A coach even a mother couldn't love :(

[Back In The Saddle]

Watched a camp game today between a pretty good 4-A school and a much less talented 2-A school. With about 7-8 minutes left in the game, the winning coach started to play his subs.

Then his scrubs.

And pretty soon he was putting jerserys on what looked like 6th grade boys and putting them on the floor. And before you ask, no these were definitely not diminutive freshman. The first one on the floor was wearing a collared shirt under his jersey, and obviously was not there to play. Perhaps they were younger brothers of some of the players. Who knows.

Needless to say, he pissed off pretty much everybody in the building who wasn't one of his weenie supporters. And there was an understandably ugly moment after the game with the opposing coach.

I wondered at the time what I would do if it were my game. I considered that if I were the losing coach, I'd probably pull my team. If I were the losing players, it would be hard not to give one of the little wannabes a lesson in playing with the big boys. (Okay, I discarded that idea pretty quickly).

A little later on I settled on what I could do as an official.

1. When the little kid reports, I refuse to allow him into the game
2. When the coach wants to make something of it, I inform him that making a travesty of the game is grounds for forfeit, and I would not hesitate to do so
3. Find the first possible opportunity to unload the *******
4. If he doesn't have an assistant, even better as I would forfeit the game

Any thoughts?

[Nevadaref]

What were the camp restrictions for the age of the players?

If the kids meet the camp requirements, or there weren't any written down, then its none of the official's business who the coach plays as part of his team.

[SAK]

You may have to go to camp directors about this one. However if players were removing their jersey's while on the bench you could call a T for removal of the jersey and being bench personnel that would also be an indirect to the coach.

[amusedofficial]

We have a coach drubbing the opposition. He continually reduces the caliber of player on the court -- beginning with taking the starters out, then going deeper and deeper to his bench (and perhaps his imagined bench).

It's a camp? Absent formal requirements on rostering and eligibility, I'm not having a big problem with a coach avoiding humiliating an opponent by sitting kids who outclass the opposition (unless the depths to which he reached to get players on the court is, in an of itself, humiliation)

But again, I'm not very bright so I might have missed something.

[Back In The Saddle]

Reducing the caliber of players is one thing. But when you start ad hoc suiting up 6th graders and sending them in a varsity game, especially kids that are not even on the team...that's not avoiding humiliation. That's heaping humiliation onto the other team.

And, at that point, it ceases to be a contest because, to the losing kids' credit, they pulled back and let the little kids shoot, pulled up at times to make sure they didn't accidentally hurt one of the little kids. Though they did swat away a last second shot attempt by one of the little guys.

Yes, I believe there are some age restrictions. At least when I asked a younger player before one game why he was sitting across the court from his varsity team and, "Aren't you a starter?" the kid smiles and says, "Yeah, but I'm too young to play in this game." Not exactly authoritative, but certainly suggestive that there is some age restrictions for varsity play at least.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Back In The Saddle

A little later on I settled on what I could do as an official.

1. When the little kid reports, I refuse to allow him into the game
2. When the coach wants to make something of it, I inform him that making a travesty of the game is grounds for forfeit, and I would not hesitate to do so
3. Find the first possible opportunity to unload the *******
4. If he doesn't have an assistant, even better as I would forfeit the game

Any thoughts?

I'd avoid 1-4 and go with:

5) Officiate the game
6) Inform the camp director

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

I'd avoid 1-4 and go with:

5) Officiate the game
6) Inform the camp director

I agree. Getting involved in too much stuff at a camp.

Peace

[Juulie Downs]

What did your evals have to say about that game?

[Adam]

assuming the players aren't on the roster and need to be added, just start issuing Ts. This may be an exception, but I have never worked even a summer league that specifically discarded the roster rules.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

assuming the players aren't on the roster and need to be added, just start issuing Ts. This may be an exception, but I have never worked even a summer league that specifically discarded the roster rules.

I don't remember the last time I did a summer where there actually was a roster.

[Hugh Refner]

I've worked quite a few spring and summer league "camp games" and the only question I ask when a sub (who doesn't look like he or she is really "on the team") is coming it is if that kid is registered in the program. If so, they play. If not, they don't. The guys from the program (coaches, etc), not me, decide who plays and what that mix will be.