Hit AGAIN

[tref]

So, I'm working some wimmens wreck (win or go home games) last night. Toward the end of my 2nd game when the loss was apparent, a player on the losing team is whining for a foul. I let her vent all the way back on defense. She commits a frustration foul, I call the obvious play. As I'm reporting I hear the F bomb & BS... before I can get my whistle back in mouth she slams the ball to the rafters. I went Darell Garretson on her, "Whack, GET OUT!"
A couple trips up & down, shes still on the bench. I tell the table crew she has been ejected, she leaves or its a forfeit.
She's asking them to see a rulebook & cant believe I ejected her for the F bomb.
I call the game, turn towards the table area, take two step toward my chair & BOOM I'm beamed in the head extremely hard by the basketball.
Judging by the accuracy & velocity of the hit I just knew it was one of the mouthy boyfriends that threw the ball. I make a b-line toward their bench area & my partner says it was the player that threw a two-handed overhead ball at me
I tell her she gets a pass only because shes a female!

This is my 2nd post game altercation in about 10 years of refereeing... yeah, both happened in the off-season.

I thought I learned my lesson after the first altercation. WRONG!
Although I had been very cognizant of my surroundings during post game, I underestimated last nights situation for the mere fact that it was a female.

Moving forward, I dont care if its a male or female, adult or child, real season or off season, I have got to keep my eyes on all players at all times!

Reading the June issue of Referee Magazine page 60 makes want to do the right thing & press charges. But on a female??? C'Mon Man!

Thoughts???

[johnny d]

file charges

[Amesman]

Yes, keep an eye on all of 'em. Male or female, young or old.

As for pressing charges, you have to ask yourself: Are/were you injured? Did you feel your safety was threatened in an ongoing manner (beyond the frustrated outburst)? If you don't call her on this behavior, are you liable to be setting up the next official to be injured or incapacitated? And, as you intimate, do you want to be the next guy featured in a beer commercial for a supposedly unmanly moment?

From your description, it seems the answers are no, no, no and no. But you need to draw your own conclusions. I wouldn't let the male/female thing be the deciding factor. Some of our worst experiences come from women's (and girls') games. They don't get a free pass.

But if you get three no's above to start, then a fourth one might be the route you want to go. If you get one yes, that's all it takes to change the picture.

[Toren]

I've never been one for pressing charges, I think this country is over litigated as it is. But I certainly would have had the supervisor call the cops last night and if the state or whoever wanted to file charges, I would have given them all information they wanted.


On a side note, you need to learn to bob and weave

[rwest]

Originally Posted by Toren

I've never been one for pressing charges, I think this country is over litigated as it is. But I certainly would have had the supervisor call the cops last night and if the state or whoever wanted to file charges, I would have given them all information they wanted.


On a side note, you need to learn to bob and weave

I agree with the general statement that we are an over litigious society. However, I reserve that statement for frivolous civil law suits not criminal matters. This type of stuff will continue to happen until we as officials say enough and press charges.

[tref]

No I wasnt injured & I didnt feel my safety was threatened, but does that mean she gets away with her actions of physically touching an official because those factors are missing???

I'm not big on money hungry people filing law suits either, but pressing criminal charges is not a cry for money.

The article in RM says its more about sending a message that we're not going to just take it anymore.

[jdmara]

File charges so this doesn't happen to another official later on down the line (by her or someone else in the gym). It sends a clear message, it isn't appropriate.

-Josh

[Toren]

Originally Posted by tref

No I wasnt injured & I didnt feel my safety was threatened, but does that mean she gets away with her actions of physically touching an official because those factors are missing???

I'm not big on money hungry people filing law suits either, but pressing criminal charges is not a cry for money.

The article in RM says its more about sending a message that we're not going to just take it anymore.

I hear you...so if you feel you need to send a message, then do that.

I certainly would thank you for it.

What kind of support did you get from the site supervisor? Isn't it there job to contact the police and file the charges? Seems to me, you would have just given a statement of what happened and your partner too.

[tref]

Originally Posted by Toren

I hear you...so if you feel you need to send a message, then do that.

I certainly would thank you for it.

What kind of support did you get from the site supervisor? Isn't it there job to contact the police and file the charges? Seems to me, you would have just given a statement of what happened and your partner too.

In my experiences gym supervisors are more concerned with pacifying the players as their main objective is getting them to sign up for the next league.
As a matter of fact, this is the 3rd time I ejected a player at this particular City of Denver facility over the past 2 years & the table/supervisor neglected to get the player out of the gym.

IDK what their job is...

[Maineac]

Originally Posted by tref

No I wasnt injured & I didnt feel my safety was threatened, but does that mean she gets away with her actions of physically touching an official because those factors are missing???

The answer around these parts is a definite maybe. You just disqualified two elements of assault and/or terrorizing, but if you found the contact "offensive" you might still get an assault charge out of it. Either way it's definitely reportable and she can be inconvenienced by dealing with an investigation. Might help her act a little more responsibly to the next official.

[bainsey]

Originally Posted by Maineac

Either way it's definitely reportable and she can be inconvenienced by dealing with an investigation. Might help her act a little more responsibly to the next official.

There it is.

I can't say for sure whether I'd press charges, as I've never been in that situation, but the only thing I know is gender is irrelevant. I wouldn't get hung up on that.

[rockyroad]

I don't think I would be filing charges, but I certainly would be talking to whoever runs the league - the city or county or whoever - about their liability if this woman is allowed to continue playing and hurts another official. A lifetime ban from all rec league activities run by that city/county is certainly warranted in this case.

[amusedofficial]

Originally Posted by Amesman

As for pressing charges, you have to ask yourself: Are/were you injured? Did you feel your safety was threatened in an ongoing manner (beyond the frustrated outburst)? .

Battery is harmful or offensive touching. You don't have to be hurt, you don't have to feel threatened. And you can file a civil suit even if you don't swear out a criminal complaint.

[JWP]

Any time an official is physically assaulted, charges should be filed. Even if it did not result in injury, criminal charges should be filed at once.

If you don't call law enforcement, that sends a clear message to every hothead in the community that physical abuse of a referee is tolerated. I don't want to be the next ref who gets whacked because somebody else got away with it.

The question of whether this is a man or a woman is utterly meaningless. File the charges.

Look at it another way; what would be the reaction if you showed up at this woman's place of business and physically assaulted her? Think she wouldn't file charges in a heartbeat?

Also, you need to make a formal request to the league's governing body calling for substantial discipline against the guilty party. A full year's suspension, in my mind, should be a minimum.

[rt1111]

Me personally, im probably not gonna file charges in that situation as long as the league issues its own punishment. soley because it was one act and not a continued assault. But Denver's finest are definately gonna escort out her and everyone who came with her.

but if the league did not issue a suspension or ban I wouldnt hesitate to file. nobody is getting a free shot at me and getting off scott free