[BillyMac]

During my middle school basketball coaching days, I would spend part of one practice, every year, showing my players how to foul late in a game when we were behind. Don't bear hug an opponent. Don't grab a jersey. Don't push from behind. The proper way was to slap the opponents wrist, and make it very obvious because the novice officials that we had for our middle school road games sometimes didn't have a clue that we were trying to stop the clock, so the slap had to be obvious. I would demonstrate the proper way to foul by guarding a player and slapping at the player's wrist. I did this demonstration for over twenty-five years, a few times while being evaluated by my principal, or athletic director.

A few years ago I had a parent who wanted me charged with assault, and risk of injury to a minor, for demonstrating this fouling technique on his child. He actually filed a complaint with the local police. Luckily the district attorney refused to issue an arrest warrant. The parent had previously strongly complained to me that his child should be starting, not coming off the bench. Also, the child was the grandchild of a former town councilman.

Needless to say, I'm not coaching any more. I resigned. I refuse to coach the kids of "Helicopter Parents" ever again. Maybe if someone asks me to coach a bunch of orphans, I'll consider it.