refnrev made a comment in the "Team Control Fouls" thread about fans and parents not understanding rule changes right away (I know, some of them will never get it.), but I wonder whether associations ever make and effort to help them understand. It seems like it might not take too much effort to print and distribute a "fan friendly" version of rule changes and encourage schools to somehow communicate the changes to people who come to the gym early in the season. They could put up a sign, print changes on programs, or do a PowerPoint presentation and set up a computer as a kiosk in the gym lobby. All right, the last one was over the top, but have ideas like this been tried?

I know a couple of guys that have gone to schools and done a short presentation on rules and refereeing. Usually the AD's have asked them to come in as part of a pre-season parent meeting or scrimmage. There's nothing organized that I know about in our area, but I can see it as a useful tool.

I do like the idea of the computer kiosk. We can set it up where the fans have to answer a short quiz (i.e. - What is 3 seconds?, or What is over-and-back?) If they don't answer 50% correctly, they don't get their ticket for entry into the game. Don't ask me who's going to pay for it though; that's not my department.

When I played, we had meet the coaches/team during the first week of practice. During this time, the coaches would invite an area official in to discuss some of the rules/rule changes to the parents. It really didn't help as our fans were still some of the worst around!

Many fans still don't understand why we don't shoot 1-1 free throws on a player control foul so I don't see them understanding team control anytime soon.

I would love to hear their comments after the game as to how the refs screwed their team out of freethrows and now they lost the game by 2 points. Losses are always someone elses fault.

What is 3 seconds? I know this one....it's the Lew Alcindor rule and he doesn't play anymore!

Might be a beeter idea to walk before you run...have a bar-b-que with the coaches and discuss THEN tackle the parents.

And if they score 100%, they get a free pair of fishnets.

Pretty sure it's the George Mikan rule.