Teaching Lessons?
 

Is it our job to teach lessons to young players? Example: Last night I had a girls varsity game. A is up by about 10. A1 puts in a lay-up and then points her finger in B1's face and says something. I let it go because I knew there was only about 2 seconds left in the game. After the game I was thinking about it. Should I have called a T for taunting? Our state says we must strictly enforce this. In a larger sense, though, my real question is this. I was thinking that I should have called it since she may do it again in another game in a tighter situation and I could have taught her that this is unacceptable. Is it our responsibility as officials to care about this? Should we consider that we can teach a player a lesson for a future game? Or is it simply our job to call the game. Should we at all care about teaching sportsmanship, courtesy, ets? Or should we leave this up to the coaches? Calling a taunting T here would have done nothing for the game, but should I have called it for the player's sake? I guess this is more of a philosophy question that anything else.

I don't mind talking young players through some things. Explaining why I had to call that violation, for example. But varsity players are not young, in basketball terms. I don't think you need to be explaining basic things to varsity players.

Yes, absolutely, without question, definitely T that crap, regardless of score, time, game situation or level of the game.

Irrelevant. T it because it's taunting. If that doesn't earn a T, I don't know what does. JMHO, of course. :o

Call the T and you are doing what you thought was important--teaching the player a lesson that she won't forget in another game.

I saw similar situation in a girls JV game last week. Two girls were getting a little agitated toward the end of the game. I didn't see what she actually did, but A1 got ejected for an unsporting act. So B1, being smug, turned around and wiggled her fingers goodbye at A1 and said "See Ya".
Tweet!! She was gone too!

T. I don't care how many seconds are left.

In 2004 NASO Sports Officiating held a summit on "The Official's Role in Improving Sportsmanship," which served as the basis for a book published in 2005 by Referee Enterprises, Inc. (the group that publishes Referee Magazine) with the same title as the summit.

The end conclusion of both the conference and the book is that officials do have a role to play in sportsmanship and should get involved.

I would suggest that you get a copy of this book.

I agree. I'm not sure that I'd personally eject on this one though, like PYRef did.

A general rule of thumb that I use in administering a "T" for behavior is answering the question, "Will this make the game better?". Will a "T" with 2 seconds left in a contest that is essentially over make the game better?

Yes, if it stops unsporting conduct.

Or do you disagree with that premise?

I wasn't calling this one, I was just a spectator.

I would say quit worrying so much about teaching a player something. I would say zero tolerance for taunting. If there is taunting that is in the gray area I wouldn't split hairs, but this situation seems like it was clearly taunting. Technical foul.

Thanks everyone. I now conclude I should have called the T. I also think it is necessary to call it because, in this game, it was a hard fought game. There was no rough play or any scuffles, but it was a back and forth game all the way. When this taunt happened it could have resulted in a retaliation by the other player. I would hate to have that happen and know I could have prevented a fight by simply calling a T. Also, it would have been the first T for this player so there would be no ejection (I would not have called this flagrant). I didn;\'t think about the retaliation possibility until later.

Musta misread it. Sorry 'bout that.

The horn will end the unsporting conduct in 2 seconds. If there is unsporting behavior going on, prolonging the game an additional 2 minutes to call a "T", report it, shoot 2 shots, administer the throw in, and finish the game will only allow for more things to possibly go on. Get this one over with.

Iow....it's just just another excuse to avoid calling a technical foul.

I take it that if someone tells you to FO with 2 seconds to go, or just after the horn, you feel that should be ignored too. Correct? After all, the horn ends the unsporting conduct. Gotta get it over with. :rolleyes: