Jrod, sounds to me like you did your best to not flag the kid by warning him and then when he wouldn't let it go you did what I would have done. Same thing for the other kid. I tend towards a lot pf preventive officiating, getting between players, backing them off, but there comes a point where I just think enough is enough and toss the flag. Nobody here is in a position to second guess your actions as there is no substitute for being there, seeing the dynamic, etc....If we let it go too far then it ends up in a brawl and multiple ejections.
One thing I have done twice in my career when it got to a point in a game where there was a lot of "chipping" and marginal taunts, I would call time out, ask for the coaches and the captians of both teams, meet in the center of the field (of course the PA announcer is speculating over the PA as to what might be going on)and have a little heart to heart with the threat of starting to eject players and/or the crew walking off the field if they do not get it under control and just play the game. Twice I did this and twice a miraculous "tone down" of attitudes ocurred and the game went on...
Why can't kids just play the game and why can't coaches just let them.....?
