Agree or Disagree?
 

Summer league game.

Things are starting to get a little chippy, Team A is blowing out Team B. A1 drives to the basket, B1 fouls hard, bringing his arms down on to A1's arms and chest.

I had warned B1 previously about pushing and shoving. I told B's coach he should take him out of the game. He asked if I was calling the foul flagrant. I said no, but it was close. He said OK and sat him for about five minutes. No problems after that.

Agree or disagree with how I handled it?

HTBT, but did you consider intentional, as opposed to flagrant (assuming NFHS rule set)?

I would disagree. You're gave the situation lip service.

Call the INT foul and penalize B1 for his actions.

It is summer league so I have no problem with that. Those games are for teaching and for kids to get a chance to play and learn from the experience. No problem with your approach, but then again I live in your area so that is the general attitude about those games. This especially works when you work the league multiple times and the coaches and players see you often.

Peace

If you're considering flagrant, you most likely should go with an intentional. It sends the message. Like Rut, I don't particularly have a problem with making a suggestion to a coach, but be prepared to be ignored. In summer ball, you can pull this stuff a little more, but I'd never even consider it during the season.

Many of these games at least around here do not even foul out players normally, so that is when I would have no problem making such a request. I would also never do this in a regular season game as fouls mean something. Here they often do not.

Peace

Yeah, I agree with not making a suggestion like this during the season. My thinking was, I'd rather it not escalate. Sit him down, cool his head.

Yeah, this particular league doesn't keep track of player fouls, just team fouls. The emphasis is on game action, not standing around shooting free throws.

And what if the coach had said "No, I'm not taking him out."?

Good question

Personally, I would have handled it like I would a regular season game...

In a blowout as you described, and play getting chippy, anything borderline is at the very least is getting an intentional foul from me. And if a foul is close to flagrant as you described, I'm tossing. I'm not going to ask to coach to sit a player because he's under no obligation to work with you and sit the player. I will say though, that most coaches are smart enough to know to sit a player if a game is getting chippy and he commits an intentional foul.

Go with the INT then maybe have a conversation with the coach. That way you're taking care of your business AND giving the coach the opportunity to address it before it escalates. Let's not forget that the offended player and HIS coach may want to see an adequate penalty so they don't feel like they have to take matters into their hands.

All fair points. Thanks.

my response to the coach: "OK".....

then just call fouls on the player in question a little more closely. He has lost the "benefit of the summer league doubt" with me.....

I don't want to go head-hunting so to speak. My thinking at the time was, if this kid doesn't come out now, he's going to do something he regrets, and I don't want that to happen.

As others have mentioned, I think I'll use an intentional foul to send my message next time.

+1

Don't change your game for one player; it's the definition of unfair.