Artificial noisemakers

[Hawks Coach]

We were waiting to play a game at the yBOA nationals when the game before us got a littl bit chippy in the stands. Team A's fans were a bit vocal, and tried hard to be as loud as possible to intimidate the Team B. With a minute left and Team B up by 15, it was clear that this intimidation had failed.

Now Team A goes to shoot FTs in a very quiet gym, and two kids supporting Team B begin kicking the bleachers to generate some noise. Noise did not exceed previous levels, but was particularly apparent because only two people were doing it in an otherwise silent gym. The ref comes over to make them stop, and cites the artifical noisemaker rule. Now I agree that the action was a little unnecessary, and more than a bit unsporting given the game sitch, but is this an apprpriate use of the artificial noisemaker rule? I can't recall an HS game from my youth when the fans didn't stomp as loud as possible on the bleachers.

[AK ref SE]

My opinion on this-
The official overstepped his authority. I have seen many times where fans kick the bleachers, its part of the game. I view noisemakers as....whistles, horns,etc.

AK ref SE

[Jurassic Referee]

Coach,that's probably stretching the rule to call "stomping" an artificial noisemaker,IMO. Still,it might be said that,in that official's judgement,it WAS an artificial noisemaker being employed. The problem is that the official used the wrong procedure anyway.He should have got the home management to make an announcement that the stomping has to cease.It's not the correct procedure for the official(nor is it very smart)to be approaching the fans directly to get them to stop.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally posted by Hawks Coach
We were waiting to play a game at the yBOA nationals when the game before us got a littl bit chippy in the stands. Team A's fans were a bit vocal, and tried hard to be as loud as possible to intimidate the Team B. With a minute left and Team B up by 15, it was clear that this intimidation had failed.

Now Team A goes to shoot FTs in a very quiet gym, and two kids supporting Team B begin kicking the bleachers to generate some noise. Noise did not exceed previous levels, but was particularly apparent because only two people were doing it in an otherwise silent gym. The ref comes over to make them stop, and cites the artifical noisemaker rule. Now I agree that the action was a little unnecessary, and more than a bit unsporting given the game sitch, but is this an apprpriate use of the artificial noisemaker rule? I can't recall an HS game from my youth when the fans didn't stomp as loud as possible on the bleachers.

Coach:

I wanted to email you through your profile but you do not allow it, so I guess I will have to let the cat of the bag. I am not officiating at the YBOA Boys' National. I had knee surgery in March for a torn medial meniscus in my right knee and went back to officiating Memorial Day Weekend. I officiated in the YBOA Girls' National Championship but my knee collapsed on me on the last day of the tournament so I am back on the disabled list until further notice. I had an MRI this afternoon.

Please email at [email protected] or through my Officiating.com profile. I would like all of the details of the game: age group, game number, day, time, and site, and teams involved. Since you made this posting today, I am going to assume that the game was played yesterday since no games are played on Wendesday. I am sure that there was a lot of complaining about the officials in the game you described and I would like to call some of my buddies at the tournament to get the skinny.

I hope that your team is doing well. Just remember that you are in sunny Florida and to enjoy the sights. Especially the ones in the bikinis around the hotel swimming pool. I miss being in Lakeland because of all of the officiating friends I have made over the years.

Thanks,

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Now I should address, the play that Hawks Coach posted.

I can tell you from years of experience at the YBOA Nationals (both boys' and girls') that the site directors do a very good job of taking care of problem fans. YBOA, unlike other national organizations, take unsportsmanlike players and coaches, as well as unruly fans seriously and will do everything possible to make sure that officials are treated in a professional manner.

In the pre-tournament officials' meeting, how to handle fans is discussed. It is emphasized that the officials should utilize the site managers to deal with problem fans. I would have to say that the situation that Coach described is one of those situations where you let a sleeping dog lie. Fans making load noises by kicking the bleachers is not disallowed under NFHS rules. By interacting with the fans (two juveniles no less), the officials just made things worse.

My rules of "engagement" regarding fans are: Ignore the fans unless:

1) The fan makes threats of phyiscal violence against any participant in the game, i.e., Scorer, Timer, my partners, myself, player, substitute, coach or other bench personnel.

2) The fan comes onto the court for any reason that is detrimental to the conduct of the game.

3) The fan makes inappropriate contact with any participant in the game.

When any of these things happen, I stop the game and inform the site director or game manger of the problem and let them take care of it. If they are unsure of what to do, I tell them that I want the fan removed from the building.

It should also be said that if I think that a fan's actions do not meet the criteria of Items 1, 2, or 3, but I think that the fan is starting to skate on thin ice, I will appraise the site manager or game manager of my observations and request that he/she keep an eye on the fan. The less interaction between an irrational fan and an official the better. Game managers are paid the big bucks to take care of fan problems.