NFHS Football Officials Manual Communication Between Officials and Head Coach Communication between officials and the head coach is a key to a smoothly run contest. All communication between the two parties should be professional and to the point. Head coaches who want to officiate rather than coach should be dealt with swiftly and in a firm manner. Enforcement of Uniform Adornment Rules Both the head coach and the officials are responsible for enforcement of the uniform adornment rules and those rules must be enforced consistently in order to prevent problems from developing with player safety or sportsmanship. NFHS Football Officials Manual (Point of Emphasis): Communication Between Officials and Head Coach: Communication between officials and the head coach is a key to a smoothly run contest. Keeping the head coach informed of penalties, the players who committed them and alerting the coach to players who are pushing the letter and spirit of the rule near the point of being penalized allow both the head coach and the officials to stay focused on the contest rather than being upset with each other. It is also important that officials listen to concerns of the head coach as long as the coach acts professional and reasonable, and concerns are not continual. Sometimes, a coach needs to vent or has a question that can be answered quickly without interrupting the flow of the contest and without demeaning an official. On the other hand, head coaches who want to officiate rather than coach should be dealt with swiftly and in a firm manner. Head coaches have a responsibility to coach their players and to control assistant coaches and team personnel. Officials have a responsibility to officiate. All communication between the two parties should be professional and to the point. When used properly and appropriately, communication aids in the flow of the contest. Enforcement of Uniform Adornment Rules: Wearing a tinted eye shield, adding tape to a part of the uniform to create a “striping effect,” wearing a belt that is so long it hangs down like a towel, sweat bands worn in nontraditional locations, towels that do not comply with the rule specifications or elastic bands worn on the forearms or biceps are all illegal. Both the head coach and the officials are responsible for enforcement of the uniform adornment rules and those rules must be enforced consistently in order to prevent problems from developing with player safety or sportsmanship. 1

NFHS Football Officials Manual Enforcing that Legal Equipment is Worn Properly Head coaches and officials should always keep in mind that safety comes first. Required equipment is mandated for the well-being of the players. Coaches and officials must work together to make the game as safe as possible for the athletes participating by requiring compliance with equipment rules. Officials have the responsibility to penalize the head coach when players are not legally equipped and to prohibit the players from participating until they do become legally equipped. NFHS Football Officials Manual (Point of Emphasis): Enforcing that Legal Equipment is Worn Properly: Head coaches and officials should always keep in mind that safety comes first. Required equipment is mandated for the well-being of the players. Coaches and officials must remember that high school players are apt to mimic what they see collegiate or professional players doing on television. Note that what is allowed at those levels by either rule or application of rules can be totally different than what is legal in high school. Permitting players to wear knee pads that do not cover the knee is another one such area of concern. Enforcing the NFHS equipment rules is just as important as enforcing a clip or chop block as both of those rules deal with player safety. Ideally, the head coach should shoulder this responsibility because the coach is required to verify that all of the team’s players are legally equipped. Officials have the responsibility to penalize the head coach when players are not legally equipped and to prohibit the players from participating until they do become legally equipped. Coaches and officials must work together to make the game as safe as possible for the athletes participating by requiring compliance with equipment rules. 2