Hold The Ball

[Junker]

It sounds to me like the league wasn't that concerned and the letter was just a formality. I'd ignore it. If sportsmanship continues to be that bad, start thowing people out. If the league doesn't back you, go work for someone who will.

[rainmaker]

To prevent or reduce the initial scrambling after the whistle, you run in as you whistle the foul, and then watch the players before you signal the foul, just as you would for a held ball, or pre-game for your partner to rush in. 7th grade girls can easily get so focused on the matter at hand that they don't hear the whistle. Then what you say to them as they continue to scramble is "Okay, the whistle blew, break it up." This isn't aimed at one girl, so you can be loud without being accused of yelling at a certain player. You do it in a bored tone of voice with the implication that there's no fault or problem here, just a lack of attention to the original whistle.

But the real problem came before the game began -- 7th grade girls, rec league! This is a guarantee of problems and the best motivation to get moved up. I still find that they can get under my skin sometimes. Grrrr....