[JRutledge]

The funny thing about the article is how there is the criticism about the IHSA and evaluating officials.

First of all the IHSA does not assign officials to any regular season game. In Chicago for the most part, if you work any game in any conference, a conference assignor/supervisor likely gave it to you. In other words each coach can complain, praise, ask for clarification on any play or send a tape to that supervisor. I know I have had people complain about something I have done and I heard about it from the supervisor. And coaches and schools have the ear of every supervisor that I work for. You cannot complain to the paper when you do not even know who to talk to in the first place. All the IHSA does is license officials and assign officials for the post season. And at least on the Boy's side the IHSA has to only pick about 190 officials across the state, and if there is someone that does not want to work in the post season, there are more people that make themselves available.

The next thing I found funny about the article and the coaches that seemed to not have a problem, Dorothy Gaters of Marshall won another state title in Girl's basketball. I believe that was her seventh title and first in the new 4 class system. For those that do not know Gene Pingatore of St. Joseph is the same coach that was in the movie "Hoop Dreams" and has won a state title as well. The ironic thing about this article for me is the fact that I had his team in the Regional where he was upset by less talented team in the Regional Championship game. I also work in his conference and have had him probably about 5 times and he has likely not said 2 words to me about calls. I even saw him speak when he received an award from an official's group I belong to and he said that he does not waste time yelling at officials because when coaches do it becomes a distraction to his coaching the kids. In the game I had him that ended his season, he did not yell at us about anything and in the paper said how his kids were not ready to play and that he did not get them ready to play.

And what I really found funny is the claim that "Coaches have to attend rules meetings before the season." The reality is that is not true. All that is required by the IHSA is each school has to be represented at a rules meeting. There is no requirement that each coach must attend those meetings. Usually what happens is a school sends the first time coach who is an assistant on the freshman B team to fulfill the IHSA requirement. And when the season starts it is not uncommon to run into head coaches at all levels that have no idea of the rules changes or POEs that are talked about. A great example of this is the uniform rule that required the jerseys to be white. The IHSA sent out a remedy to not give Ts for every illegal jersey as the rules require and we have known for 3 years this rule was coming. Or the coaches are unaware of the specific points the IHSA wants like an emphasis on coaching box enforcement and when the season starts and you tell a coach to stay in the box they look at you like your head spun around 360 degrees and you turned a different color.

I am also sure there are officials that have told a coach or two to "sit down and shut up." I would be very naive to think that has never happen. Actually I worked with an official that told a coach to "Shut the F up." But this was an old time veteran that time has past and still gets games from certain people only because he has been around. He does not get the best games, but he still works because no one makes a big time fuss. That being said, that is the only time I have heard an officials say that to a coach. And when a coach complains about certain rules or calls that should have been made like traveling or a foul (What is hoping BTW??) they coaches do not even know the rule. For example if they want a travel called, they will say things like, "He cannot get one and a half steps." Or the coaches will ask for traveling on inbounds plays (which happen to me this year).

It just sounds like a bunch of coaches complain because they do not know how to coach and it is easy to blame the officials rather than their ability or the talent they put on the floor. This article was so absurd on many levels it was laughable.

Peace