The rest of the Story

[ILIK2RUN]

I am the official who posted the original inquiry about people being on the court during half-time. What actually happened is this:

I was scheduled to work a girls freshman game followed by a girls JV game.

As I was leaving the court for half-time I noticed several people shooting around in street clothes. I didn't know if they were on the team or not. I said to them that they did not need to be out on the court. I then said that they need to be wearing their uniform, sweats, shoot around shirts etc. if they are part of the team. They did not leave the court at this time. I contiued to walk out of the gym.

When I returned they were still on the court and I mentioned to the head Varsity Coach and the game administrator that I had asked them to leave.
Both of them replied that they always let there team shoot around in jeans or whatever. They never once asked them to leave.

My reason for posting the question was that I asked the players to leave. Then I asked the head varsity coach and the game administrator. No one backed me up.

What do I do in this situation? The only reason that asked them to leave in the first place was because all of the veteran officials that I do work with do the same.

In my opinion, it looks bad for people to be out there on the court in street clothes shooting around because it starts to look like a recreation center. However, I don't want to make people leave just because I don't like it.

Is there a right thing to do?

[Tim Roden]

This almost sounds like a story we have floating in our parts. There is a gym here where the bleachers are very close to the sidelines and there is a group that traditionally sits on the front row. Their feet come very close to the sidelines. We had a rookie official try to get those people to move. The game manager almost kicked out this official. And to this day, that official cannot show his face in that school. I had a chat with the game manager just a couple weeks ago and he talks about this incedent as if it were yesterday. It was three years ago.

So, in the shoot around situation, this is a game management situation and you don't want to push it too far, especially if it is a tradition.

[Todd VandenAkker]

And it is very common everywhere I go to have kids shooting around on the court. Not a big deal . . . they have a little fun while waiting to play their own game, it bothers no one really, and they leave as soon as the players return to the court.

[barney]

Hey guy's check out KDM's post, ' FREE SUPERBOWL TICKETS'... Get a bit of insight on this matter...

[DAVE E #27]

I feel we are overstepping our authority by trying to enforce this aspect of "facility management". Let's just concentrate on calling the game and legitimate DEAD BALL officiating.