Eligible, Available, and Sitting

[Ref in PA]

I realize that in this situation, the referee feels the coach to be obviously lying (when the coach said the player was injured or ill), but I would be inclined to abide by what the coach said.

Players indicate to the bench that they need to come out of the game for a hurt or injury all the time and are subbed for during a dead ball. There could be a million reasons why for a illness or injury that we, as refs, did not see or witness.

Keeping a player on the bench because of quarters is not a valid reason by the rule book, but keeping a player on the bench because of injury or illness is. The coach only has to supply the valid reason. The ill/injured player should be on the bench with the team unless adult personnel is with the player in the locker room. I don't think I would have forced the varsity player to participate in this circumstance.