Don't mess with the scorekeeper!

[Back In The Saddle]

There's a very little school about 90 minutes from my house that I've been to several times over the past few years. The coaches come and go, but the table crew has been the same for years. The principal runs the clock. And the scorekeeper, who is probably the secretary, is great.

I was there for my first HS games this year. Somewhere in the 4th quarter of the frosh game the scoreboard went off. I knew to within roughly a minute what the proper time should be, she had it to within 10 seconds because she had recorded the time of the last held ball.

Was there last Friday again. A couple minutes before the V game starts, she pulls out a current rule book. I start giving her the business about if she's got a rule book we're going to have to really be on our toes tonight. She chuckles and tells us that an official in a recent game called a double foul, but said not to go with the AP arrow to resume play. We took a minute during the introductions (with frequent interruptions to bump knuckles with the starters) to show her the recent change to POI. She flips over to the rule about when to go with the AP, which includes double fouls. We explain what the second part of that rule means. She thanked us and we got on with the game.

Thinking back, I cannot recall ever having even the slightest problem with the table at that school. I'd like to clone this lady and carry a copy in my bag to every game I work. I wouldn't even have to carry my rule book any more. She carries one and can find what she's looking for as fast as I can.