Fan abuse to player

[rainmaker]

Originally Posted by ronny mulkey

Julie,

In trying to prevent this type of situation in the future, my main question becomes:

Do you consider razzing, trying to get a player's "goat", ridicule aimed at players, etc. as being abusive? Do you stop it if it is not profane, vulgar, racial or threatening? I have always kinda thought that was home field advantage.

And, if the the player lets the crowd get to him and responds in a non-threatening, non-vulgar manner, do you penalize the player?

Yea, it's an interesting set of questions. I have only one experience. Girls' varsity. close rivalry game all the way through, although home winning. V player had attended home school at some point and was definitely the flash point for the fan yelling and chivying. She finally lost her cool and flipped one certain guy off. I whacked her, and simultaneously, game management stepped in and shut up the home fans. Everyone in the whole gym thought it was enormously amusing. Visitors came back and won by 3. Justice was served, I guess.

I expect it's gonna be one of those touchy-feely things. Gotta keep your finger on the pulse, feel the atmosphere and do what seems best in that situation.

[JoeTheRef]

Originally Posted by rainmaker

I"m just wondering if you could have game management address the crowd earlier, without tossing them. It might also depend on the level of play. At varsity, with two relatively good teams, or where the winning team is taking the harassment, I'd be inclined to let a lot more go. But if there really is some emotional damage being done, I'd be tempted to nip it in the bud.

edited to add: looking back at OP, sounds like you handled it just about right. V team way ahead, player getting harassed is managed, game management stepped in when boundaries were crossed.

Juulie, in Georgia, it is required that the following statement be read before every GHSA sanctioned game:

“The GHSA and its member schools have made a commitment to promote good sportsmanship by student/athletes, coaches, and spectators at all GHSA sanctioned events. Profanity, degrading remarks, and intimidating actions directed at officials or competitors will not be tolerated, and are grounds for removal from the event site. Spectators are not allowed to enter the competition area during warm-ups or while the contest is being conducted. Thank you for your cooperation in the promotion of good sportsmanship at today’s event.”

Now, #23 you're horrible is a far cry form degrading and intimidating, but if it escalates, that is their warning. After that, the official can direct game management to remove any jacka$$ from the gym.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by ronny mulkey

What I'm trying to come to grips with is razzing a player, constantly booing a player or holding up signs considered fan abuse? Take out profanity or vulgarity, should a high school player be subjected to constant razzing? Picture the kind of stuff the Dukies do when they target a particular player. Would you stop this kind of behavior in a high school game?

If the student section does get the player's goat and he responds "mildly" by screaming back, laughing, pointing or shaking his head, ec., would you penalize the player? Is the player expected to ignore any comments from the stands?

Mulk, strictly my opinion......at the high school varsity level, it is a part of the game, and has been as long as I've been around. At lower levels, yes, there might be a case for doing something about razzing. At high school varsity and above, players should have learned by then how to deal with it. The whole idea in the first place is for the fans to get the player's goat and maybe throw him off his game. I think that what you did in your game--telling the player to play ball and ignore the fans- is the best way to handle it. Of course, if the razzing gets into profanity, gross vulgarity, racial crap or anything like like that, you should deal with it. And dealing with it usually means going to game management and saying "We have a problem. You take care of it."

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by ronny mulkey

Had a situation Tuesday night that continues to bother me. Have disussed with several of our guys and I'd like to put it to you guys for your input because I have the winning team again next week.

We have a vert hotly contested game with the visiting team being clearly superior. The home team is becoming increasingly frustrated to the point wher we are forced to call a T for taunting, an intentional for excessive contact and many, many fouls.

While standing at C infront of the home student section, a fan yells "hey, # 23, you are terrible". The player atrts to respond but I stop him bt stating to just play ball and ignore the fans. His coach sees that he is agitated and subs him out. At this point, I am not alarmed. With about 2 minutes remaining in the game, an empty plastic bottle comes out of the student section and hits #23 in the head. Of course, he confronts the student that he thinks is the hurler. He doesn't leave floor and no punches are thrown. I am trying to get him back and 2 of his teammates join the fray. Still no punches thrown and still no play leaving the floor. Order is restored quickly by security as they escort out the student section.

My questions are:

Should I have become more proactive when the fan yelled at #23?

When do comments from the stands become abusive?

Would you penalize a player if he responded or gestured to statements from the stands? Would you consider him to be part of the problem?

Would you have penalized #23 or his teamates for confronting the student section after being hit by the bottle?

I've got a T here.

No, I don't think you needed to be more proactive. You did well in the first case involving 23 and the students. 23's coach even took him out of the game. That was a good move.

If the comment from the stand was a one-off, I let it go, but if they get to the point where it is visibly affecting the players, I talk to game management to deal with it.

If a player responded, at the very least both coaches would be talked to, and game management would be dealing with the stands.

I would penalize 23 if he did something illegal. It doesn't sound like he did anything illegal.

[TimTaylor]

For me, the line is definitely crossed when the fans single out a specific player by name or number. At that point you have game management tell them to knock it off or they're gone. Just my $0.02.

In the instance described I think game management did the right thing by tossing the student section - just too bad it escalated to the point where an object was thrown first.