[BillyMac]

As a retired middle school teacher, I block out games at the high school of the school system in which I used to teach and coach, plus I live in the same town as well. This is a definite "possible" conflict of interest that I want to avoid. I will continue to block this school from my schedule as long as I live in town.

However, two games this season:

Girls varsity coach was a student teacher at my school, and, fifteen years ago, while student teaching for another teacher at my school, volunteered to help me coach my middle school team for several weeks. Her assistant was a player on my middle school team over ten years ago. While I was watching the junior varsity game, before my game, both came up and gave me a peek on the cheek. I don't want to block out this school. It has a great girls program, and is only a few miles from my home.

Girls varsity coach, ten years ago, was the assistant coach at the high school in the school system in which I taught and coached. We worked at summer camps together. While I was watching the junior varsity game, before my game, she came up and gave me a peek on the cheek. I don't want to block out this school.

I have been officiating for twenty-seven years, and have become "friendly, in a colleague-type of way" with many old time coaches, some who have been coaching the entire time that I have been officiating. I know them by name. I wouldn't have them over for dinner, but I would go out of my way to say "hello" to them if I saw them in the grocery store, the mall, the bank, or the post office.

How do you know, for sure, when you have a real conflict of interest situation?