I didn't realize how much I would enjoy this hobby. One of the surprises is how much I enjoy seeing the players of all skill levels playing hard and trying to do their best. Must be the parent in me that can now appreciate that side of the game.

An illustration of what I'm talking about happened just the other day. It was toward the end of a fairly lopsided JV girls game and I whistled for a foul as A1 was driving toward the basket and got a push from B1. A1 was only in for mop up duty (to which I can relate) and I'm sure was really hoping to make a good showing in her limited PT. When she heard the whistle, she looks right at me with disappointment, ball still in hand, and says with a sad voice "Me?" I couldn't help but smile when I said "No, you were pushed"

It's a little thing, but for some reason it sticks with me.

Lopsided girls frosh game. Winning team scores again. Girl is throwing in to her teammate and says in a very nice and sincere voice "I really like thowing the ball in " The three of us bust up. I too am having fun with the different levels.

Boys JV game, B1 has just bailed on a potential charge to get called for a block by my partner. We are lining up for the free throws. and B2 says "Dude, football season is over. Coach wont get mad if he runs over you...it's called a charge."

Just struck me as funny.

I know he plays HS, but...

Football is NEVER over!!!

HS: September to December
NC2A: Septeber to January
CFL: June to November
NFL: September to February
AFL: February to June

There's also NFLE and AFL2.

Sportsmanship yesterday
 

Was watching BJV game before mine yesterday. A1 and B1 were a bit tangled up and B1 ends up on the floor, possible inadvertant high elbow by A1. Going other way time out was called by team A. Reporting time out, neither official noticed B1 saying something to A1 sort of long distance and with a scowl.

A1 moves towards B1 and I'm ready to witness a fight. A1 though sticks out his hand and I lip read "I'm sorry about that".

After the game I briefly told his coach what I witnessed and that I wanted to congratulate B1 for showing such good sportsmanship. Then B1's parents showed up so I told all three of them what an excellent job they had done with their son.

Stuff like that reinforces my faith in society.

Now that might be a stretch for the term "football" ...

Thanks
David

I think these stories are great. I had a 7th grade girls game where in the B game we had a mentally handicap player gets into the game. The coach alerts both officals and aren't really calling a whole lot anyway.

The girls gets the ball and travels and commits several other violations. She gets the ball under the basket shoots and rebounds a couple of times. The last time the ball rolls around the rim several times and finally goes in.

I found myself leaning as if to coax the ball in. I wanted to raise my hand in approval. I smiled at the coach and the AD.

The girl and the entire gym went nuts.

I could only smile and say this is why I love to do this.

I had a junior high game the other night. The score at half time was something like 30 to 2 (visitors were winning)

When the visiting team came out of the locker room, the coaches top 6 players were in street clothes.

The score at the end of the game was something like 40 to 25. (visitors won)

I asked the visiting coach why she had gotten her players to changes, she said that she had seen the home team stepped on all season long and she wanted to make sure that all of the home team coaches players got to score at least once for the season.

I was talking to the home team coach and she said that her team had not scored more than 5 points in a game all season long.

I thought that was pretty awesome of the coach to do that for the other team.

All of these stories are great, but this actually did make me laugh out loud. :)