annual officials' banquet

[A Pennsylvania Coach]

The chapter of officials that covers our league for both boys and girls holds an annual banquet, and invites all the coaches. Our schools cover the cost of attendance, so most of us go. Free meal and draft beer, and some camaraderie.

The official that always acts as MC is a rather witty guy. He asked everyone to pull out their rule books to note these new rule changes. The first was about the fighting rule. He mentioned that it is now optional to enforce this rule. That if all involved said they were sorry, you could continue the game like nothing happened. (A shot at the PIAA for allowing the state championship to continue after a bench-clearing brawl.)

The other was about permitting contestants to resume participating after getting knocked out. He said that it was okay to allow a coach to continue without a doctor's note. (A jab at the boys' coach at our school, who got knocked out by an opposing player's foot with 20 seconds left in a three-point game. It was a collision right in front of the bench and he leaned down to keep the player from sliding into the bench and got a foot in the temple. After a short delay the game continued, which our school won in overtime.)

All in all a fun event. If your chapter doesn't do something like this, you should consider it. It's much harder to be nasty to officials when you've been able to get to know them socially.