No Captain Meeting?
 

Do all varsity games have to have a captains meeting? NFHS rules. Each state adopts what they want don't they?

It's in the Handbook. §§2.1.5 and 4.2.

What actually happens in these meetings varies widely, but afaik no state explicitly bans them.

Agreed, but if they were taken from the handbook and/or banned by a state, I'd be thrilled. These meetings are silly.

Agree as well. How many years has the coaches/captains meetings been a requirement?

Pre-game meetings are invaluable, imo.

Totally agree, I guess we screwed up this last weekend, I'll post the situation so maybe somebody else won't have this happen: BV, I'm watching players warm up before the game, Reff comes up to me and says we're not having a captains meeting tonight. Okay I'll bite, why not? The home coach told him that he didn't have any team captains tonight and none were going to be indicated in the book. Okay................ It was kind of fun starting like a JV game with no bs meeting. I thought every team had a captain but I didn't know one had to be indicated in the book. Is there any way by rule to force a coach to indicate a captain in the book? I've never heard of a coach being t'd for this. Can the reff randomly select a player from the roster?

The rule says "one of whom is the captain". But, there's no penalty for not having one.

I'd have the meeting anyway, even if one team doesn't have any team members present.

Agree. At the very least, I would want to meet with the coaches. You may find out some information you wouldn't have gotten otherwise. I had a couple of players on one team have medical clearances from the state for otherwise illegal headgear. Wouldn't have known that if we hadn't had the captain's meeting.

Why did you need a captains meeting for that? I check uniforms and equipment while watching warm-ups. Anything questionable can be addressed then. I've yet to be convinced a captains meeting is anything other than a relic from the past, when captains actually had real duties addressed in the rules.

Because we asked the coach about it.

For what?

My assignor and evaluators expect pre-game meetings with coaches. Captains usually attend. We are instructed to ask, if nothing else, "coaches, are all your players properly and legally equipped to play in today's contest?". We want both to say "yes" before proceeding.

If injury occurs because of something unseen is worn during the game, and the crew is called on it - our fallback is always that we did a pre-game and put the ball in the coaches court. It is their responsibility from that point on.

Now, if we as a crew, see something obvious (or even less than obvious) before or after that pre-game - of course, we will address it.

EDIT: snaqwells....saw your post after submitting my response to Hartsy.

1. We do ours separately, but I do it because it's expected. The players aren't listening and the coaches would rather have their attention on their kids. Coaches get four points addressed; sportsmanship, equipment, timeouts, and coaching boxes. Is it helpful? Probably occasionally, but I wouldn't consider it invaluable.

2. I can't imagine anyone inclined to hold you accountable would be swayed by this argument.

Ok.



Fortunately, I'll never have to imagine one way or the other since I, or my partner, always ask the question and we know our assignor has our backs.

Taking the leads from others, I have tended toward less and less this year in both coaches and captains meetings. Properly equipped.....anybody got a question.....any special issue with any player we need to be aware of......good luck.

On the other hand, the last two games I had where someone else was the ref, I thought we would hear the whole rulebook read aloud. Explanations of verticality, (my spellcheck thinks verticality is not a word) reminder of the number of timeouts, quite a long speech in both cases.

The ol' "we'll play the black line all the way around the court" gets under my skin a little - unless it's a poorly marked playing area. I just limit to properly/legally equipped, sportsmanship, any questions and good luck.

My point was that if someone is inclined to blame you, having asked a question at the beginning of the game isn't going to absolve you in this case. I've never had a coach hesitate to answer, yet I've sent players to the bench for earrings, miscolored T-shirts, etc.

Don't get me wrong, I ask the question; I think it's a good reminder to the coach if nothing else. I just don't see how it's going to affect whether anyone hold me responsible.

If I allow a player to play with an earring, how is having asked the coach before the game goingto help?

I've had that partner, and he then went into CE rules with the coaches. I've also had the "watch the hand checks" and "reaching" partners.

I'm talking about a player injury due to an illegally equipped player that "got past us" and was allowed to play in the game.

What it boils down to for me and my partner is whether we asked the coaches in pregame if their players were legal/proper and if we, as a crew, were observant. If the answer to both are 'yes', then we know w/o a shadow of a doubt that we managed the game correctly and there will be no heat coming our way from the schools' AD or my assignor because we used correct protocol.

I understand doing what's required, I just don't get any practical benefits from it. If i let an earring through and someone gets hurt, I don't see how having asked about equipment before the game gets me off of this. Either my assigner would hold me accountable for missing it, or he wouldn't. Personally, I don't think he would anyway.

"I asked the coaches if their players were properly and legally equipped."
"And do you think he gave you a thoughful answer?"
"Not really."

Could just be me, though. :)

Who knows, maybe that's why they do it in my area; I only do it because I'm not going to be "that guy." The only thing I don't do that others do around here is ask for speaking captains

I've had partners talk about handchecking and "reaching" but correctable errors?! :eek:

I respect that. Perhaps it was "the way I was raised" by my assignor and area officials/evaluators. They are very specific and insistent about pre-game and the content covered - and why.

At least for me, I know that if I don't ask these questions, I am in some shape or form going to hear about it. And, "hearing about it" is potentially a negative in my file with the assignor and/or coach/AD. And, I can't have negative stuff piling up on me when it's very easy to stay out of trouble by doing what is expected.

Yep, but personally if I had to choose, I'd rather talk about CE rules. It doesn't put me in quite the same corner as, "we'll be watching for hand checks and palming tonight, gentlemen."

What if the player is injured by a piece of jewelry that wasn't visible to the officials?

Then I don't see how not having asked a question to which most coaches just give an unthinking "yes" really does any good.

Agree
 

For both Captains and Coaches one practical benefit I get is maybe to break the ice a bit have everyone shake hands and get off to a calm, friendly, amicable start.

Concur, few listen at either meeting. Never had a coach say, "No, my players are not properly equipped." But, have had to tweet, very early for violations.

I do it because I'm supposed to, it breaks the ice, and I cover what I'm told. Me no likey "Speaking Captains."

Now, if we could speak to the entire team for 20 seconds AND have an associated T when a player violates any of our "recommendations", I might like that! ;)

From CIAC Website ...
 

COACHES – CAPTAINS PREGAME CONFERENCE
I. RECOMMENDED TIME
a. 2-Minute prior to the start of the game
II. HEAD COACH REFUSES TO PARTICIPATE
a. Conduct the conference (Assistant coach can be present)
b. Notify Secretary or Commissioner, who will notify CIAC
and Athletic Director
III. VERIFY WITH COACHES
a. Are team member’s uniforms and equipment legal and will be
worn properly?
b. Will all participants exhibit proper sporting behavior throughout
the game?
c. The coaching box area is marked and it is expected
that you will adhere to the restrictions as

From CIAC Website ...
 

COACHES – CAPTAINS PREGAME CONFERENCE
I. RECOMMENDED TIME
a. 2-Minute prior to the start of the game
II. HEAD COACH REFUSES TO PARTICIPATE
a. Conduct the conference (Assistant coach can be present)
b. Notify Secretary or Commissioner, who will notify CIAC
and Athletic Director
III. VERIFY WITH COACHES
a. Are team member’s uniforms and equipment legal and will be
worn properly?
b. Will all participants exhibit proper sporting behavior throughout
the game?
c. The coaching box area is marked and it is expected
that you will adhere to the restrictions as well as the privileges.