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SAYS OPTIMIST SPEAKER
SEC Officials Do It For
Fun On College Fields
Football officials in the
Southeastern Conference (SEC)
don't do it for the money but
for the enjoyment of
‘associating with young, en
/thusiastic athletes in an ex
’citing sport, according to Bill
Bowdoin.
The Rome banking ex
ecutive, who serves as a field
judge and clock operator in
SEC football games each fall,
discussed the behind the
scenes views of officiating at
the weekly meeting of the
Summervifie-’l‘rion Optimist
Club last Friday.
FIRST CLASS
“You associate with a lot of
first class people’” while of
ficiating, Bowdoin said, in ex
glaining some of the reasons he
ecame involved in the activi
ty. He started officiating at
high school games in Middle
Georgia in 1973 and made it to
the efi;,e roster of 56 SEC foot
ball officials at the beginning of
1985.
He began seeking an SEC
slot in the early 1980 s but since
turnover is so low among of
ficials, it was several years
before he was added to the
roster. In the meantime,
however, he was able to of
ficiate in the scrimmage games
of several SEC colleges.
Because he is a graduate of
the University of éeorgia, he
_can never officiate at any of the
ißulldogs' games, Bowdoin
: ointef out. In addition, the
;gEC prohibits an official from
Bparticipating in a game where
‘a former teammate is a head
‘coach.
- EXPENSES
The travel expenses of of
ficials are paid Ey the SEC,
along with a per diem rate for
food and hote‘l) costs, Bowdoin
said, and they make $350 per
game. Officials come from
every walk of life and include
physicians and veterinarians.
After he had officiated in
the high school ranks for
several years, he began think
ing about trying to officiate in
the SEC. He found that there
are about 250 rule differences
from high school to college
football. In response to ques
tioning, the Rome banker said
he was not interested in at
tempting to make the of
liciatinf roster of the National
Football League (NFL). He
described college football as
more exciting and enthusiastic
than pro ball. In addition, Bow
doin would be opposed to ins
tant video replays of officiating
calls in college ball although he
sees little wrong with the pro
cess in professional football.
Most spectators don't have
a food grasp of SEC football
rules and what may appear to
‘them to be a flagrant violation,
may be interpreted differently
on the fieldrEy officials, Bow
‘doin pointed out. He joked
about being booed or applaud
ed by fans enroute to or from
stadiums under police escort,
adding that an ol?icial can't af
ford to have ‘‘rabbit ears.”
; SIZE
The size of the players from
high school to college was a
major adjustment, he added.
Pointing out that many are
6'4" and weigh 250 lbs. or
more, Bowdoin added, “You
better get the hell outta the
way when they start coming
toward you.”
. Four or five SEC officials
‘received broken bones in foot
ball games in 1985, he said, and
two were injured in the
Georgia-Florida game alone.
: O%f]icials are graded closely
throughout their careers on
‘how well they do, Bowdoin
‘pointed out.
" They are selected oriiginal
1y by a six-member panel con
sisting of three current officials
‘and three SEC football
‘coaches. Each member of the
panel serves a three-year term.
MEETINGS
. Then, officials hold a winter
meeting each March in Atlan
ta to review rule changes and
‘the past fall season. Scrim
mage games are officiated and
officia%s meet again the first
weekend in August in Birm
ingham, Ala., headquarters of
the SEC, Bowdoin said. They
are given two or three different
tests, then they meet Lointly
with SEC coaches before
breaking up into individual
conferences.
. The SEC uses seven of
ficials, plus a clock operator for
each game, he said.
. Graduate assistants to each
SEC football coach rate each
~official on hi? 3 pex;fo'rman'cet 13
severy game, Bowdoin pointe
zout. }i,ngaddition, the SEC also
isometimes has an official
ie‘observer in the press box at
“>ames. And after such games,
fie immediately critiques of
. SHOP CHATTOOGA
! COUNTY MERCHANTS
ficials on how they called the
game,
Also, after games, officials
hold a meeting to record the
fouls that have been called and
any unusual events, Bowdoin
said.
At the end of the year, all
information is apparently fed
into a computer and ofgcials
are then ranked by position as
to the quality of their
officiating.
TYPICAL
On a typical weekend, of
ficials willy fly into a college
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community on Friday night
and then eat breakfast
together Saturday morning. A
pre-game meeting is held at 10
a.m. and they change into their
officiating suits at the hotel. A
Folice escort takes all the of
icials to the stadium around
noon.
The referree and umpire go
to each dressing room to check
the taping of players prior to
the game and all officiaf:; go on
to the field around 1 p.m., Bow
doin said. :
Officials receive their fall
assignments during the first
weekend in June, he said, and
then make their own travel
arrangements.
Bowdoin told about a cou
ple of funny occurrences during
games he has officiated, in
cluding one where a plaiyer
gave a surprised official a
“high five' sign after a
touchdown. The official had
been merely holding his hand
out for the football.
In another occurrence, a
player on the bottom of a
pileup comglained about op
ponents grabbing at part of his
anatomy, Bowdoin said.
‘ opTIMISr
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W ¢ ‘.’.o. ' b
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2 GEOl:
BILL BOWDOIN (L) OPTIMIST SPEAKER
Presented Plaque By Club Officer Eddy Ellenburg
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The Summerville News, January 8, 1987
Man Charged
A Summerville man was
charged with criminal damage
to property last Sunday after
an incident on Hawkins Drive.
He was identified as James
C. Rounsaville, 44, 33 East
Third Ave. He was released on
$1,500 bond after the incident.
Reports said a window was
knocked out at the home of
Maxine McSears, Hawkins
Drive, Saturday, according to
Summerville Efficer Ricky
Van Pelt.
One Injured
One person comfilained of
injuries in a one-vehicle acci
dent on West Washington
Avenue in Summerville on
New Year's Day, said Summer
ville officer Ricky Van Pelt.
Complaining of injuries was
Timothy B. Odom, 20, Sum
merville Rte. 1.
Reports said the Odom
vehicle ran into a ditch near
Lee Street at around 9:40 p.m.
NI
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Arraignment
Set Monday
Arraignment has been
scheduled for Monday morning
in Chattooga County State
Court.
Trials are scheduled to
begin on Tuesday, Jan. 27.
Judge T.J. Espy will
preside.
Card of Thanks
Perhaps you sent a lovely
card, or sat quietly in a chair;
perhaps you sent a floral piece,
if so, we saw it there; perhaps
you spoke the kindest wor£s,
as any friend could say;
perhaps you were not there at
all, just thought about us that
day. Whatever you did to con
sole our hearts, we thank you
so much whatever the part.
The}{amily of Mrs. Mat
tie Reese
7-A