Team Refuses to Play
 

A local high school just had its gym floor replaced because of water damage over the summer. Tonight was supposed to be the first games played on the new floor.

Sophomore game, then Varsity. The sophomores play a double overtime game.

I heard this story second hand, but what I heard was a parent of the visiting team complained about the fumes coming from the finish of the new floor or something like that. The visiting team apparently refused to play, and the team left.

Not sure if the game was forfeited or not.

Anyone had a team refuse to play the game before? For any reason other than a safety concern? What did/would/should you do as officials?

I've never had a team refuse to play.

But I would support a decision that puts safety before anything else.

I do believe in this situation, that an independent decision needs to be made if the court was in fact safe, and if so, H has to option of being awarded a win by V forfeit.

If a team refuses to play, we leave, file a report with the powers that be and let them decide who wns and who loses...

Just send me my check....;)

and I would immediately call my assignor and league commissioner to inform them - in real time.

If possible, it's best to replace/refinish your floor in the summer - all the doors can be open to let it air out. I remember when my old HS refinished its' (fairly new) floor...when I walked in I thought I was going down - powerful stuff!

Get home early that night.;)

With at least a show up fee.

For sure. Unfortunately, I think they discovered this problem in August, right before school started. They gym had been boarded up all fall semester. I have a game there tomorrow night, so I guess I'll see for myself.

Should be a full game fee.

I agree, but we know how that goes...

No like no fee around here...

At the extreme level you could forfeit the game. But based on the article, there were other circumstances to what was taking place. I am sure the officials were aware of such issue.

Glad I do not have a game at that site. ;)

Peace

Had this school at a different site tonight. I asked one of the underlevel coaches about it and he said that the decision was made before the sophomore game was finished.

So the forfeit possibility was not there, because the officials couldn't have been there to direct the team to play.

He also made the point that no school administrator is going to risk kids' safety if someone raises a question. Not in this day and age.

We'll see tomorrow night. I've got a girl's JV game between the same two schools involved in the cancellation. Wonder what the coaches of the varsity teams from the visiting schools said to each other about it.