshirt (depending upon weather). This is issued to you by your midshipman sport supervisor.

2. Regulation issued Physical Education Navy blue shorts or Navy issued gray sweatpants.

3. White athletic socks, ankle, crew or over the calf length. No Ped type socks allowed(low golf socks).

4. Footwear: athletic shoes are required: sneakers or cleats are permitted depending upon the sport. Cleats are recommended for all outdoor sports. (Cleats are issued through the intramural gear issue in Macdonough Hall 1st deck)

5. No hats are to be worn, except in the sport of softball. Then they must be Navy related and worn the correct way on your head(not backward). -fieldball may be inclement weather: a warm knit cap to keep head warm is allowed, as long as it is Navy blue, black or marine green.

6. A whistle: issued through the intramural gear issue. The whistle is yours to keep and not to be returned.

7. Have a copy of the specific sport rules in your possession for quick reference. (If needed)

The Referees' Image
The appearance, demeanor, conduct, match control and knowledge of rules are the most important aspects of gaining respect from the participating teams for the referee. It can not be stressed enough, that how you look, how you act, how you carry yourself, how you manage each situation, and how you control the flow of a game are very important aspects in being a referee and gaining a teams confidence in your abilities. (example: In a fieldball game, one referee has his striped shirt just tied around his waist, his whistle in his pocket and he is standing at the 50 yard line with his hands folded across his chest, talking to a buddy of his, while the game is going on. The second referee in this game, is dressed appropriately, whistle in view, following the play and moving with the motion of the game. He makes calls and controls the flow of the game. Which official would you like on your game? Which official would gain your respect ?)

Listed below are few tips in helping you earn respect as referee:

1. Appearance: how you look to the participating teams. a. personal appearance: what you are dressed in. Do you look the part? b. facial and body appearance: do you look like you want to be there? Body language plays an important part in how you appear to others.

2. Demeanor: your conduct to others. a. tone of voice, how you react and treat the participants. b. be vocal, but not brassy. c. take control, but not bossy. d. refer to coaches and captains as sir or ma'am(no matter what class). e. do not ever use vulgarity.

3. Conduct: lead and direct; lead the way. a. referees are role models, they lead and control the game and the actions happening in the game. b. being active in each and every minute of every game. Standing along the the sideline, doing nothing, is unacceptable.

4. Behavior: functioning in a certain manner.(leadership role) a. your behavior is to be the leading authority on the court or field. b. your behavior will assist in the control of the match and the flow of the game. c. know the rules.

5. Match Control: have authority to regulate, direct or dominate. a. you are the over all authority on the court or field, to make decisions regarding the rules and actions taking place. b. don't let situations get out of hand but don't referee to change an outcome of a game or contest.

EMERGENCY, WEATHER OR INJURY PROTOCOL

Emergency/Injury Plan of Action
As a referee of an intramural sports contest, you are responsible for the safety and well-being of the athletes participating.

1. If a participant goes down and does not get up, call a referee's time-out immediately. (The signal for a referee's time-out is: blow your whistle and touch both of your shoulders simultaneously with fingertips of both of your hands) (No time-out is charged to either team)

2. Summon the 1/c Coach from the injured participants team to come on the field and talk to the injured player.

3. Do not try to move the player until assessment of injury is made.

4. If a head, neck or back injury is suspected, do not move the athlete. This person should be transported via an ambulance to a medical facility immediately. a. send a bystander to the nearest emergency phone to call for an ambulance. b. Important Numbers: Military Medicine: call for transport to medical of a non-life threatening injury (410)293-0000 or (410)293-1758 x30000 or x31758 Base Fire Department Ambulance: life-threatening emergency (410) 293-3333 x33333 c. Information needed when call for ambulance: -name of injured athlete -what body part is injured -where is the athlete located? -where are you calling from?(telephone number) -how the athlete got injured (if possible) -never hang up first, wait until you are told you can hang up!

5. Communicable Disease Procedures: (Blood is visible) -at any time you see visible blood, you are responsible to tell that player or the coach of the team that the player must be removed until all visible signs of blood are cleaned up. The player may then return to the game. -If a player refuses to leave the game to clean up signs of blood, warn them that their team may have to forfeit for their refusal.

6. Weather related emergencies: Lightning, heavy rain, hail, snow , heavy winds or unplayable field conditions: -all games are played weather permitting -Intramural office will cancel most days when weather does not allow good conditions but sometimes weather will make games unplayable after starting of game. -if weather is starting to become unplayable or field conditions worsen, call a referees' time-out and find the field midshipman sport supervisor and confer on whether to cancel the game. -the sport supervisor will notify the intramural office of the game cancellation.

(WHENEVER IN DOUBT, ERR ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION)

COMPANY SPORTSMANSHIP AND FAIR PLAY RATING FORM

The Company Sportsmanship and Fair Play Rating Form can be obtained from the Intramural Office in Macdonough Hall.

REFERENCES


NIRSA(National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association) Clinicians Manuals: Basketball, Flag Football,Soccer, Softball, and Volleyball, 850 SW 15th Street, Corvallis, Oregon 97333-4145

National Federation of State High School Associations Rules Books: Basketball, Soccer, Softball, Volleyball, 11724 NW Plaza Circle, Box 20626, Kansas City, Missouri 64195-0626

Intramural Sports Program Manual, United States Naval Academy, Intramural Office Annapolis, Maryland 21402: Written by: Assoc. Prof. Jan B. Dainard

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