Get Ready for Fall 2024
From: "Rich Kollen" - dayofgame@icloud.com
Subject: SCCFOA
Date: Friday, Septermber 1, 2023
I would like to welcome all administrators, coaches and officials to the 2023 edition of my weekly bulletins. These bulletins are intended to bring all of us together in order to work as a cohesive unit, with the sole purpose of making the Southern California Football Association (SCFA) a great experience for our student-athletes. At our summer meetings, we discussed that head coaches are expected to oversee and manage the actions and conduct of their assistant coaches, ensuring that they adhere to appropriate behavior standards. The hope expressed is that in the upcoming year, there will be improvements and differences in how assistant coaches conduct themselves. If we all work together on sportsmanship by players and coaches, and the professional behavior by officials, we will have a successful season.
There are some changes this year in the SCFA. New ADs: Tom Gang (Southwestern College), Ben Partee (Antelope Valley), Tim Harrison (Compton), Deborah Hefter (LA Pierce), and Shandon Silva (Riverside) (interim). Welcome to each of you, and thank you for what you do for the schools!
New head coaches: Perry Jehlicka (Antelope Valley) (return after one year), Darrin Chiaverini (Chaffey), Dave Banuelos (Compton), Marguet Miller, formerly at West LA (LA Southwest), David Slover (Victor Valley), Steve Ruedaflores (West LA), Rick Aguilar (Hancock), and Iona Uiagalelei (San Bernardino Valley). Thank you for what each of you do for the student-athletes! Let’s have a great season!
The 2023 NCAA rule changes do not affect our game to any great extent.
The big change at the national level is not stopping the clock on first downs. The NFL has not stopped the clock on first downs for years. Big-time college football needs to get games completed in a certain time frame for television. Since the NCAA Div. III did not adopt the rule for this year, we will follow the old rule in 2023.
Teams are prohibited from calling consecutive timeouts. (Rule 3-3-4-a) These were often used to "ice" a kicker during a late field goal attempt. This could significantly impact end-of-game scenarios. Please remember, there is no penalty for requesting the time out. The officials should simply ignore the request.
Game management and facility personnel are very important. ADs are reminded to check and prepare all necessary equipment and personnel, including scoreboards and game clocks, play clocks, chains, ball persons, chain crew, pylons, yard markers, trained scorekeepers, and timers. Clock operators are asked to come down to the field when they arrive, rather than having officials go up to the booth to instruct them. Please have the clock operators meet the officials on the field. We would like to have this done 45 minutes prior to kickoff. Often, the operators are not there 45 minutes ahead of time, and getting up to the booth is both time-consuming and takes away from the prep duties of the officials.
The team area extends between the 20-yard lines. (Rule 1-2-4-a) Many of our fields were marked incorrectly last year, with the old team area (25-to-25). Due to Covid, the NCAA extended the team area to the 20-yard lines, and made that change permanent. Try to make sure the field is properly marked.
After discussions and weekly evaluations from coaches and game observers, the officiating program has addressed (and will continue to address) the following concerns during the 2023 season:
Making calls that cannot be supported by game video. Officials are aware that quality game videos now mean that they will be held accountable like never before.
Not being in the best position on the field, thus reducing the probability of getting calls correct.
Being better communicators with players and coaches.
If you think it was a foul, do not call it; you must know it was a foul.
We have encouraged officials to step up when penalties are being enforced incorrectly, or as they are being discussed. This is excellent officiating, and it has not gone unnoticed. Continue to be crew savers.
All ADs, please check Arbiter to see if your game has officials assigned. If not, please let me know ASAP. As you can all guess, last minute changes are very difficult.
You may notice that the new terminology used in officiating has shifted from "philosophies" to "standards." This change is reflected in the NCAA Rules Book and extends to the SCFA. The use of "standards" essentially retains the same concept as "philosophies." These Officiating Standards are set forth in Part II of the 2023 NCAA Rules Book.
Our annual officials’ clinic was held Sunday, August 20, at Orange Coast College. This year was to be a new format where we were going on the field with student-athletes. Officials were to be officiating a series of planned plays for the purpose of getting everyone on the same page mechanically. Unfortunately, due to hurricane Hilary, we were forced to meet on Zoom, where we went over plays from the 2022 season. Hopefully, we can be back on the field for the clinic in 2024. This year’s theme is “Get More Plays Right.”
In 2023, officials will be taking a weekly test. All of this is intended to make our officiating program better. If you know a mistake is being made, show courage and be a crew saver. Step up and get it right. Don't bring it up in the locker room, when there is nothing that can be done about it. Get More Plays Right!
Officials are required to be on the field 45 minutes before the game. Use this time wisely to instruct chain crews, clock operators, and supervise the warm-up areas. By having officials on the field at this time, it ensures that teams have a proper and organized warm-up routine and helps discourage trash-talking. Officials can use this time to adjust their focus to passes and catches. This helps officials become accustomed to the game's dynamics before it officially begins.
A couple questions have come up by our coaches this week. One question was with respect to tinted visors. These are not permitted under NCAA Rules. No medical exceptions (doctor’s note) are allowed. (Rule 1-4-6-c) The other one is the use of drones. Under NCAA Rules, the drone cannot fly anywhere over the field or the team area when squad members are present within the playing enclosure. (Rule 1-4- 11-d) Outside of the limit lines, game management is responsible for such activity. If there is a drone over the field with squad members present, the officials are instructed to suspend the game until it is removed.
I shouldn’t have to remind anyone that Southern California can get very hot in September and October. I encourage everyone to get and stay hydrated to avoid problems due to heat. If it is overly hot, feel free to take official time outs, as deemed necessary for players’ and officials’ safety.
“It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen!” - J. Wooden
Rich Kollen
Director of Football Operations
Subject: SCCFOA
Date: Friday, Septermber 1, 2023
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
2023 WEEKLY BULLETIN #1I would like to welcome all administrators, coaches and officials to the 2023 edition of my weekly bulletins. These bulletins are intended to bring all of us together in order to work as a cohesive unit, with the sole purpose of making the Southern California Football Association (SCFA) a great experience for our student-athletes. At our summer meetings, we discussed that head coaches are expected to oversee and manage the actions and conduct of their assistant coaches, ensuring that they adhere to appropriate behavior standards. The hope expressed is that in the upcoming year, there will be improvements and differences in how assistant coaches conduct themselves. If we all work together on sportsmanship by players and coaches, and the professional behavior by officials, we will have a successful season.
There are some changes this year in the SCFA. New ADs: Tom Gang (Southwestern College), Ben Partee (Antelope Valley), Tim Harrison (Compton), Deborah Hefter (LA Pierce), and Shandon Silva (Riverside) (interim). Welcome to each of you, and thank you for what you do for the schools!
New head coaches: Perry Jehlicka (Antelope Valley) (return after one year), Darrin Chiaverini (Chaffey), Dave Banuelos (Compton), Marguet Miller, formerly at West LA (LA Southwest), David Slover (Victor Valley), Steve Ruedaflores (West LA), Rick Aguilar (Hancock), and Iona Uiagalelei (San Bernardino Valley). Thank you for what each of you do for the student-athletes! Let’s have a great season!
The 2023 NCAA rule changes do not affect our game to any great extent.
The big change at the national level is not stopping the clock on first downs. The NFL has not stopped the clock on first downs for years. Big-time college football needs to get games completed in a certain time frame for television. Since the NCAA Div. III did not adopt the rule for this year, we will follow the old rule in 2023.
Teams are prohibited from calling consecutive timeouts. (Rule 3-3-4-a) These were often used to "ice" a kicker during a late field goal attempt. This could significantly impact end-of-game scenarios. Please remember, there is no penalty for requesting the time out. The officials should simply ignore the request.
Game management and facility personnel are very important. ADs are reminded to check and prepare all necessary equipment and personnel, including scoreboards and game clocks, play clocks, chains, ball persons, chain crew, pylons, yard markers, trained scorekeepers, and timers. Clock operators are asked to come down to the field when they arrive, rather than having officials go up to the booth to instruct them. Please have the clock operators meet the officials on the field. We would like to have this done 45 minutes prior to kickoff. Often, the operators are not there 45 minutes ahead of time, and getting up to the booth is both time-consuming and takes away from the prep duties of the officials.
The team area extends between the 20-yard lines. (Rule 1-2-4-a) Many of our fields were marked incorrectly last year, with the old team area (25-to-25). Due to Covid, the NCAA extended the team area to the 20-yard lines, and made that change permanent. Try to make sure the field is properly marked.
After discussions and weekly evaluations from coaches and game observers, the officiating program has addressed (and will continue to address) the following concerns during the 2023 season:
Making calls that cannot be supported by game video. Officials are aware that quality game videos now mean that they will be held accountable like never before.
Not being in the best position on the field, thus reducing the probability of getting calls correct.
Being better communicators with players and coaches.
If you think it was a foul, do not call it; you must know it was a foul.
We have encouraged officials to step up when penalties are being enforced incorrectly, or as they are being discussed. This is excellent officiating, and it has not gone unnoticed. Continue to be crew savers.
All ADs, please check Arbiter to see if your game has officials assigned. If not, please let me know ASAP. As you can all guess, last minute changes are very difficult.
You may notice that the new terminology used in officiating has shifted from "philosophies" to "standards." This change is reflected in the NCAA Rules Book and extends to the SCFA. The use of "standards" essentially retains the same concept as "philosophies." These Officiating Standards are set forth in Part II of the 2023 NCAA Rules Book.
Our annual officials’ clinic was held Sunday, August 20, at Orange Coast College. This year was to be a new format where we were going on the field with student-athletes. Officials were to be officiating a series of planned plays for the purpose of getting everyone on the same page mechanically. Unfortunately, due to hurricane Hilary, we were forced to meet on Zoom, where we went over plays from the 2022 season. Hopefully, we can be back on the field for the clinic in 2024. This year’s theme is “Get More Plays Right.”
In 2023, officials will be taking a weekly test. All of this is intended to make our officiating program better. If you know a mistake is being made, show courage and be a crew saver. Step up and get it right. Don't bring it up in the locker room, when there is nothing that can be done about it. Get More Plays Right!
Officials are required to be on the field 45 minutes before the game. Use this time wisely to instruct chain crews, clock operators, and supervise the warm-up areas. By having officials on the field at this time, it ensures that teams have a proper and organized warm-up routine and helps discourage trash-talking. Officials can use this time to adjust their focus to passes and catches. This helps officials become accustomed to the game's dynamics before it officially begins.
A couple questions have come up by our coaches this week. One question was with respect to tinted visors. These are not permitted under NCAA Rules. No medical exceptions (doctor’s note) are allowed. (Rule 1-4-6-c) The other one is the use of drones. Under NCAA Rules, the drone cannot fly anywhere over the field or the team area when squad members are present within the playing enclosure. (Rule 1-4- 11-d) Outside of the limit lines, game management is responsible for such activity. If there is a drone over the field with squad members present, the officials are instructed to suspend the game until it is removed.
I shouldn’t have to remind anyone that Southern California can get very hot in September and October. I encourage everyone to get and stay hydrated to avoid problems due to heat. If it is overly hot, feel free to take official time outs, as deemed necessary for players’ and officials’ safety.
“It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen!” - J. Wooden
Rich Kollen
Director of Football Operations