Chains Crew

USA FOOTBALL | By Peter Schwartz | See Original Article HERE

I didn’t play football when I attended East Meadow High School on Long Island, but I did have a role with the team. Knowing that I wanted to be a sports journalist one day, I always wanted to do public address for our home games, but my efforts were always rebuffed because a longtime teacher at the school had that job and wasn’t giving it up.

One day in gym class, a teacher came up to me with an opportunity to earn extra credit. He asked if I wanted to be on the chain gang for the home football games, and I jumped at the chance. Are you kidding me? I was going to the games anyway, but now I was able to be on the field with an actual job to do.

Being on the chain gang was a great experience, but it was one that came to an end after my senior year. It would be a 25-year wait for me to have a chance to do it again – coming when my son began playing pee-wee football.

Working on the chain gang is a unique opportunity for any football parent. In many cases, parents are asked to volunteer in some capacity at home games – such as working the concession stand or selling raffle tickets – but the chain gang is an opportunity to help at both home and away games.

In my son’s league, the visiting team is required to have two parents volunteer while the home team supplies one parent. The chain gang consists of two people who hold the sticks separated by the 10-yard chain and one person who holds the down marker at the line of scrimmage.

If you want to join the chain gang for your child’s games, here are five things that you need to know:

• Be ready at game time: Head coaches will generally meet before the game, and a topic of conversation is commonly about the chain gang. With my son’s team, there are usually four to five parents always willing to help out, and we try to rotate throughout the season. Volunteers should be ready when the game starts. The coach shouldn’t have to come looking.
• Pay attention to the officials: This is very important, especially if you’re new to being on the chain gang. For pee-wee games, there are generally two or three officials. One will spot the ball, and one will use his or her right foot to indicate where the down marker should go. When I’m doing the chains, I generally like to go over the say hello to the officials before the game. That allows for some familiarity and chemistry during the game.
• Stretch the chains tight: When a series begins, an official will come over and indicate where to place the first stick for the line of scrimmage. The person holding the second stick will then stretch out the chain tight and place the stick down on the field. It’s important to make sure there is an accurate marking. For example, if the line of scrimmage is at the 20-yard line, and you stretch out your stick and it only makes it to the 29, the chain is tangled somewhere. Wait for the next play to end and find the tangle.
• No cheering on the sidelines (wink wink): This is not the NFL. It’s youth football, and the chain gang consists of parents or family members. It’s obvious that you have a rooting interest, but it’s also important to remember that you are part of the game crew. A little clapping or cheering like, “Nice run, Bradley!” is acceptable, but don’t throw the stick to the ground and jump up and down for a great play. The sticks are generally on the visiting side of the field, so if your team is home you might want to keep the cheering to a minimum. Also, you are working with the officials, so if you are a parent who likes to yell about close plays and questionable calls, the chain gang is not a place for you.
• Be prepared to move: For most of the game, you’ll be standing with stick in hand on the sideline paying attention to the game. It’s important to pay attention to the game because there could very well be a run or pass coming in your direction. If you see a player with the ball heading toward the sideline or there is a pass toward the sideline, drop the sticks backward and move out of the way. You don’t want to have a high-speed – or even a low-speed – collision where the player runs into you or the stick.

Being on the chain gang is one of the best ways to get involved with your child’s games. You get an up-close view of the action. which is right up my alley since I love to take pictures. It’s also a rewarding experience since you are actually involved with the game.

Even if you only do it once or twice a year, it’s a lot of fun and in many cases fulfills your parental volunteer responsibility.

Peter Schwartz is an anchor and reporter for CBS Sports Radio and WFAN Radio in New York. Peter and his wife, Sheryl, are the proud parents of Bradley and Jared. Bradley plays for the Levittown Red Devils of the Nassau Suffolk Football League on Long Island in New York. Jared cheers him on and Bradley returns the favor when Jared is playing soccer.