I have the captains introduce themselves to each other. I then introduce my partners and myself.

Then I state that everything I tell the captains must be relayed to everone on their team including their teammates, coaches, and other bench personnel).

Then I state the two rules following rules and that these rules are mutually inclusive, meaning that violating one rule automatically violates the other rule:

Rule #1: We play sports because they are fun. If you cannot have fun or feel that you are not having fun, have your coach replace you.

Rule #2: Conduct yourself as gentlemen/ladies at all times. If you cannot conduct yourself as a gentleman/lady or do not want to conduct yourself as a gentleman/lady then have your coach replace you.

I then tell the captains, that by rule, they are in complete charge of their teams at all times(that includes players, substitutes, coaches (who by rule, are also in charge of bench personnel), and all other bench personnel.

I then tell them good luck and most importantly to HAVE FUN!!

I don't tell them anything that they already know.

I keep it really, really short so that they can go back to warm ups.
They don't want to hear my run-on sentences, as a general rule.

I'm like mick.. Introductions, good sportsmanship, questions, good luck and have fun.

Then, when meeting the coaches, "Are your players legally equipped?"

That's it.

I don't want to open this can of worms, but . . .

3-1 states that the captains are the representatives of their teams. How, from that, do you get your expanded responsibilities above - of being in charge of other players, subs, coaches???

You are absolutely correct that the captians are their teams representatives.

Historically, the captian is the responsible person for the team. Prior to the early 1950's the teams huddled on the court game during timeouts and the intermission between the first and second, and third and fourth quarters. During these stoppages of play, the only way a coach could communicate with his players was to send in a substitute. The only time that a coach could communicate directly with his team was at halftime.

Coaches are mentioned in the rules only in relation to requesting team timeouts, requesting timeouts for correctable errors, choosing who shoots technical free throws, being responsible for bench personnel, and properly equiped player, and all of these are relatively new (within the last forty years or so) additions to the rules.

MTD, Sr.

Okay, but . . .

Unlike the shoe-tying rule that was removed, none of what you have cited indicates that the captain is in charge of the team or has any control over bench players and coaches. In fact, your post would seem to indicate the opposite, when you state:



Here you state that it is the coaches who are responsible for bench personnel (I've never given a captain or a player an indirect T in NFHS ball), and that the coaches designate FT shooters (while 9-3 indicates that coach or captain can designate).

Nothing in the rules regarding captains says they are responsible for coaches, and certainly nothing in the coaching rules even remotely suggests that coaches are subordinate to captains.