Extension of the Classroom or What???

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by dacodee

Hello,

Today, I did a Frosh/JV Boys game. The talent level was not good, at all. However, I look at every game as if these kids deserve my best effort. Anyway, there were a couple of fans sitting near the entrance in the front row. Everytime there was a foul or violation, these two fans had something to say. At halftime, I speak with my partner about the two. Turns out, they are both coaches. One is the girls frosh coach for the school I was at and the other is a girls varsity coach for another high school. I couldn't believe it... So, I continued officiating and just listened to everything those coaches were saying. Throughout the entire frosh game, the one who is a varsity coach for another school began yelling out, "Ban them from your gym, they should never be allowed back in your gym". It was apparent he was talking to the AD. The AD walks the baseline as I'm the lead and comments, "just let them play". I'm thinking, if I let them play the way they're playing, I won't be officiating too much longer because someone is going to get hurt and it'll be my fault because I let them play. Later, toward the end of the 3rd quarter, my partner called a technical on a home team player because the kid threw the ball at him in an unsportsman like manner. Had my partner not ducked, he may have received damage to his face. In my opinion, the T was warranted. Well, at this point, the varsity girls coach of another school screams, "you wanted the ball, he gave it to you".

Now, based on the above, here's my problem. As officials, I know that we are an extension of the classroom. The way we present ourselves and the decisions we make must align with the rules of the game and of the classroom. With that said, don't the coaches have a certain standard to uphold??? That being, professional, mature and most of all, an educator. When visiting another school, aren't coaches representing their own institution?

I think that my assignor and the Athletic Director of varsity coach of another school should be aware of how this guy acted.

What do you guy's think? Should I even say anything?

Thanks for your feedback.

DAC

I would have whacked the Home AD. The H-AD is game management and being game management does not give him the right or privilege of walking up to an official during the game and making such comments. And yes, I was involved in a game where my partner whacked the H-AD. I had just whacked the H-HC, while I was reporting the TF, the H-HC went after my partner. My partner whacked him. Point of information: This game was an FloridaHSAA game during the mid 70's and a coach was not disqualified and ejected until he received his third non-flagrant TF. After the free throws, we went up and down the court a couple of times when the H-AD came up behind my partner, who was in the L position and told him that he would never work at his school again. WHACK!!

MTD, Sr.