3. Verbal cues and hand signals

by Stephen Lorimor / Axis of Stevil

Watch lesson #3a (verbal cues) and lesson 3b (hand signals) on YouTube.

Last updated: January 21, 2018

The basics

  • All penalties are issued using the following format:

    • (whistle) + team color + skater number “spelled out” + penalty (cue and hand signal) + report to the box hand signal

  • Verbal cues (especially penalties) fall into three tiers called stars (one star, two star, etc.). They roughly correspond to basic, intermediate, and advanced cues.

    • One-star cues sometimes lack specificity but are appropriate for the beginning official.

    • Two-star cues are standardized cues that provide additional information that replace one-star basic cues in certain situations. They are appropriate for experienced officials.

    • Three-star cues are non-standardized and should be used as used as necessary to provide additional context. Advanced officials are expected to use these.

    • Example:

      • One star: “Gold one zero, illegal procedure”

      • Two stars: “Gold one zero, star pass violation”

      • Three stars: “Gold one zero, star pass violation, report as the jammer”

  • Call loudly, clearly, and repeat hand signals as necessary (especially on the outside)

Penalties

4.1.1 - Impact to an illegal target zone

  • Back block

  • High block

  • Low block

4.1.2 - Impact with an illegal blocking zone

  • Head block

  • Forearm

  • Leg block

4.1.3 - Other illegal contact

Illegal Contact, or

  • Illegal assist

  • Early hit

  • Late hit

  • Out of play block

Direction, or

  • Stop block

4.1.4 - Multiplayer blocks

  • Multiplayer

4.2.1 - Illegal positioning

Illegal position, or

  • Failure to reform

  • Failure to return

  • Failure to yield

  • Destruction

  • Skating out of bounds

4.2.2 - Gaining position

Cut, or

  • Illegal re-entry

4.2.3 - Interfering with the flow of the game

  • Interference, or

    • Delay of game

4.2.4 - Other illegal procedures

Illegal Procedure, or

  • Star pass violation

  • Pass interference

4.3 - Unsporting conduct

Misconduct, or

  • Insubordination

Obsolete penalty cues

  • These were removed or heavily modified in the current system.

  • They may resurface as three-star cues

Out of bounds block | Out of bounds assist Clockwise block | Clockwise assist Illegal return | Elbows Blocking with the head | Penalty box violation Illegal call-off | Team staff violation Leaping contact | Charging Reckless entry | Embellishment

Destroying the pack Stopped assist Too many skaters Uniform violation Stalling Unsporting conduct Blocking while down

Additional communications

Skater identification required

  • Show the star

  • False start

  • Report to the box

  • Stay on the track

  • Return to the track

  • Go to your bench

  • Lead Jammer

  • Not lead jammer

No skater identification required

  • Star pass complete

  • Team timeout

  • Official timeout

  • Official review

  • Jam is on

  • Multiple penalties

  • No pack, or

    • No pack, split

  • Pack is here, or

    • Pack is front / back / all / etc.

  • Out of play, or

    • Out of play in front / back

Hand signals

  • Referees must know all hand signals

    • Expressively – the ability to perform them correctly for others

    • Receptively – the ability to recognize hand signals by others

  • This is an appropriate time for referee trainees to learn standardized hand signals as well as hand signals used by the local officiating community.

Homework