[Rich1]

I once had to stop a varsity game because a team had 3 people standing up to coach. When I told them only the HC was allowed to stand and/or address the officials I was informed that "we are all co-head coaches". Of course, they had to pick one and the other two had to sit down. Only one HC gets the box!

I don't care what someone's "official" title is - when the game starts and one of the coaches has declared himself or is acting as head coach then he is HC for the entire game (its how we treat the AC/HC during JV games). When the "real" HC does arrive he will be treated as if he were an assistant and will need to stay seated. The AC who started the game acting as HC can continue in that role.

As an alternative, if the AC comes to me before the game and explains that the HC is running late, then I see no reason why the AC can't choose to coach from the bench and when the HC gets there he assumes his role and all responsibilities/consequences asigned to it. This would include any indirects/seatbelts that have been earned. I would treat it as if he were there to start the game and then had to step out of the gym for some reason (restroom, get some equipment, needed a hot dog). While he was gone he is still responsible for his bench so he takes on the consequences.

Now, since I do follow tat old adage that its the exceptions that make a rule, if I knew we were dealing with strange circumstances and I knew the HC was there but handling the strange situation I would probably allow some reasonable leeway. For instance, if we were at a small school with no trainer and a JV kid got seriously hurt so the HC was dealing with parents, EMS, etc. (true story) then I would not be such an A double S about it. But the situation would have to be one of those once in a while things or I am going with normal procedure.

By the way, is there not a case book play about switching coaches during a game? I'm going to look as soon as I get home but I feel there should be one, even if from years past.