[Back In The Saddle]

I get to deal with this on a weekly basis. I work as a volunteer in a local church league and one of the teams I call often is from my own congregation. These are kids I've gotten to know well. However, as I'm sure you know, church leagues are breeding grounds for distinctly unchurchlike behavior from otherwise well-behaved individuals. And, did I mention that the skill level is pretty dismal? It becomes really easy to dislike a coach or player or an entire team.

Perhaps this only works for me because I'm a rookie and still have to conciously work on mechanics and stuff all the time, but...when I take the floor I think of the two teams only in terms of their jersey colors and numbers. I don't use their names verbally or mentally. If any thoughts about the individual start slipping in, I push them right back out. Similarly, the coach is known only as "Coach." I pretty much detach myself from the people and focus only on the game situation. It becomes like a puzzle almost, with fouls and violations to spot, mechanics to execute, but definitely not about the people involved.

It may not work for everybody, but it works for me. Good luck!