Scrimmage not so fun

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

The coaches are totally in charge of their practice. They decide what we do and what we do not do. We work with them to run the practice and call what we see.

Officials are in charge at a scrimmage. If coaches want to change some rules, we can often work with them (don't shoot one and ones).

But it two kids get involved with fight, and the coach convinces me not to disqualify them, and I comply with the coach, and the same two kids get in another fight (worst case scenario), with one of the kids getting seriously hurt, then my lawyer is going to make a lot of money defending me in a lawsuit.

There is absolutely no way that I'm giving up all of my authority as an official in any type of assignment, like allowing a coach to convince me to allow a disqualified player from continuing to play. It's his practice, but it's my scrimmage.

Rotating officials in, and out, of a scrimmage has nothing to do with this debate. They are all basketball officials.

Here's the reason for this debate:

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Here, scrimmages are always intra-squad. I've never seen one where it involves two different teams.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

In thirty five years, I've never worked an intrasquad scrimmage, all have been intersquad.

We live in two different worlds. Two experienced officials who have been around the block a few times, with two completely different experiences. The famous, or infamous, "When in Rome ..." situation.

But based on my experience as a basketball player, and as a middle school basketball coach, I still maintain that the same problems can occur in an intrasquad scrimmage, as an intersquad scrimmage.

Teammates can, and will fight. Usually it involves a girl.

Opponents can, and will fight. Usually it involves some type of disrespect.

As the contest official, in my scrimmage, they're on the bench, no matter how much the coach pleads his case.

If he won't allow me to be in charge, then I'm out the door.

After all, that's why I was asked (volunteered, or assigned) to be there, to be in charge of the contest. Otherwise why ask for officials? Assistant coaches can blow whistles just like officials can.