Poor fan behavior

[Mark Padgett]

I got a call from one of the refs who works my rec league that he ejected a fourth grade boys coach for profanity. Any profanity in my rec league (below HS level) is an automatic flagrant technical.

I contacted the coach and his only defense was that he was upset that the refs let the opposing coach have three timeouts in the first half of the game. I asked him two questions. First, what was wrong with that because our rules allow the normal NF timeout protocol and second, why did he think that even if they were wrong (which they weren't) that profanity in front of young kids was acceptable behavior?

There was just silence on the other end of the phone. I informed him that, according to our league's policy, he was suspended for one game and could only get reinstated after that by writing letters of apology to the Board and to every parent from his team. Also - he was on (double secret) probation the remainder of the season (4 weeks) and even a single technical for any unsportsmanlike reason would result in not only suspension for this season but for next year, too.

He was not a happy camper, but - tough toenails.