Quote:
Originally posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.
Quote:
Originally posted by CYO Butch
A team of 3rd grade girls, and the coach had them run a power sweep to the right. His two biggest girls lined up in a mini stack just above the circle, and as the point dribbled up to them, they took off to the right, almost shoulder to shoulder, with the point guard dribbling right behind them. They would get a couple of fouls called early in a game, but the intimidation factor was so great that after a couple of times, the girls from the other teams would just run out of their way. After two games of doing this, the rec department got on the coach's case (in writing) and also told the officials (in writing) that this was considered unsportsmanlike conduct any any further use of it would be a "T".
I guess the guy went back to football, since he kind of dropped out of sight after that season.
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Above is the original play we have been discussing. If Team A had used its two smallest players to effect the moving screen would the recreation department had issued a directive that this type of play is to be considered unsportsmanlike conduct. I think not. The fact that Team A used its two biggest players is what has everybody's briches in a bind.
The best way to handle this type of screening action is to enforce it per the rules. If contact occurs and it is the result of a player from Team A not setting the screen correctly, charge the player from Team A with the appropriate charging or pushing foul. And, if contact occurs and it is the result of a player from Team B not obtaining a legal guarding position or from setting her own illegal screen then charge the player from Team B with a blocking foul.
Furthermore, how many times have we had coaches complain to us about moving screens and we, correcttly, told them that since there was no contact there was no foul. How can we now tell a coach that we are going to charge one of his players with an unsportsmanlike technical foul for setting a moving screen, where no contact occured, thus making the moving screen a legal screen.
I am sorry, but I reiterate my position, that the recreation department's directive is nothing more than political correctness run amok.
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Not to beat a totally dead horse, but the officials in our game (the second game of the season) did enforce the rules, but the behavior succeeded in doing what it was intended to do - intimidate the opponents. Fouls were called (although they were not "intentional", and I don't remember if that was an option back then), a couple of girls got pushed around pretty hard with what a football coach would have called "good, clean, blocks", and one girl was even pushed to the floor. Perhaps the officials could have taken further action, but everyone other than the offending coach agreed that the behavior was outside the spirit of the league.
MTD, as a parent, you know that you have had to come up with some rules explict for your kids as a result of their behavior. "Jimmy, do not put peanut butter in your sister's hair" was not something you imagined you would ever need to articulate as a "rule". I am sure that the rec department never imagined that they would have to have an explict rule related to intentional intimidation of 3rd graders. Like good parents, when they found behavior contrary to their standards and morals, they took action to correct abberant behavior.