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Despite most state associations' working hard on improving sportsmanship, it seems like it isn't getting any better. A couple of things I have heard about inthe past couple of days:
1) the issues on this thread
2) In Minnesota, a coach being escorted out of the game by police. And this happened during a 5th grade tournament.
We need to change culture if we ever want this to get better. As officials, I think we need to accept our share of the blame.
Do we "T" up players we see finger wagging?
Do we let coaches howl at us for an entire game, often outside of the coaching box?
Do we not want to call the early handcheck because "it is a cheap foul"
I will guarantee you that if we as officials started enforcing sportsmanship to the letter of the law much of this negative behavior would cease. A couple of ejections coupled with a couple of suspension should send the message that this type of behavior is not acceptable.
Piggybacking on Billy's comments about where you work, I work exclusively rural games. If you put me in the middle of an inner city game, I would be like a fish out of water.
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