Coin toss

[LaxRef]

"fee-and-a-quarter".

No wonder PLOAREF has so many coins for the pre-game coin toss.

Speaking of that, I did a USLIA college club game recently, and the referee pulled out a quarter for the coin toss. The mechanics manual says that the coin should be at least the size of a half-dollar. You can pay $6 for a special "lacrosse coin," but I just use an old Eisenhower dollar which cost me, well, a dollar.

It always amazes me how many officials screw up aspects of the coin toss (not re-tossing if they drop it, not having the umpire repeat the call after it's made, telling them to "call it in the air," etc.).

I also wonder about something: I've noticed a lot of college teams choosing alternate possession instead of goal to defend when they win the toss. Does this make much sense? I'll go long stretches where I don't call A.P. at all in any games. While that one possession may end up being crucial at some point, it appears to me that a slight advantage in terms of the goal to defend in the fourth period might be more useful.

But what do I know; I'm just an official. I guess objectively, you get to defend each goal for two quarters and the A.P. could tip the scales in the rare cases it comes up.

[rilax]

Guess it would come down to what gives you an advantage but unless the sun is setting during the coarse of the game or a team wants the dryer side of the field the fourth quarter there would not be much difference in which goal is selected. Now if there were 3 20-minute periods or something it would make a bigger impact.

So lets say the game was played at night (no sun) and the field was dry and professionally done so there where no holes mounds etc. there is no difference which goal you are defending in the third or forth quarter so why not take the first A.P. arrow I have never seen it used more than once a game. If it is not used meh not like you lost anything and if it used once your team gets an extra possession.

Conversely you are on a crappy field and there are large areas of mud on one side of the field I would select the other end to defend first so by the forth quarter I am defending the muddy area so in theory my team can operate in the dryer half that final quarter and would be easer to run my offensive and harder for the other team to run theirs.

[LaxRef]

Guess it would come down to what gives you an advantage but unless the sun is setting during the coarse of the game or a team wants the dryer side of the field the fourth quarter there would not be much difference in which goal is selected. Now if there were 3 20-minute periods or something it would make a bigger impact.

So lets say the game was played at night (no sun) and the field was dry and professionally done so there where no holes mounds etc. there is no difference which goal you are defending in the third or forth quarter so why not take the first A.P. arrow I have never seen it used more than once a game. If it is not used meh not like you lost anything and if it used once your team gets an extra possession.

Conversely you are on a crappy field and there are large areas of mud on one side of the field I would select the other end to defend first so by the forth quarter I am defending the muddy area so in theory my team can operate in the dryer half that final quarter and would be easer to run my offensive and harder for the other team to run theirs.

I agree completely. In indoor games on turf--which we do a lot of in the upper midwest--you always take A.P. if you win the toss. But outdoors, there are factors like wind, sun, and field conditions that I would think would be a little more important than a 10% chance or so of an extra possession.

[CoachRob]

NFHS only says "...a coin shall be tossed...". There is no size listed.

[Snake~eyes]

NFHS only says "...a coin shall be tossed...". There is no size listed.
The mechanics manual says that the coin should be at least the size of a half-dollar.

Well you've got the blind part down Mr. Referee :whyme:

[LaxRef]

Well you've got the blind part down Mr. Referee :whyme:

Well said! CoachRob is a physician, so maybe he copied it down by hand and then couldn't read his own writiing. :chuckle:

[CoachRob]

Is this a two man mechanics manual? The USL mechanics manual I downloaded only has diagrams, and not much written text. Where did you get the manual you guys are referring to?

And I RESENT any implication I cannot read my own handwriting. NOBODY can read it!

[LaxRef]

Is this a two man mechanics manual? The USL mechanics manual I downloaded only has diagrams, and not much written text. Where did you get the manual you guys are referring to?

www.zlax.net has the COC mechanics manual, which has two-man mechanics as an appendix.

[CoachRob]

Found it. I had the USL manual and it didn't mention the item about the coin. It's in the COC manual.

[LaxRef]

Found it. I had the USL manual and it didn't mention the item about the coin. It's in the COC manual.

So, up until now, have you been using pennies or dimes? :chuckle:

[Mavido]

My team always does First A.P. b/c we always play at night, and in our stadium, which seats about 25,000 there really is no wind getting to feild.. so unless we have huge puddles which we dont b/c the feild is properly crowned to drain properly.. *my dads an engineer..* so first A.P. even if its rare is the way to go.. and when we have visiting teams they always choose a side so we always get it.. b/c the side really doesnt matter on our feild.

And most of our Refs down here use some sort of commemerative coin, Very big coins..

Actualy have had a Nascar coin used... very odd

So, up until now, have you been using pennies or dimes? :chuckle:

Is that the ref's status symbol, a big coin.. i can see it now...

"oh yea george has only been reffing for 6 months now, we only let him use a Peso.." - Ref A

"yea but how longs bob been reffing, he just goes out and flips a dinner plate" - Ref B

[Snake~eyes]

I use one of those chocolate coins, the only problem is it melts in my pocket sometimes..

[Mavido]

seeing as to how slow most ref's are at getting out of the way im surprised it even makes it to your pocket.

[Shorelax]

I use an Austrailian half dollar - its huge.