I run an intramural basketball league with 14 teams for a high school in Erie, Pa. With very few exceptions, and this one isn't covered, we follow PIAA rules, which are NFHS.

I have a team that has told me, and I would expect that they will do this, knowing the students on the team, that they plan to play several games as a joke. One was to have one arm taped to their body (or if that wasn't allowed, inside their shirt), and another game was to basically allow the other team to score as many points as they possibly could in the time for the game.

I don't believe there is anything in the book about this kind of action or behavior. At least not specifically, unless it falls under unsportsmanlike conduct. This particular team is picky about the rules (even though they don't seem to know them :)), so I would like to have a legitimate foot to stand on as a ref, or to direct my student refs as to what they should do if this situation actually presents itself.

Any suggestions?

(I could always, as the league director, just forfeit the game if they do this, but I am hesitant to do it - I'm also hesitant to sit through either of these, since either game would just be a joke.)

Thanks in advance for your replies. I hope this didn't sound to ridiculous!

Rule 5-4-1 does give the referee power to forfeit the game for acts which make a travesty of the game.

That being said, I would probably just let the game be played (assuming no illegal equipment or anything.) Let the coach deal with his players as he/she sees fit.

Only problem with that idea is there are no coaches. The teams have captains, and the captain would be happy to go along with whatever the rest of the team wants, so I woulnd't expect any help from that. But thanks for the point in the rulebook!

Maybe you should add a ## of points forfeit rule.

Are you talking about a mercy rule? That was definitely a consideration.

Why not refund their money and give them das boot.

It is not fair to teams that are there for legit competition to have to put up with their crap.

Honest effort needed
 

If the team "jokes" only during certain games, would that not be unfair to the teams where there is a legitamate effort to win? This allowing some teams to win could alter the final league standings.

Let the team know ahead of time that they must give an honest effort or don't allow them to play.

It has been 35 years since I left high school, so time may have changed. I know that back then, the principal would have been all over our butts if we pulled stunts like you are talking about. Intramurals or not it is still a school-sponsored event.

I'm impressed that they asked ahead of time. At least they're that sporting. And so I'd hate to penalize or squelch all that clever and creative energy (I hate that term, but can't think of a better one.) Why not offer them the opportunity to do some "pre-season" or "post season" exhibition-type games, maybe against the varsity school team, or maybe against an all-star intra-mural team. Maybe the athletic department would like to do it for a fund-raiser, you know, after school, charge $2 per kid, and sell concessions. Or make it a class competition, such as sophs against juniors. Or something else where their fun ideas can be played out without offending anyone's sincere competitive effort.