Bench Decorum

[JetMetFan]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I do not care hardly at all what a coach does when they are not yelling at me or not using profanity directed at me or an opponent. Coaches get excited and that is OK just like it is OK for a player to get excited sometimes. It is really a case by case situation too. I cannot ever think of a time I really said much to a coach that was simply coaching.

Peace

NFHS 10-4-1c says coaches/bench personnel shall not use profanity or inappropriate language or obscene gestures.

In other words, by rule it doesn't matter if they say it to us, the other team or their own players.

I work the majority of my H.S. games for the NYC Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL). For the 2010-11 season the PSAL adopted a no tolerance policy on profanity...esssentially, telling us to enforce 10-3-6b and 10-4-1c to the letter. I rang up a coach this season who dropped an F-bomb during OT after his team turned the ball over...and he said it loud enough that players on the other team heard him. He was more embarrassed than upset...and relieved because his team won.

One thing I will say is it has cut down on a lot of player/player nonsense as well as stuff directed towards us.