My Error / Protecting the New Guy

[mcrowder]

First let me remind - I'm only a 3rd year guy, but I think I have a decent handle on coaches most of the time (still learning, trying to make that ALL the time). Anyway...

I'm R - a very young, but pretty good 2nd year guy at HL. Play flying out of bounds on his side, and he diligently gets his spot, but doesn't turn to dead-ball officiate. U is hustling to get there, but doesn't see dead-ball action. I see it. Defender and ball carrier were attached as they rode out of bounds and defender disengages as they cross, but runner flies to the ground after taking 2 steps to try to catch himself. It looked AWFUL, and probably worse from the coaches angle.

But I didn't think it was late.

HL is taking CONSTANT screaming from the coach. I was helping get the ball back to U and getting ready for the next play. I consider approaching the coach, but don't, wanting to let our young HL handle it himself.

I should have.

I should have, before getting the ball ready, gone to tell him that I saw the action after the play, and explained why I didn't think it was late. But I didn't.

Ball goes over on downs a few plays later. Coach still going. 2nd down for the other team and it breaks toward HL's side. As the play passes him, he blows an IW (with a finger-whistle). This kid would have scored. He felt badly, but I felt just as badly, as I could have fixed this. I think he was flustered from the constant berating.

You guys have any similar experiences? How would you, as R, have handled this? Should I have stepped in after the ribbing continued for 2, 3, 4, plays? At halftime we told HL not to be afraid to use the SL Warning to settle down a coach like that, but I wish I'd have headed this off.