Signals

Why are signals important? To many, referees included, they are just a funny appendix at the back of the USQ rulebooks, and for some reason this has made them optional. Really though, they shouldn't be. There's a lot to be gained by knowing the signals, both as a referee and as a player. Everyone knows goal and no goal, sure, but how many of you could demonstrate the signal for illegal procedure? Over the past season I have been trying to increase my use of signals, but that isn't really helpful to anyone if they don't know what I'm saying with my hands. This article has been made with the help of the wonderful referees at World Cup, who posed for me on one of the few breaks we had to get all of these covered in a more colourful way than the rulebook. My thanks also go to Chris LeCompte who demonstrated nearly all of them (plus an invented one) about two feet higher than everyone else during the weekend and showed just how much can be said without using words.

Signals everyone should know:


This signals: Good Goal
Accompanying whistle blast: Single long blast
Why players should know it: Until the whistle blows to signify the goal, along with the arm signal, the quaffle is still live. You may be able to score - or stop - a goal if you continue right until the whistle.
Why volunteers should know it: Obviously referees on the pitch will be using the signal every time a goal is scored. Scorekeepers should know it for confirmation of a good goal, and then they can accurately update the score. Keep an eye out for overrules afterwards, however!


This signals: No Goal/Bad Snitch Catch
Accompanying whistle blast: none
Why players should know it: A no goal signal could give you the chance to continue playing and finish off the offensive or defensive play. It could also make you aware that the goal wasn't good if there is an overruling due to a foul or otherwise, so you can keep track of the score if you need to know for snitch play.
Why volunteers should know it: Scorekeepers should keep an eye out for this one in particular if it comes after a stoppage of play to then cancel a previously given goal.


This signals: Keeper's ball
Accompanying whistle blast: none
Why players should know it: When the head referee is showing this signal, the keeper holding the ball has immunity from tackles and beats while they are in their defensive keeper zone. It is also illegal to tackle a keeper with this immunity and you could end up with a card! A referee properly utilising this signal will also then show you when the keeper loses the immunity, meaning you can proceed to tackle them if you wish.
Why volunteers should know it: It's one of the easiest signals to get in the habit of using, and when you do it correctly, it can really help when deciding if a keeper has been illegally challenged.

(x3)
This signals: Good snitch catch/End of a period of play
Accompanying whistle blast: Three long blasts
Why players should know it: Obviously it signals when you've won if you were out of SWIM when the snitch was caught, but it also signals the end of five minutes in first overtime if there is no snitch catch, and if the score (catch or goal) was good in second overtime.
Why volunteers should know it: Timekeepers, time to stop the clock and write down the time. Scorekeepers, you need to work out the final score and sort out the scoresheet.


This signals: Knocked out/Dismount/Back to hoops
Accompanying whistle blast: none
Why players should know it: Ignorance is not an excuse for breaking the rules, so listen and watch for back to hoop calls and don't argue.
Why volunteers should know it: Pointing to the hoops of the player in question will reduce confusion if someone is also called safe from friendly fire.


This signals: Stop play
Accompanying whistle blast: Pairs of whistle blasts, until everyone stops
Why players should know it: If you hear the double whistle on your pitch, your instinct should be to stop play straight away, and drop your broom where you were when the whistle went. There's no point playing over the whistle - but equally don't stop play unless you hear the double blasts.
Why volunteers should know it: Timekeepers need to remember to pause the timer immediately when the double blasts start.


This signals: Resume play
Accompanying whistle blast: Single short whistle blast
Why players should know it: Even if you might not hear the whistle, you can look for this hand signal to know just when you can start up again.
Why volunteers should know it: Timekeepers will resume the timer when the whistle and signal come.


This signals: Delayed penalty
Accompanying whistle blast: none
Why players should know it: Generally speaking, head referees ask for their assistant referees to point at the bench of the team who fouled, which is also the direction that play should continue in if advantage is then being used. So if you're the team who has been fouled, and you want to know why the referee hasn't called it straight away, this might be why!
Why volunteers should know it: This just really helps head referees keep games flowing smoothly, so if assistant referees get used to it then life will be much easier for everyone.


This signals: Advantage
Accompanying whistle blast: none
Why players should know it: If the head referee is calling advantage, they have seen a foul and are letting play go on. The quaffle player who was fouled will be returned to the point where the foul occurred, but the other players will stay where they were when advantage abated and play was stopped. So if you are fouled and then play continues, this is probably why.
Why volunteers should know it: In overtime, the stopwatch should be paused as soon as the head referee raises their fist to call advantage, so timekeepers should be aware.


This signals: Warning
Accompanying whistle blast: none
Why players should know it: Official warnings will be a lot easier to identify when accompanied by this hand signal, so you know when to tone it down with whatever you were doing.
Why volunteers should know it: Often there is no distinction between an official warning and a friendly reminder/note - this will help that.


This signals: Blue/Yellow/Red Card + Penalty time
Accompanying whistle blast: none
Why players should know it: It's always good to know what penalty you got, and how much time you're spending in the box.
Why volunteers should know it: Scorekeepers should remind head referees if they are giving a player a second yellow card, which would lead to a red card.

Signals captains, coaches, referees, and volunteers should know:


This signals: General illegal contact
Description: Both hands in fists, crossing above the head repeatedly.
Why coaches/captains should know it: If you haven't approached the referee when the decision was made and called, and you are unable to hear the call, seeing this signal will indicate what type of foul has been committed. Then you can work out if you think it is fair or not rather than making a fuss because you don't know the foul.
Why volunteers should know it: Scorekeepers should write down what foul has been committed, and sometimes players are less than helpful in passing on what exactly they did.


This signals: Illegal procedure
Description: As shown, with the arms rolling.
Why coaches/captains should know it: If you are called for an illegal procedure, it's time to start tightening up on your substitutions and other gameplay elements of the match.
Why volunteers should know it: Scorekeepers should write down what foul has been committed, and sometimes players are less than helpful in passing on what exactly they did.


This signals: Delay of game
Description: Two fingers tapping the wrist, as if there was a watch there.
Why coaches/captains should know it: If this is being called and you see this signal, you can relay to the team that the quaffle needs to be advanced faster - sometimes referees call delay differently, but there aren't any excuses for being penalised twice.
Why volunteers should know it: Scorekeepers should write down what foul has been committed, and sometimes players are less than helpful in passing on what exactly they did.


This signals: Illegal contact to X (neck)
Description: Open hand, chopping motion towards the body part which was contacted on the fouled player.
Why coaches/captains should know it: This will show where the illegal contact was made, though note that if multiple illegal contacts were made in one play then the referee may only show one.
Why volunteers should know it: Specific area where the contact was made can then be written on the scorecard without delaying the game by having to ask the referee.


This signals: Illegal contact with X (leg)
Description: Pointing to the location on the body which the fouling player used to contact the opposing player.
Why coaches/captains should know it: Shows which area of the body was used illegally, which may not be clear from a different angle, to explain why the foul was given.
Why volunteers should know it: Specific area where the contact was made can then be written on the scorecard without delaying the game by having to ask the referee.


This signals: Illegal interaction
Description: Hands in fists, arms making a T.
Why coaches/captains should know it: Shows that an illegal pick, interaction between bludger and quaffle play, or other illegal interaction has happened, which could be something very technical you hadn't seen.
Why volunteers should know it: Scorekeepers should write down what foul has been committed, and sometimes players are less than helpful in passing on what exactly they did.


This signals: Unsportsmanlike conduct
Description: Hands on hips.
Why coaches/captains should know it: If this comes out, someone on your team has messed up and probably needs some serious discipline. Likely causes are foul or disrespectful language towards players, officials, or spectators, and throwing equipment dangerously. Basically, breaking the first rule of quidditch.
Why volunteers should know it: Scorekeepers should write down what foul has been committed, and sometimes players are less than helpful in passing on what exactly they did.

With all of the more specific signals, these can be helpful in showing exactly what foul has been committed, and thus what to look out for and improve on in training.

I hope you have learnt something. At some point in the future I'd like to film and make gifs of some of the more complicated ones, but that requires time, equipment, and skills I don't have access to at the moment! I might do it with my NGB, QuidditchUK, and if it comes out through them I will of course share it here too.

All photos were taken by Nicole Stone, with the exception of the ones of me in my garden, which were taken by my sister.