Team Bench Technical for Unsporting Act

[JPaco54]

The last few days on this forum we have had a few situations where a Bench Technical was called for Unsporting behavior without a player or coach being charged directly. I am having some trouble with this and need some guidance/clarification.

First, I cannot find anywhere in the rule book/case book where it states a Team Bench Technical can be called for an unsporting act. For Administrative issues yes but not for unsporting. Example: Earlier this week there was a post on the V cheerleading squad. Another I witnessed in a GHS game. T Official called a simple hand check foul on V1. As he turned his back after reporting the foul, someone from V called out unsporting verbage to the official. The official turned toward the V bench, but could not tell who actually said it, it was a player who was actually in the game standing near her bench. So, he called an unsporting Tech on the bench. Told the scorer to count it as a team foul. I did not know you could do this and have been looking for an explanation in the rules. I must have my blinders on this week. Can someone point me in the right direction please.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by JPaco54

The last few days on this forum we have had a few situations where a Bench Technical was called for Unsporting behavior without a player or coach being charged directly. I am having some trouble with this and need some guidance/clarification.

First, I cannot find anywhere in the rule book/case book where it states a Team Bench Technical can be called for an unsporting act. Can someone point me in the right direction please.

Casebook play 10.4.4SitB

Note that in this particular case, the head coach also gets an indirect "T" assessed along with the team "T".

[JPaco54]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

Casebook play 10.4.4SitB

Note that in this particular case, the head coach also gets an indirect "T" assessed along with the team "T".

Thanks but that does not support an unsporting act from the fans nor an unsporting act from the bench. I agree, you call a Tech on the HC but you can not call a Bench Technical for an unsporting act. Rule 10-4 under ruling, states it much be charged to an individual if it was not the HC. I see officials do this and I believe it is wrong. An earlier, post was about a Tech issued on the visitors cheerleaders. You can not Tech the cheerleaders.

You can talk to Game Management and have them address the situation. In these Wreck or church league games, there are rules that state the HC is responsible for his fans and if they do not settle down the HC is assessed a T and you can request/demand that the fan(s) leave if they are that disruptive. BUT under NFHS there is no criteria that I can find that allows you to T up a fan, cheerleaders or the general team for an unsporting act. Am I missing something simple here?

[Adam]

Rule reference: 2-8-1 (note)

And 10.4.4B provides precedent for assessing a Team tech when you know an unsporting foul has been committed (you must know it's from the bench, IMO) but not who did it.

[Ignats75]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Rule reference: 2-8-1 (note)

And 10.4.4B provides precedent for assessing a Team tech when you know an unsporting foul has been committed (you must know it's from the bench, IMO) but not who did it.

Here's a question off of your statement Snaq:

V AssCoach during JV game is sitting on the bench. Verbally berates my partner for a "bad call". I happen to be by JV HC and tell him to get control of his bench. As I turn away I hear a response from the same part of the bench including a muttered "BS". I issued a direct T on the V AssCoach as bench personnel. She claims she didn't say it. I'm not sure but my response was, "you shouldn't have said anything." meaning, your aren't the HC. STFU.

The bench T stood. In your opinion, should I have let the profanity go because I didn't have definite knowledge the AssCoach said it?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Ignats75

Here's a question off of your statement Snaq:

V AssCoach during JV game is sitting on the bench. Verbally berates my partner for a "bad call". I happen to be by JV HC and tell him to get control of his bench. As I turn away I hear a response from the same part of the bench including a muttered "BS". I issued a direct T on the V AssCoach as bench personnel. She claims she didn't say it. I'm not sure but my response was, "you shouldn't have said anything." meaning, your aren't the HC. STFU.

The bench T stood. In your opinion, should I have let the profanity go because I didn't have definite knowledge the AssCoach said it?

1. Are you sure it was her?
2. If not, are you sure it was from the bench?

Did she claim someone else said it, or did she claim she said something else?

Not that it really matters a great deal other than for reflection later. If you're sure she said it, it's good enough for me. If you're sure it came from the bench, I have no problem with it either, since the AC made her own bed, so to speak.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Ignats75

V AssCoach during JV game is sitting on the bench. Verbally berates my partner for a "bad call". I happen to be by JV HC and tell him to get control of his bench. As I turn away I hear a response from the same part of the bench including a muttered "BS". I issued a direct T on the V AssCoach as bench personnel. She claims she didn't say it. I'm not sure but my response was, "you shouldn't have said anything." meaning, your aren't the HC. STFU.

The bench T stood. In your opinion, should I have let the profanity go because I didn't have definite knowledge the AssCoach said it?

If you're sure that the "BS" came from the bench and who it came from, call the "T" and charge a direct "T" to whoever said it along with an indirect "T" to the head coach. If you're sure that it came from the bench but you're not sure who said it, charge the head coach with a direct "T". The bench is his responsibility.

If you're not 100% sure that it came from the bench, let it go. If you call it, you're guessing.

Jmo....

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Ignats75

AssCoach... AssCoach... AssCoach...

'Nough said.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by JPaco54

Thanks but that does not support an unsporting act from the fans nor an unsporting act from the bench. I agree, you call a Tech on the HC but you can not call a Bench Technical for an unsporting act.

BUT under NFHS there is no criteria that I can find that allows you to T up a fan, cheerleaders or the general team for an unsporting act. Am I missing something simple here?

Huh? In casebook play 10.4.4SitB, the bench was penalized with a team technical foul.

From the 2003-04 POE's...
POE1-Sporting Behavior-Suggestions for improved behavior:--"Officials should be prepared to assess a technical foul for a team member/team demonstrating these unsporting acts. The specific inappropriate actions of a few team members may be individually penalized or the entire team may be assessed one technical foul."
Note that rule 4-34-4 states that bench personnel are team members.


You're also missing rule 2-8-1 and case book play 2.8.1. That covers fans.

And note that in the COMMENT of case book play 2.8.1, it states that the technical foul is a team technical foul.

Been in there forever, JPaco.