Coach pulls team from game

[Mark Padgett]

Another wonderful girls HS summer league game. Team A is coached by the guy who runs the league. Team B is coached by "Beavis The Wonder Jerk". Team B has only 5 players. On the bench before the game, I notice one of his girls getting ready to put a band-aid on the nose of one of the other girls. I walk over and see a diamond stud pierced through her nose. I tell her it must come out if she is to play. She says she can't take it out, so I tell her she doesn't have to, but she can't play with it in.

Beavis goes berserk, saying that this is "ridiculous". He says that since it is not a "real" high school game, she should be able to play with it.

Coach A comes over and asks what the problem is. I tell him that a) the league rules that came to all of us from Juulie clearly stated in big letters: NO JEWELRY - NO EXCEPTIONS, and b) if I knowingly allow a player to wear jewelry, my liability insurance does not cover me.

He suggests we play 4 on 4 and that's fine with me. The other coach is pissed but agrees. We play for about 3 or 4 minutes when Beavis goes over to Coach A and tells him this is not working because he can't run his offense with only 4 players. Coach A asks me again if there's anything I can do. I tell him that it's his league, so if he wants to let her play, that's fine, but I won't work the game. He nods and tells me he understands and tells Beavis that she cannot play - period. Beavis throws up his hands and pulls his team off the floor.

He comes over to me and "wants my name". I tell him, and then offer to spell my last name slowly because it has two syllables and might be difficult for him to remember. He just stares. I offer him my card. He says sure, and after I hand it to him, he rips it up. I tell him he just killed two trees. He starts yelling and I tell him to save his breath, because he might need it that night to blow up his date.

He clams up when people start laughing at him and I leave.

On my way home, I stop at another gym where Juulie is doing evals and tell her what happened. Coach A also arrives, comes over to us and says he can't believe the girl wouldn't remove the stud.

Here's the kicker - I have this team again in the final game of the night on the final night of the season - and I'm working that game with Dave!!! I can hardly wait!