[gsf23]

This is for any of the coaches , or parents, out there who read this board.

It still boggles my mind how many coaches don't pick up a rule book. I started out as a softball/baseball umpire. I have since moved on to coaching those sports as well as football and basketball.

One of the first things I do every year is get the rulebook from the High School Association and read it cover to cover. I attend rules meetings and have even been to a few officials meetings just to get a better understanding of the rules and the interpretations the officials in my area are using.

I cannot begin to count the number of games in the last 12 years that we have won or had a chance to win because my coaching staff and myself knew what the rules were. A coach who is well-versed in the rules of the game has a tremendous advantage over a coach who isn't.