[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Jeff:

Like you, and others, I have lived in both worlds at the same time: NFHS and NCAA Men's/Women's. I do not have a problem at the college level with the HC not losing his Coaching Box privileges. BUT, I feel that there is a big drop off in professionalism between the average high school HC and just about any college HC.

I have officiated college games that have been coached by some pretty intense HCs, but if in the 34 years that I officiated men's and women's college basketball, I honestly do not think that I did not call more that thirty (30) TFs on HCs or their assistants during the entire college career; and I ejected only two college coaches during that same time. BUT at the high school (including jr. H.S.), AAU/YBOA/AYBTour, CYO, and other youth groups, it is an all together different story.

During the 90's when I used to officiate 400 to 425 basketball games a year (including 25 to 30 college games and 80 to 90 JrHS/HS games a season, remember MichiganHSAA played its girls' basketball during the Fall back then), I could go my entire college season and not come close to whacking a coach, and have as many as 10 to 15 against JrHS/HS coaches. And don't even get me started with AAUY/YBOA/AYBTour tournaments. I should note that CYO was not too much trouble in our area because the Athletic Director for CYO is a basketball official himself and the coaches (both basketball and soccer; I officiated H.S. and CYO soccer back then) knew that he was not going to tolerate any nonsense.

Just my take on the situation.

MTD, Sr.