Coaches consider ban on postgame handshakes

[rockyroad]

So in the OP, the Visiting team - who lost - has already suspended 8 players for their involvement in the "incident", while the Home team - who won and plays for the Upstate Title on Saturday - is "still investigating" and doesn't want anyone to "use too broad of a brush".

Could this maybe be the reason why we continue to see these types of "incidents" around the country? The school that has a chance to play for the title has not taken any action, and probably will not until after their game on Saturday. That sends a louder, clearer message to the young adult athletes involved than any lectures from the coaches and AD's ever will.

Nail those players who were involved - from both teams - and let others in the area see what happens when you want to pull this type of crap. It will clean up quickly.

[Amesman]

Agree with Rocky -- stick by your guns if this is the route taken.

You don't let the rotten apples spoil the whole lot. If you (i.e. administrators) are out to teach the kids something, don't back off of that goal.

That said, 1) there must be a cooling off period -- even 30-60 seconds after the horn, 2) coaches must use it to refocus the players, especially if it was a tight game and / or there are loose cannons in the huddle, 3) remind the players all along that this is a stipulation of participation and that suspensions will come swiftly for anyone who goes looking for one.

There have to be precautions taken. Kids will be kids and they often (usually?) won't take a long view on their actions. Hammering home that there will be repercussions is important. And coaches/administrators performing a little "team management" (i.e. who's liable to act up?) before during and after these teaching moments is critical.

Maybe it was seeing the Oly hockey tourney and the handshake lines afterward that got the juices flowing on this one. But to see that happen -- I remember the Amesparents herding us kids into the room after a Stanley Cup finale to show what sportsmanship meant -- reminds that it's a worthy goal. Perhaps speaking more as a parent now than anything.

[Jmuvol]

Here is a link to a tv stations report on the brawl with decent video. There doesn't seem to be any video of the start of the incident.

Clip Syndicate Video: South Carolina News

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Amesman

Agree with Rocky -- stick by your guns if this is the route taken.

You don't let the rotten apples spoil the whole lot. If you (i.e. administrators) are out to teach the kids something, don't back off of that goal.

That said, 1) there must be a cooling off period -- even 30-60 seconds after the horn, 2) coaches must use it to refocus the players, especially if it was a tight game and / or there are loose cannons in the huddle, 3) remind the players all along that this is a stipulation of participation and that suspensions will come swiftly for anyone who goes looking for one.

There have to be precautions taken. Kids will be kids and they often (usually?) won't take a long view on their actions. Hammering home that there will be repercussions is important. And coaches/administrators performing a little "team management" (i.e. who's liable to act up?) before during and after these teaching moments is critical.

Maybe it was seeing the Oly hockey tourney and the handshake lines afterward that got the juices flowing on this one. But to see that happen -- I remember the Amesparents herding us kids into the room after a Stanley Cup finale to show what sportsmanship meant -- reminds that it's a worthy goal. Perhaps speaking more as a parent now than anything.

I wouldn't use the Olympic handshake line as an example -- I noticed the officials staying and observing those.

Let's face it -- I would have little problem with staying if (1) coaches were punished severely if they even said something to the officials after the final horn and (2) no fans were around. Since (1) is unlikely and (2) is impossible, then forget it. Horn goes, I leave. End of story.

[doubleringer]

If they want to be "proactive" in making sure nothing like this ever happens again maybe they should do a better job of teaching sportsmanship to their players?

[ref2coach]

How hard would it be for the Coaching staffs to lead their teams to the post game handshake, then step back facing each other so that the student pass between them while shaking their opponent's hands.
..............c ac
***********
..............**********
..............ac c

The players know they are being observed by their respective coaching staff and that any inappropriate activities will be observed and dealt with. The NFHS Coach's "Code of Ethics" states that it is the coach's responsibility to address "sportsmanship" with their teams. Coaches could institute this policy themselves or a State association could formalize the procedure and the responsibility
Just leave the referees out of it.

[tomegun]

I think having the coaches right there as the players shake hands and having a 1 minute cooling off period are both good ideas. However, they both place the sportsmanship responsibility on the coaches and we know how that goes.

[Amesman]

Originally Posted by tomegun

I think having the coaches right there as the players shake hands and having a 1 minute cooling off period are both good ideas. However, they both place the sportsmanship responsibility on the coaches and we know how that goes.

But, hey, if we're not there -- and we should not be because this isn't part of the game any more -- then the schools can do their teaching / good sportsmanship / good PR thing to their hearts' content. It's the administrators, ADs or school districts who institute this so let them oversee it.

(Now, to bend back the other way a bit, seeing that video clip reminds that the places that might need the lessons this all teaches the most might not have the security or crowd control needed to make it work. At least with football, hockey and even baseball, there are barriers between fans and the players.)