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Our state requires us to have head coaches present at the captain's conference and to read a sportsmanship card. The way I handle the conference is to keep it short and sweet. After the introductions I ask each coach if their teams are equipped per NFHS standards and will their teams meet that standard throughout the game. Sometimes I get the question of what we will do as it relates to a shirt coming untucked unintentionally but most of the time I get a yes answer or a head nod from each coach. As for the shirt question I usually answer to the effect that if we believe a shirt came out unintentionally the player will more likely than not get one chance to tuck it back in and then if he or she doesn't comply he/she would be sent out . Repeat violators will be sent out without a second chance. I also take this opportunity to stress that the coaching box will be strictly enforced. I then ask the group if they all know and understand the meaning of the term "sportsmanship" and if so, do they know the penalty for noncompliance. Again most of the time I get a yes. If it is at a school where sportsmanship has been an issue, I usually make the home team speaking captain read the card to all present. I then ask for speaking captain. The reason I do this is because I tell the speaking captain that it is his/her responsibility to begin breaking huddles after the first warning horn and I also tell him/her that if I can, when I have a problem with a player on the floor, I will try my best to give them a chance to handle the situation before myself or my partner(s) have to. If during the game, the speaking captain is not in the game, I then pick a player that appears to be levelheaded at the time to address this type of situation with. I also tell the speaking captain that because their team has given them the responsibility of being speaking captain, he/she get no second chances when it comes to behavior or sportsmanship. I use my captains as communicators during ball games. All told, my conference takes about one minute barring any shirt questions.
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