This video provides a clear example (a cautionary tale) of why during time outs (USA) and at the start of half time, the umpiring team should meet with each other on the far side of the competition surface rather than the side near the team benches.

As soon as time is stopped, the table-side umpire should IMMEDIATELY begin to jog (or walk briskly) to the center of the competition surface.

The "far-side umpire" should walk slowly to meet their partner. This ensures that the umpires will meet more than halfway across the field and, as this video shows, would have provided the umpires with plenty of space to consult with each other as needed.

After meeting, the umpire can walk together to the table for refreshments. This puts the umpires into "team position" so they are not divided should they allow an uninvited intrusion of a captain or coach.

Although it is hard to see in the video, the umpires are separated because [a] they didn't follow the described protocol and [b] one of the coaches was able to distract one of the umpires before the umpires were able to meet.

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