Get Ready for Fall 2024
From: "Rich Kollen" - dayofgame@icloud.com
Subject: SCCFOA
Date: Thursday, Septermber 1, 2022
Welcome to the 2022 California community college football season. I have been drafting these weekly emails during the season for the past 15 years. Hopefully, I can bring light to our level of two-year college football by focusing on the issues that happen on and off the field. The goal has always been to advance our officiating program, as well as help coaches better understand NCAA rules and our officiating philosophies. I also address our athletic departments on their game management responsibilities. The last two seasons have been difficult for student-athletes, coaches, and officials. I think we have turned the corner on our Covid restrictions while still being mindful of Covid and its new variants.
I would like to congratulate Riverside City College for representing Southern California in the state playoffs; losing a tough game to San Francisco City College. The game was played at Mount San Antonio College, in its beautiful multi-million dollar stadium.
Welcome to three new coaches this year: Dionicio Monarraz (Southwestern), James Sims (LA Pierce), and Ron Ponciano (Antelope Valley). Farewell to one of our great coaches who retired, Ed Carberry, from Southwestern College, with an 89-51 record, good for a .636 winning percentage over 14 seasons. Ed and I had many phone calls debating the rules of the game. I’d also like to mention the retirement of Tony Barbone, AD at Pasadena and formerly El Camino College. Tony has been a leader in the development of the Southern California Football Association, SCFA. We owe both Ed and Tony a debt of gratitude.
This year, California community colleges will have 36 teams participating with over 4,000 student-athletes. Unfortunately, LA Harbor has suspended football, but we’re hopeful that it will return in a few years.
After last season with the Covid protocols for officials, many decided to take the year off. I’m happy to report that many have returned. In addition, through a strong recruiting program, we have 50 new officials in the training pipeline. I always encourage coaches who think they might have a student-athlete interested in officiating to pass on the name. I will certainly get him/her involved in officiating if they wish.
The NCAA has a two-year cycle to introduce new rules, and this is an “on” year. On Sunday, August 21st, a meeting was held with over 200 officials to discuss the rules. I have also met with the coaches on the new rules. Some to note:
· The new blocking rules will certainly make it easier for officials to officiate and coaches to coach. Low blocks, sometime called cut blocks, are now only permissible when players start between the tackles for both offense and defense (along with other restrictions). All other low blocks are illegal. (Rule 9-1-6) Low/cut blocks have always been illegal in high school other than at the snap.
· All holdings penalties on the defense will be a 10-yard penalty and will carry an automatic first down. (Rule 9-3-4 Penalty)
· Faking an injury to stop the clock and stop the tempo of the game is unethical. Officials will always stop the game in these situations, but they’ve been told to report any suspected fake injuries to the commissioner. The commissioner will review film and take appropriate action.
For those of you who watch football on Sunday, you will notice that each player wears socks that cover the calves, and the knee pads covers their knees. The committee proposed this rule for college football, but it didn’t get enough votes. Speaking of knee pads, we have addressed this for many years, only to watch high-profile players essentially competing in biker shorts. I have told the officials that every player must have knee pads covering the knee. (Rule 1-4-d) Please ensure your athletes are properly equipped. Don’t make the officials be the “uniform cops.”
Game management and the facility are so important for a well-managed game. Be sure to check that you have all the equipment tested and ready to go, including scoreboards, play clocks, ball persons, chain crew, pylons, yard markers, trained scorekeepers, and timers. The team area extends between the 20-yard lines Many of our fields were marked incorrectly last year. Game and play clock operators should come down to the field when they arrive. Rather than trying to have officials go up to the booth to instruct them, please have those operators meet the officials on the field. We would like to have this done 45 minutes prior to kickoff. Often times, the operators are not there 45 minutes ahead of time, and getting up to the booth is time consuming and takes away from warmup snaps, or other on field prep duties. Add to this the guessing game of whether the clock operators are even there yet, and it all adds up to being better to just go down to the field when the clock operators arrive.
I’m sure all of you are college football fans and are watching what’s happening with the Power Five conferences. The competition for the TV dollar is higher than ever. Long rivalries, traditions, and travel considerations have been cast to the wind to bring in more money to the institutions. With that said, I recently read where ESPN has negotiated a deal with the National Junior College Athletic Association, NJCAA, for the rights to nationally televise 13 football games, 20 men’s basketball games, and 20 women’s basketball games. I think we have missed an opportunity to deliver our product to ESPN. When we start watching these games, none of them will be played in nicer facilities, nor will competition be as good as we have in Southern California. Our student-athletes are missing a chance for greater exposure in order to advance to the next level. I hope this sparks interest in our state administrators to seek out a similar proposal to deliver California community college athletics to a TV provider. I understand that YouTube, Apple TV, Peacock, Hulu, and many other streaming companies are seeking content (especially live content). For my two cents, we can’t let another opportunity like this slip through the cracks.
Athletic trainers will tell you that you need to start hydrating three days before your event. Températures this weekend are scheduled to be in the high 90s, and with our synthetic turf, it adds about 15°. Start drinking water today! Official time-outs for water breaks might be considered by Referees this Saturday. Make sure to put the safety of athletes at the top of your priorities.
Here we go!! 2022 SCFA Football – HAVE A GREAT SEASON
Rich Kollen
Director of Football Operations
Subject: SCCFOA
Date: Thursday, Septermber 1, 2022
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
2022 WEEKLY BULLETIN #1Welcome to the 2022 California community college football season. I have been drafting these weekly emails during the season for the past 15 years. Hopefully, I can bring light to our level of two-year college football by focusing on the issues that happen on and off the field. The goal has always been to advance our officiating program, as well as help coaches better understand NCAA rules and our officiating philosophies. I also address our athletic departments on their game management responsibilities. The last two seasons have been difficult for student-athletes, coaches, and officials. I think we have turned the corner on our Covid restrictions while still being mindful of Covid and its new variants.
I would like to congratulate Riverside City College for representing Southern California in the state playoffs; losing a tough game to San Francisco City College. The game was played at Mount San Antonio College, in its beautiful multi-million dollar stadium.
Welcome to three new coaches this year: Dionicio Monarraz (Southwestern), James Sims (LA Pierce), and Ron Ponciano (Antelope Valley). Farewell to one of our great coaches who retired, Ed Carberry, from Southwestern College, with an 89-51 record, good for a .636 winning percentage over 14 seasons. Ed and I had many phone calls debating the rules of the game. I’d also like to mention the retirement of Tony Barbone, AD at Pasadena and formerly El Camino College. Tony has been a leader in the development of the Southern California Football Association, SCFA. We owe both Ed and Tony a debt of gratitude.
This year, California community colleges will have 36 teams participating with over 4,000 student-athletes. Unfortunately, LA Harbor has suspended football, but we’re hopeful that it will return in a few years.
After last season with the Covid protocols for officials, many decided to take the year off. I’m happy to report that many have returned. In addition, through a strong recruiting program, we have 50 new officials in the training pipeline. I always encourage coaches who think they might have a student-athlete interested in officiating to pass on the name. I will certainly get him/her involved in officiating if they wish.
The NCAA has a two-year cycle to introduce new rules, and this is an “on” year. On Sunday, August 21st, a meeting was held with over 200 officials to discuss the rules. I have also met with the coaches on the new rules. Some to note:
· The new blocking rules will certainly make it easier for officials to officiate and coaches to coach. Low blocks, sometime called cut blocks, are now only permissible when players start between the tackles for both offense and defense (along with other restrictions). All other low blocks are illegal. (Rule 9-1-6) Low/cut blocks have always been illegal in high school other than at the snap.
· All holdings penalties on the defense will be a 10-yard penalty and will carry an automatic first down. (Rule 9-3-4 Penalty)
· Faking an injury to stop the clock and stop the tempo of the game is unethical. Officials will always stop the game in these situations, but they’ve been told to report any suspected fake injuries to the commissioner. The commissioner will review film and take appropriate action.
For those of you who watch football on Sunday, you will notice that each player wears socks that cover the calves, and the knee pads covers their knees. The committee proposed this rule for college football, but it didn’t get enough votes. Speaking of knee pads, we have addressed this for many years, only to watch high-profile players essentially competing in biker shorts. I have told the officials that every player must have knee pads covering the knee. (Rule 1-4-d) Please ensure your athletes are properly equipped. Don’t make the officials be the “uniform cops.”
Game management and the facility are so important for a well-managed game. Be sure to check that you have all the equipment tested and ready to go, including scoreboards, play clocks, ball persons, chain crew, pylons, yard markers, trained scorekeepers, and timers. The team area extends between the 20-yard lines Many of our fields were marked incorrectly last year. Game and play clock operators should come down to the field when they arrive. Rather than trying to have officials go up to the booth to instruct them, please have those operators meet the officials on the field. We would like to have this done 45 minutes prior to kickoff. Often times, the operators are not there 45 minutes ahead of time, and getting up to the booth is time consuming and takes away from warmup snaps, or other on field prep duties. Add to this the guessing game of whether the clock operators are even there yet, and it all adds up to being better to just go down to the field when the clock operators arrive.
I’m sure all of you are college football fans and are watching what’s happening with the Power Five conferences. The competition for the TV dollar is higher than ever. Long rivalries, traditions, and travel considerations have been cast to the wind to bring in more money to the institutions. With that said, I recently read where ESPN has negotiated a deal with the National Junior College Athletic Association, NJCAA, for the rights to nationally televise 13 football games, 20 men’s basketball games, and 20 women’s basketball games. I think we have missed an opportunity to deliver our product to ESPN. When we start watching these games, none of them will be played in nicer facilities, nor will competition be as good as we have in Southern California. Our student-athletes are missing a chance for greater exposure in order to advance to the next level. I hope this sparks interest in our state administrators to seek out a similar proposal to deliver California community college athletics to a TV provider. I understand that YouTube, Apple TV, Peacock, Hulu, and many other streaming companies are seeking content (especially live content). For my two cents, we can’t let another opportunity like this slip through the cracks.
Athletic trainers will tell you that you need to start hydrating three days before your event. Températures this weekend are scheduled to be in the high 90s, and with our synthetic turf, it adds about 15°. Start drinking water today! Official time-outs for water breaks might be considered by Referees this Saturday. Make sure to put the safety of athletes at the top of your priorities.
Here we go!! 2022 SCFA Football – HAVE A GREAT SEASON
Rich Kollen
Director of Football Operations