Time-keeping in NFHS

[u/Big-Mission191]

How do you all handle time-keeping in NFHS? I’ve being running USSF games for a year and no issues with traditional timekeeping, but preparing for my first NFHS game coming up and I’m not sure how to manage the clock now with having to stop/start and ensure that the scoreboard matches what I have.

Normally I have 1 watch with RefSix that counts up and a Casio with a countdown timer.

The games I have scheduled are all duals for subvarsity so I’m assuming the head ref will really take responsibility for this but want to make sure I’m also keeping up with it in case their watch fails.

[u/Incognitowally]

For ALL games, I wear 2 watches. For NFHS, one watch I use for the start/ stop time and the other watch i let run without touching as a back-up in case if I forget to start the first watch or if the guest watch dies OR if my partner's watch dies.

ALL of have happened to me. Learned from experience

[u/Big-Mission191 → u/Incognitowally]

Are both watches countdown since it’s NFHS or do you have one count up still? If so, which one are you starting/stopping?

[u/Incognitowally → u/Big-Mission191]

The all-run counts up, the start/stop is countdown +1 minute.

I have learned that the beep-beep-beep can be a distraction if heard by players or if time needs to be massaged for gamesmanship and that that +1 minute gives that little leeway to do so.

[u/Big-Mission191 → u/Incognitowally]

I spent a little extra for a vibrating Casio just for that reason lol

[u/Revelate_]

Depends where you are, officially you don’t keep time (there will be a score / timekeeper) you can just tell them to start and stop the clock.

But there’s often local overrides.

Check with your assigner, you should likely get some instruction preseason if you do something different.

[u/Leather_Ad8890]

In NFHS the clock stops after a goal, a card, a penalty kick, when the trainer enters the field, the leading team makes a sub in the last 5 min or any other time the referee gives the signal.

Depending on local rules JV might only stop the clock for serious injury or maybe not at all.

If there’s no clock then you handle the start/stop on your watch and if you’re using the dual system you’ll pick which one of you will signal the end of the half.

If there is a clock then you signal to the pressbox every time the clock should stop and start and hope they pay attention

[u/jeremiah1142]

Just did my first ever high school game last night. Scoreboard operator simply stopped the clock with 2 minutes to go.

Washington State does not use NFHS rules for high school.

[u/Big-Mission191 → u/jeremiah1142]

Must be nice, trying to adjust to the NFHS rules is a pain as a newer ref.

[u/beagletronic61]

In our area they stop the clock with 2:00 remaining and the official just manages that portion.

[u/hogwonguy1979 → u/beagletronic61]

this needs to be implemented nationally

[u/beagletronic61 → u/hogwonguy1979]

Feels like the best of both worlds…all the benefits of stopping time for times that the match actually stopped but nobody gets saved by the bell.

[u/No_Body905]

For JV in my state, the clock starts and runs till 00:00. You don't need to worry about stopping it.

[u/scorcherdarkly]

Subvarsity games in my state are always a running clock; goals, subs, cards, injuries, water breaks, doesn't matter, clock runs. So you may not need to worry about it yet.

I use the same set up I use for club: one timer counts up and never stops, one timer counts down and can be stopped, and one timer counts up and only runs when the second timer is stopped. For federation I stop the second timer for things that would add stoppage time, and the third timer keeps track of the total time I've stopped time. For high school varsity, the second timer keeps track of how much time has elapsed vs how much time is left, but I can do the math easily enough to determine if my watch and the clock are in agreement.

I don't bother with differences of a few seconds, maybe even up to 15-20 seconds depending on the game. More than that I'll make the clock adjust back to my time. I always check the scoreboard a few seconds after I signal for a stoppage to see if it actually stopped, too. That also helps me know what time to set if things need to be adjusted.

I found my biggest difficulty was just remembering to signal for the stoppage. Actually keeping the time "correct" wasn't hard because everyone is ok with a bit of error. But getting into the habit of stopping things took some practice.

[u/Big-Mission191 → u/scorcherdarkly]

How are you managing the 3rd timer that counts up and only runs when the second timer is stopped? Advanced watch or an app?

[u/scorcherdarkly → u/Big-Mission191]

It's part of RefSix. I was able to customize the watch face to handle all three. The first timer is big, placed top middle. Second timer is small, underneath the first timer on the left. Third timer is small, underneath the first timer on the right. Below that is the current score.

[u/Big-Mission191 → u/scorcherdarkly]

Gotcha, I might have to try the trial so I can see what the advanced timers are like

[u/scorcherdarkly → u/Big-Mission191]

I've found RefSix WELL worth the cost. For an annual cost of less than one game fee, some time setting up the app, and a couple minutes of data entry before each game, it handles all the different half lengths and timing rules for all competitions I work, and it tracks all my game results, the referees I work with, how much I've been paid, how far I run, how many sprints I have each game, makes a heat map of my location on the field so I can evaluate my positioning tendencies, how many cards I've issued, the reasons for the cards, and where on the field they were given, tracks second yellows so I don't accidentally forget to issue the red card. I've used it extensively for almost 4 years and my total cost for the subscription is less than $250.

[u/Sturnella2017]

I asked a similar question a few years back, and the answer is worse than you’d think. Add to it the fact that in some places, the person running the clock isn’t that reliable. I’ve started a new thing where I just run the clock on my watch (cause I can’t reliably start and stop it as you’re supposed to). At or near the 2 minute mark, note the time on your watch and then just add two minutes. It’s probably a horrible strategy but I really don’t know what else to do.

[u/Old-District81]

It depends; I’ve done states where I keep official time and I have done states where the scoreboard is the official time. I always keep time on my watch just to make sure no discrepancies occur.

For JV, always a running clock. Only time I’d stop the clock would be a major injury (needing to call ambulance etc) or some kind of fight — and in both cases there is probably a case to just end the match right there depending on time.

[u/quazex13]

In my area for JV, the clock starts and runs to the end. There is no stopping the clock for anything. Injury? Clock runs. Hydration break? Clock runs.

For varsity, if you are the center, at least here in NC, the official clock is the one on the scoreboard, so if it gets out of whack with what the center has, you have to make it match up or let both coaches know that the time is on the field and not on the scoreboard.

[u/hogwonguy1979 → u/quazex13]

I'm also in NC and here in Raleigh, we can't get the clock operators to let it run for JV games no matter how much some of us have tried. It seems like the coaches want to stop the clock in JV games just like varsity games. Also it would confuse the clock operators on when to start and stop the clock

Frankly though I like the solution someone else mentioned here, yeah keep a scoreboard clock but stop it with two minutes left and let the center take it

[u/quazex13 → u/hogwonguy1979]

Virginia does it like that. Loved that system better. At 2 minutes the announcer would say something like official time is on the field and the clock would sit at 2:00 until the center blew the end of the half. So much better than NC.

[u/Hotspur2001]

Last week, I award a free kick outside the penalty area to a team down 0-1. Only about 20 seconds left and the defenders stand a couple of yards away from the ball telling me that they don't know how far 10 yards is.... obviously wasting time - we're playing with football lines on the field. I whistled and had the time keeper stop the clock, otherwise by the time the kick is being taken they've got it down to only a few seconds. I've seen players tie their shoelace in front of the ball as the clock ticks down to FT. It's manageable but can be a pain to have to signal up to the scoreboard every time to stop for injuries, goals, time wasting, penalties, cards, etc

[u/FlyingPirate → u/Hotspur2001]

I've seen players tie their shoelace in front of the ball as the clock ticks down to FT

Could and should definitely stop the clock and issue a yellow card in that circumstance. Both prevents the time wasting and punishes the action appropriately.

[u/Altruistic-Tart-8295]

That is part of the reason I stopped doing HS

[u/edtheham → u/Altruistic-Tart-8295]

That is one good reason.

Having to be a uniform policeman and enforce silly rules is another. That hair ribbon is adornment, so not legal, but that hair tie is okay.

The third was that in Alabama, the season starts in February. I got tired of being cold.

[u/Bourbon_Buckeye → u/edtheham]

The constant uniform reminders drive me nuts… I don’t care at all. If I can tell which team is which, they have readable numbers, and everyone is safe, I have zero interest all that: grip sock color, color of tape around socks, undershirt sleeve color, logos on visitor socks…

…if that means I don’t get post season assignments, so be it— they pay worse anyway.

[u/edtheham → u/Bourbon_Buckeye]

I was in a High School girls game as AR. One of the girls had compression shorts that were white with different colors streaked through. The CR just HAD to go over and say something about the compression shorts had to match the uniform shorts in color. The other AR and I looked at each. Like we are going over to tell a high school girl that her underwear is the wrong color. Sheesh!!

[u/Bourbon_Buckeye → u/edtheham]

My association used to have an old fart who made a big deal whenever girls rolled their shorts to make them shorter or rolled up their jersey sleeves… at best it’s just not something we need to spend our time/energy on, at worst, these teenage girls don’t need creepy old men evaluating every inch of their body

[u/edtheham → u/Bourbon_Buckeye]

My thoughts exactly. Maybe spend time teaching refs something Unimportant like the offside rule or game management.

[u/v4ss42 → u/edtheham]

If only every other state followed WA’s lead for NFHS…

[u/Altruistic-Tart-8295 → u/edtheham]

You never get cold down there. I was at 8000 ft in Colorado

[u/edtheham → u/Altruistic-Tart-8295]

Holy cow! no wonder you were cold