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Old Tue Feb 06, 2018, 09:59pm
akmay20 akmay20 is offline
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Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 14
When Enough is Enough

On nights I don't have school games, I officiate at a local venue which is home to both training and year-round leagues, for all grade levels throught HS. It can be ugly at times, and the pay is lower than any school games would be, but it offers me a place to officiate all year, so I like having it available...with that in mind, I left tonight at halftime of my 2nd game of 3.

There is a coach there who is a staple for that facility. He technically has no authority or title, but he trains players and has a key+building alarm code, so he definitely has more pull there than I. He was coaching this particular game and they were getting beat by 20+ toward end of 1st half. Leading team A1 shoots a last second 3, and gets hammered in both the back and his shooting elbow. Sure, I could let it go considering the lead and league itself, but it was an obvious and hard shooting foul, so I make the obvious call at the buzzer. My partner also had his fist raised from a far-side trail position. I report and tell A1 he's shooting.

Coach B is immediately all over me. At this age and league, I try to give as much leash as possible bc it's rare we have this happen. However, CB has done this before on more than one occasion. His "Are you serious?" Is met with an "Absolutely," and I clear the lanes. He continues to yell as I am ready to administer, and I look at him and advise him to stop it's over. I bounce the ball to A1 and CB starts yelling again. As soon as shot gets even close to basket, I whack the coach as the shot goes in. He continues to yell as my partner is half-ass attempting to calm him. He yells "I don't gotta be quiet...you don't make that call...that's terrible."

As we walk into office at halftime, CB comes in there (this is normal for any night) and is still berating me. I look at the guy who runs the day to day ops there, and he doesn't say anything. That moment was when I decided enough was enough. I have risen a long way this season and have a good reputation that is spreading. My time and ability is worth more than being harassed with no repercussions. I changed my shoes, put my jacket on, and told him he can keep my money for that game and I am not going to stand there and take that behavior for the money being paid. Then I left.

Was I wrong for leaving at halftime? Bear in mind, that will have zero effect on my scholastic schedule. Sorry for the long post but much more could have been said.
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