Can an announcer????

[BoBob 223]

So, I run the chains at the Appomattox games.  Our last home game when we were playing 3A Heritage we scored first and were holding our own at the time ( before we started giving them the ball every chance we had).

Here's the question.  Can the announcer hype the crowd??  Our announcer would try to help get the crowd into the game on third downs.  "Raider Nation, its third down!!!"  The head coach for heritage was not happy that it made it hard to communicate with his team and complained to the officials who I guess used the mic to talk to the press box and shut it down.

 

Is the announcer not allowed to do that???? 

[44cov3 55]

"IF" that is an actual rule.....its dumb.  Ive been to many games where on 3rd or 4th down the announcers try and get the crowd up and loud.  You can call it "home field advantage" if you want but oh well, let it be.  I've seen a many visiting crowds get loud on 3rd and 4th downs also without an announcer getting them going.  How is it any different than cow bells and train horns.  Seems that the head coach was just looking for something to complain about and the officials gave into to him.   

[sixcat 2,919]

Carroll County filed a complaint with VHSL last season resulting in Galax High School receiving a $400 fine by VHSL because a Galax fan had a cow bell in the stands. It was a topic of discussion a few weeks ago leading into the beginning of the season. Galax Administration met with the Marching Band, Band Boosters (me) and the Band Director to discuss what would be allowed and where we should err on the side of caution. Fast forward a year, during the 3rd game of the season week before last at Carroll, their band played while our offense was on the field several times. The PA announcer made several references to "helping out our Cavaliers" by getting loud, their fans had numerous cow bells, and their band walked over behind the endzone and attempted to play over our band right before halftime. 

My point is, I don't know what's allowed and disallowed anymore. It's all gotten ridiculous given we live in a perpetual state of butthurt in this country nowadays.

[BoBob 223]

12 minutes ago, sixcat said:

Carroll County filed a complaint with VHSL last season resulting in Galax High School receiving a $400 fine by VHSL because a Galax fan had a cow bell in the stands. It was a topic of discussion a few weeks ago leading into the beginning of the season. Galax Administration met with the Marching Band, Band Boosters (me) and the Band Director to discuss what would be allowed and where we should err on the side of caution. Fast forward a year, during the 3rd game of the season week before last at Carroll, their band played while our offense was on the field several times. The PA announcer made several references to "helping out our Cavaliers" by getting loud, their fans had numerous cow bells, and their band walked over behind the endzone and attempted to play over our band right before halftime. 

My point is, I don't know what's allowed and disallowed anymore. It's all gotten ridiculous given we live in a perpetual state of butthurt in this country nowadays.

Well thats terrible.  If you gonna complain about it and then turn around and do it.

 

I know I had an official make me and a couple other shut or bells down at a JV game once.  

 

That last sentence!!! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  TRUE and I guess in the scheme of real life not too funny at all. 

[Liam McPoyle 1,863]

The Heritage coach was correct. Below is from the NFHS, and VHSL has similar guidance. Having said that, virtually no high school announcer is totally unbiased.

Announcer’s Responsibilities:
The announcer’s role does not include “cheering the home team on” or otherwise
inciting the crowd. Doing so is common at other levels of athletic events. But high
school athletics is different because sports are educationally based.
In a very real sense, the public address announcer at a high school event is a
“Champion of Character”.
He/she can influence the atmosphere of the contest by what is said and how it is said.
The announcer who performs professionally promotes good sportsmanship by what
he/she says and how he/she acts upon saying it.

[BoBob 223]

2 minutes ago, Liam McPoyle said:

The Heritage coach was correct. Below is from the NFHS, and VHSL has similar guidance. Having said that, virtually no high school is totally unbiased in their announcing. 

Announcer’s Responsibilities:
The announcer’s role does not include “cheering the home team on” or otherwise
inciting the crowd. Doing so is common at other levels of athletic events. But high
school athletics is different because sports are educationally based.
In a very real sense, the public address announcer at a high school event is a
“Champion of Character”.
He/she can influence the atmosphere of the contest by what is said and how it is said.
The announcer who performs professionally promotes good sportsmanship by what
he/she says and how he/she acts upon saying it.

OUr world has gone soft as cotton.  I can't believe they used the word "inciting".   

 

Thanks for finding out the rule though.  Appreciate it.  

[stu_bean 1,058]

13 minutes ago, Liam McPoyle said:

The Heritage coach was correct. Below is from the NFHS, and VHSL has similar guidance. Having said that, virtually no high school announcer is totally unbiased.

Announcer’s Responsibilities:
The announcer’s role does not include “cheering the home team on” or otherwise
inciting the crowd. Doing so is common at other levels of athletic events. But high
school athletics is different because sports are educationally based.
In a very real sense, the public address announcer at a high school event is a
“Champion of Character”.
He/she can influence the atmosphere of the contest by what is said and how it is said.
The announcer who performs professionally promotes good sportsmanship by what
he/she says and how he/she acts upon saying it.

That's almost as laughable as anything.  So shouldn't that include Grundy announcer taking five seconds to say first down for the goooolllllddddenn waaavvvee?

Plus I can think of several other places that get very energetic over a first down as well.

[Fairlawncat 252]

35 minutes ago, BoBob said:

OUr world has gone soft as cotton.  I can't believe they used the word "inciting".   

 

Thanks for finding out the rule though.  Appreciate it.  

Bobob I think so too. They also used the words to describe the announcer as He or She. It's a matter of time before those words are also replaced.

[BandanaVTDavis4321 1,717]

I've talked many times on here about good ole Peterstown High.  Kid you not, back in the day when they were on defense and it was a crucial play that could sway the game in one team's favor based on the outcome of that play, their PA announcer would come over the MIC as the opponent is at the line of scrimmage and he would say/yell, "Come on Boys, we need a Stop Here, everybody get on your feet and make some noise."  When there was a controversial or 50-50 call, he would just openly say across the Mic, "I don't know about that one, might be some funny business going on out there."  I would laugh my a** off at the time, but in today's time's, the average fan would have meltdown and go into full anxiety mode.  Dude was basically an open commentary.  If Peterstown were missing tackles, it was nothing for him to say openly on the Mic, "Boys, you got to wrap up and give a little more effort, they got some big boys out there, so hit em low and hit em hard."

[1inStripes 932]

The VHSL added about 2 years ago a rule the band isnt supposed to play when the opponent has the ball if I remember correctly.  Its the dumbest thing and no team wants their band or artificial noise being played when trying to communicate a play.  Taking that element away when the other team has it is just dumb and limits a reason to have a band.  I hate seeing schools with no band program.  They can add a lot to the atmosphere.  My first ever start in HS was at Northwood HS on a Saturday for homecoming.   Their band was loud.  It made it difficult for a nervous freshman trying to call plays and be effective with my cadence.  Thats the way it should be.

I dont think announcers should call plays during the middle of play and such as I have heard at some places, but to me theres nothing wrong with them trying to keep the crowd involved between plays/crucial moments.  Just as some do music for certain plays and have to stop as a snap is imminent.  

[BandanaVTDavis4321 1,717]

6 minutes ago, 1inStripes said:

The VHSL added about 2 years ago a rule the band isnt supposed to play when the opponent has the ball if I remember correctly. 

If you are playing a team like Galax or Union, then you can expect your band to get very few reps just like your offense, because the Maroon Tide or Bears are going to be on the field a whole lot!

[BoBob 223]

1 hour ago, Fairlawncat said:

Bobob I think so too. They also used the words to describe the announcer as He or She. It's a matter of time before those words are also replaced.

Lord help us!!

1 hour ago, BandanaVTDavis4321 said:

I've talked many times on here about good ole Peterstown High.  Kid you not, back in the day when they were on defense and it was a crucial play that could sway the game in one team's favor based on the outcome of that play, their PA announcer would come over the MIC as the opponent is at the line of scrimmage and he would say/yell, "Come on Boys, we need a Stop Here, everybody get on your feet and make some noise."  When there was a controversial or 50-50 call, he would just openly say across the Mic, "I don't know about that one, might be some funny business going on out there."  I would laugh my a** off at the time, but in today's time's, the average fan would have meltdown and go into full anxiety mode.  Dude was basically an open commentary.  If Peterstown were missing tackles, it was nothing for him to say openly on the Mic, "Boys, you got to wrap up and give a little more effort, they got some big boys out there, so hit em low and hit em hard."

Now this I can see this being what the VHSL would be wanting to stop.  Calling out kids....

But to tell a home announcer to be hum drum is boring!    We should be trying to amp up the atmosphere, not squelch it.  Better atmosphere means more tickets sold, more fun of the kids on the field and students in the stands  

 

Loved my trips to the Park in BSG.  That's what HS football should be like.  

[redtiger 1,740]

@BoBob thats my thought, the announcer should add to the atmosphere, not manipulate it  

[VHSLhelper 571]

Back in the late 80's, the Grundy band's basic guideline was... if their band isn't playing, we can... off. OR def... up until the offense gets set.

 

And Corn's first down call was the best! But I didn't like when he started b4 the play was over.