IHSAA Sectional Fight What should happen

[purduegrad]

What are your thoughts?

IndyStar Link

Penalties coming for sectional fight | The Indianapolis Star | indystar.com

Youtube of Fight:

YouTube - North Central & Lawrence North fight; Michael Chandler & Tim Bass ejected - 3/4/11

[JRutledge]

What should happen is up to the state organization. I am sure the video will help identify players beyond what was reported who should be suspended or what should be done ultimately. We are officials, we do not decide what happens beyond the game we are working.

Peace

[JugglingReferee]

I don't see anyone left on the benches. Looks like an early night.

[Bad Zebra]

Originally Posted by JugglingReferee

I don't see anyone left on the benches. Looks like an early night.

Can't really tell. By the time the camera panned over to the fight, looks like there was a small pile already on the floor. No telling where they came from. Hopefully there's better footage for the state to review because you really can't see who started what from the link in the OP.

[26 Year Gap]

They continued with the game according to the score on the video and what the final score ended up as, which is surprising. Benches do appear to be empty. HTBT but it might be possible that somebody in the semis gets a bye.

[stir22]

So, what do you guys do if a fight breaks out in a game you are officiating? Our association tells us not to intervene; to let the coaches handle it. I've gotten between players after a hard foul, or when they are getting kind of chippy- but have never been in a game where an actual fight breaks out. Any experience here?

/thanks

[Adam]

You can try to prevent it by getting between them, but once they start swinging, just blow your whistle, stand back, and remember numbers.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by stir22

So, what do you guys do if a fight breaks out in a game you are officiating? Our association tells us not to intervene; to let the coaches handle it. I've gotten between players after a hard foul, or when they are getting kind of chippy- but have never been in a game where an actual fight breaks out. Any experience here?

/thanks

Thankfully, not yet.

We did have a technical foul on Saturday where a player shoved another player after an out-of-bounds and my partner called a technical foul. An opponent really wanted to clap and whoop that up, but I was on him before anyone could even think he deserved a technical or, more importantly the situation escalated.

I would never get in the middle of a fight. I need to observe and record numbers (even if just in my mind) and I have my own safety to consider, too.

[Fiji07]

Two players who started the fight were ejected. No one else from either team was ejected during that game. This was the semi-final game, North Central(white) ended up winning and won the championship game the next night. Only the one player involved in the fight to start with was suspended for the next game. Could end up with more suspensions depending on the review from the state.

[Bad Zebra]

Originally Posted by purduegrad

What are your thoughts?

My first thought is "I'm glad I wasn't working that game".
My second thought is "I hope the state comes down extremely hard on any player that participated in the fight and any player that left the bench and came on the floor during the incident".
My third thought is "I hope the state comes down extremely hard on the school for failing to keep spectators off the floor during the incident". It doesn't appear there was ANY crowd control.

It's bad enough the officials have to contend with the nonsense from the players. Add the crowd to the mix and you've got a recipe for disaster.