NSO Paperwork Nuances
NSO paperwork is generally quite straightforward and a detailed manual on how to complete it is available. However most people learn how to complete paperwork from other NSOs, and small mistakes or misunderstandings therefore get passed along and spread quite quickly. Also some things are just hard to remember or happen so rarely that people forget how to do them. So let’s look at some of these things, and talk about how to do them correctly.
Tracking Penalties
Does the jam number or penalty code go at the top on the Penalty Tracking paperwork?
On the penalty tracking paperwork, when a penalty is recorded we record both the penalty letter and the jam number. However the paperwork does not explicitly state which one goes at the top and it’s easy to forget which way around they go. Getting this the wrong way around isn’t a big deal, but it does mean that when the paperwork gets typed up the person doing it has to switch them around.
The correct way around is to have the penalty letter at the top and the jam number at the bottom:
An F is recorded at the top and a 4 at the bottom
If you ever forget which way around this should be (easily done!) then take a look at the black header at the top. It says PENALTY / JAM #. Penalty is listed first, and so is written at the top each time you record a penalty, just like a fraction.
What do we do with the FO/EXP box on the Penalty Tracking paperwork?
At the end of each row on the Penalty Tracking paperwork is a box marked FO/EXP. This box is supposed to be used for recording foul outs and expulsions, but is often left blank or used incorrectly.
When a player fouls out due to accruing 7 or more penalties, the top box should be marked FO (for foul out) and the bottom box with the jam number, like this:
When a player is expelled, the top box should be recorded with the penalty code for the penalty that they were expelled for:
It may be tempting after looking at the paperwork to just write EXP, however in a situation above it might look like they were expelled for the Misconduct when in fact they were expelled for the earlier High Block.
Injuries and Penalty Box Substitutions
When do Scorekeepers tick the INJ. box?
Scorekeeping paperwork includes a small box marked INJ. which should be marked with an X when a jam is called off for an injury:
so the INJ. box is marked with X
It’s a common misconception that this box should only be marked when the jammer from that team is the injured skater. However this box should be marked whenever the jam is called for injury – even if the injured person is not a jammer, is on the other team, or even if they are an official! This also means that if one scorekeeper marks the INJ. box, so should the other scorekeeper.
so the INJ. box is marked with an X
When do Lineup Trackers use the 3 notation?
In the boxes where Lineup Trackers typically record penalties, the notation 3 is also available to record whenever a skater needs to be removed from the game for 3 jams. This is most commonly used when a jam is called off because a skater is injured:
and this is recorded with a 3
However this notation is also used when a skater in the penalty box requires a substitute in the box at the end of the jam. This might well be for injury, but it can also be for equipment failure! In this case the 3 notation is also recorded:
In either case, the Lineup Tracker should make sure that the skater does not participate in the next three jams.
How do I record a box substitution as a Penalty Box Official?
If a skater needs to be replaced in the box for any reason (foul out, injury, etc.) this should be recorded on the paperwork. If you’ve already written the original skater’s number down in the Skater # box (perhaps because they’ve already served part of the penalty) then just add a forward slash (/) followed by the number of the substitute skater.
However if you haven’t yet written down the skater number (perhaps because they arrived between jams and you immediately knew they would be substituted) then you can instead just write a note in the margin.
Star Passes
How do I record my team’s star pass on the Lineup Tracking paperwork?
When the team you are recording performs a star pass, you should begin a new line marking the Jam number as SP and listing the new lineup.
Something that is often forgotten is that when a team does a star pass the former Pivot becomes the Jammer, but the former Jammer becomes a Blocker – not a Pivot! Therefore whenever you record a star pass for your team, you should make sure to put an X in the noPivot box.
with the Jam listed as SP and the noPivot box is marked with an X
It’s tempting to not complete the entire line with all the blockers, but not only will this make things harder for the person typing up the statsbook is can also lead to penalties being recorded correctly. As you’ve started a new line, you should be recording penalties as if it is a new jam:
Black 100 leaves the box so the S is turned into a $, but Black 200 remains in the box so this is left as an S.
Black 0 receives a penalty and this is recorded on the SP line as a – and turned into a + when they leave.
Black 300 now receives a penalty and this is recorded as a –
At the end of the jam, Black 200 and 300 are both still in the box, so on the next jam they are recorded as starting in the box with an S.
How do I record my team’s star pass on the Scorekeeping paperwork?
When the team you are recording performs a star pass, you should begin a new line marking the Jam number as SP and listing the new jammer number. It’s common practice to write the pivot number in the margin at the start of each jam to help you out when this happens!
Something that is often forgotten is that if the original jammer never made it out of the pack on their initial trip, the NI box should be marked for them.
On rarer occasions, a star pass might happen on a scoring trip. If this happens, a new line should be started just as before but the Trip number isn’t reset. Any points that the original jammer scored in that scoring trip are attributed to the new jammer.
Do I have to record it if the other team does a star pass?
If you are a Scorekeeper or Lineup Tracker, when the other team completes a star pass you should also start a new SP line. However you do not complete anything on that line apart from writing SP in the Jam box, and should continue using the original jam line. If your team does a star pass as well, start using the SP line. Otherwise, at the end of the jam turn the SP into an SP* to indicate that the line was intentionally left blank.
Other Scorekeeping Bits
When do I mark the lost box on the Scorekeeping paperwork?
The most common use of the LOST box is when a jammer is the lead jammer and then they lose lead. This could be because after earning lead jammer they either removed the star from their helmet, or they were issued a penalty. In this case the LEAD box was marked when they earnt lead jammer, and then the LOST box was marked when they lost lead jammer status:
They then were issued a penalty and lost lead, so an X was marked in the LOST box.
However this box should also be marked when the jammer is on their initial trip and they lose the ability to earn lead when the other jammer hasn’t yet been declared lead. This could be because they received a penalty; they removed the star from their helmet; or they made a No Earned Pass (see page 14 of the officiating cues document) on one or more blockers on their way through the pack and were therefore signaled as Not Lead Jammer when they completed their first trip. When these things happen and the other jammer has not yet earnt lead jammer, the LOST box is marked:
Black 691 is issued a penalty and loses the ability to gain lead, so an X is marked in the LOST box.
Black 691 is issued a penalty, but since lead has already been declared the LOST box is left blank.
Although not required, it is useful to leave a note in the margin explaining why lead was lost unless it was due to a penalty. This prevents the stats crew from having to review footage to check the accuracy.
Do I have to record points in Trip 2 if my Jammer never made it back to the engagement zone?
A Jammer’s initial trip ends when the leave the front of the engagement zone on their initial trip, and at that point they immediately begin Trip 2. Therefore at the end of the jam there should always either be a number in the Trip 2 box, or an X in the NI (no initial pass) box, with the exception of if there is a legal star pass during Trip 2.
Therefore an X is therefore marked in the NI box.
Therefore a 0 is marked in the Trip 2 box.
The points for Trip 2 are therefore recorded on the SP line. This is the only situation where a line wouldn’t have with NI marked or a number in Trip 2.
It’s worth remembering that the point at which Lead Jammer is declared is when the Jammer passes the foremost in-play Blocker, not when they complete their initial trip. Therefore it is possible to earn Lead Jammer without completing the initial trip.
An X is marked in LEAD, CALL and NI.
The same principles also apply for other trips. If the jammer completes a scoring trip and the jam ends before they reach the engagement zone, a 0 should be recorded in the next trip.
Immediately after they complete that trip, the jam ends. A 0 is recorded in the Trip 3 box.
How do I record things on the Scorekeeping paperwork during an overtime jam?
An overtime jam is considered an additional jam in the second period, so the jam number is recorded as the next consecutive jam number in period 2. It is helpful, although not required, to note that it is an overtime jam in the margin. There is no Lead Jammer, so the LOST, LEAD and CALL boxes are always left blank.
Points can be earnt during the initial trip and these are recorded in the Trip 2 box. However the second trip is still Trip 2, so these should also be recorded in that box with a + symbol between them.
and 3 points on the second trip.
This is recorded as 4+3 in the Trip 2 box.
If the Jammer never makes it out of their initial trip, the NI box should be marked as usual.
but manages to score 3 points.
This is recorded a 3 in the Trip 2 box
and the NI box is marked with an X
This guide is in line with the 5th Edition of the Statsbook Manual for use with the January 2019 verson of the StatsBook. If you spot any mistakes in this guide please feel free to reach out to me on twitter. Also a big thank you to Gaston, Sticks & Stoner, and Molly Whoremon for their feedback on the first draft of this guide.
Great work with this, but I have one minor quibble on the Score sheet info. You say “at the end of the jam there should always either be a number in the Trip 2 box, or an X in the NI (no initial pass) box.”
This is true if there is no star pass for the team (and often the case when there is) however, there is a scenario where it would be correct to have neither:
If the jammer completes their initial trip, and then at any point between then and when the 2nd trip is completed (or the jam ends), they pass the star. In that case the paperwork would show:
Starting jammer with no X for NI (because the initial trip was completed) and nothing in the trip 2 column.
Former pivot/new jammer with any points (or a 0) scored in trip 2 and on.
This is because at the end of a trip, the points are given to the jammer who completed the trip, regardless of whether they were the one to actually earn them.
Hopefully that came across clearly in text-only. Thanks for your work!
Completely agree! Totally forgot about this edge case. I’ve updated the guide to show this scenario.