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Thanks for that story, Chartruse.
In my second year of officiating, I had a MS game where one of the students was murdered by his mother's boyfriend three days prior to the game. (The assailant was rule legally insane. Don't get me started.) It was the first game there since Anthony's horrific end.
When I arrived, I asked the A.D. how everyone was faring. He said something I'll never forget. The A.D. said that the toughest thing teachers had to do -- aside from dealing with his death -- was explaining to 12 and 13 year olds that there are some things in life that are absolutely final.
By the way, Anthony's buddies won, 73-3. It was 52-0 after three quarters, and it took a technical foul (2nd plane infraction) to get the visitors on the board. It was -- and will likely be -- the only time I informed a coach of a technical foul, and was actually thanked for it. ("Anything you can do for these guys...!")
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