Directing Player to Leave Game

[williebfree]

Originally posted by TXMATTHEW05
I was doing a couple scrimmages at my school on Saturday (K-12 School), and one of them was a 6-8 year old division. I had a jump ball RIGHT in front of me, blow the whistle, do the routine. One of the players from my school decided to throw in an extra elbow after the whistle blew. Considering that this was an 8 year old and that this game wasn't a league game (it was PURE fun), I brought her to the coach (I know her very well) and said "Dwayna, give me a sub." She responded immediately and without question.

Would it REALLY have improved things if I would have T'd her, or ejected her with a flagrant technical? I mean, nobody was hurt, she didn't do it with enough force to hurt anybody (although it was an elbow, granted) - I just advised the coach to let her sit out for the rest of the half and cool off, and avoided a ten-minute drama spiel. It was better for the game.

I had a very similiar situation at the 7th grade level (Weekend tournament). Approximately 2 minutes left in a 3-point game, scramble for loose ball, two opposing players get into held ball situation. I whistle as I am closing in and BAM! The smaller player swings an elbow into the chest of the other player in a "get off me" gesture. I instantaneously WHACK her for the dead ball contact.

As the FT's are administered I am thinking I should have just warned her. Then her coach calls to me for an explaination. He had been quiet throughout the game, so I figured this would be uneventful. As I finished telling him what I saw, he turned to his player (the offender) and sternly asked her, "Do you see why I tell you to stay in control?" He then turned to thank me for making the call. I did notice the the offender apologized to the "victim".