New Youth Sports Law in Florida

[Bad Zebra]

Bill bans youth coaches who get tossed from game

Seems vague and subjective. Interesting to see if it passes and/or ever gets enforced.

[Rich]

Terrible rule. Officials will be under pressure to keep people that need to go in games and there will be worse behavior in the long run.


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[Bad Zebra]

Originally Posted by Rich

Terrible rule. Officials will be under pressure to keep people that need to go in games and there will be worse behavior in the long run.


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Agreed. It's bad on a number of levels. May be well intentioned but really, really bad execution. Hopefully someone with some degree of intelligence in the FL legislature (HA!) will see the folly of trying to enforce (and the real-life consequences this is going to ceate) and defeat this thing before it ever comes to a vote.

And IMHO...a textbook example of government overreach.

[so cal lurker]

Originally Posted by Bad Zebra

Agreed. It's bad on a number of levels. May be well intentioned but really, really bad execution. Hopefully someone with some degree of intelligence in the FL legislature (HA!) will see the folly of trying to enforce (and the real-life consequences this is going to ceate) and defeat this thing before it ever comes to a vote.

And IMHO...a textbook example of government overreach.

I'd bet a nickle that the senator doesn't have any intention of driving this through the process to law, but is using the bill as a way of getting some attention -- both for himself and for the problem in youth sports. I'll be the bill is sparking a lot of discussions (like this one), and that some leagues may use it is as inspiration to remind coaches (and parents) of appropriate behavior. And I'd hope some would use it to remind refs to toss the miscreants who don't get the message and clean up the league.

(Our local AYSO Area had a lead administrator who would come to the referee meetings for the Area programs (most notably the older players) and plead with referees to toss the bad actors as that is how they got to the attention of an the administrator in a way she could act. After a few years of action, the environment is really quite good. Alas, not all leagues have that kind of support.)

[SC Official]

I worked a train wreck youth "church" league last year (against my better judgment) in which we were told not to give coaches technical fouls. We were told to go to the director if we had a problem with a coach (which we did many times throughout the season). The league director would never take care of business, and the problems never improved. I lost my temper with him one time and told him loudly, "Deal with that coach before I do!" Thankfully, he has been relieved of his duties by the church, and I no longer provide them my services, but apparently the new director has straightened things out (and instructs referees to call technicals).

[Adam]

Originally Posted by SC Official

I worked a train wreck youth "church" league last year (against my better judgment) in which we were told not to give coaches technical fouls.

Nothing they said after this would matter. I don't call a lot of them, but I'm not going to work a game where I know any I did call wouldn't be supported.

[Bad Zebra]

Originally Posted by SC Official

I worked a train wreck youth "church" league last year (against my better judgment) in which we were told not to give coaches technical fouls.

Big. Red. Flag.

Run away...don't walk.

[BatteryPowered]

It is great to see that all the trivial problems (infrastructure, education, poverty, economy, etc.) in Florida have been resolved and they can get to the really important issues like youth rec league coaches.

I understand that they can probably handle more than one piece of legislation at a time, but how much money is being spent on this?

---Getting off soap box---

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by BatteryPowered

It is great to see that all the trivial problems (infrastructure, education, poverty, economy, etc.) in Florida have been resolved and they can get to the really important issues like youth rec league coaches.

I understand that they can probably handle more than one piece of legislation at a time, but how much money is being spent on this?

---Getting off soap box---

Florida has had quite of few incidents of coaches/players attacking officials. I have no problem with them addressing legislation to clean up that environment.

[BatteryPowered]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

Florida has had quite of few incidents of coaches/players attacking officials. I have no problem with them addressing legislation to clean up that environment.

So what you are saying is that those that run the leagues are not capable or lack to coconuts to ban coaches on their own who create problems and that a law, which will either be next to impossible to enforce or require sports officials (many of whom don't care enough to learn the rules and proper mechanics) file a notice with a governmental entity will fix the problem.

Just curious, assuming a notice is actually sent and a coach is banned...exactly who is going to enforce the ban? The same league that didn't do anything from the beginning? Law enforcement? Many of these coaches coach in multiple leagues...are they banned from all of them?

[Rich]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

Florida has had quite of few incidents of coaches/players attacking officials. I have no problem with them addressing legislation to clean up that environment.

I worked in a state once where a HS head coach ejection resulted in forfeit.

Nobody ever got ejected. If someone actually did, there'd be this huge rigamarole about "taking the game from the kids" and other crap like that.

Baseball's a different beast -- I've only had 2 coach ejections in 28 years in basketball (none since 1995) and none in football, but it's not unusual to have one in a season of HS baseball. When you allow coaches to work on the field and then come onto the field and argue calls, it leads to situations where the only practical recourse is making them go sit on the bus.

Laws like this tie the hands of the official. Nobody wants to see a coach lose their job over a single ejection.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Rich

I worked in a state once where a HS head coach ejection resulted in forfeit.

Nobody ever got ejected. If someone actually did, there'd be this huge rigamarole about "taking the game from the kids" and other crap like that.

Baseball's a different beast -- I've only had 2 coach ejections in 28 years in basketball (none since 1995) and none in football, but it's not unusual to have one in a season of HS baseball. When you allow coaches to work on the field and then come onto the field and argue calls, it leads to situations where the only practical recourse is making them go sit on the bus.

Laws like this tie the hands of the official. Nobody wants to see a coach lose their job over a single ejection.

The law would apply only for 12 and under sports leagues, so job security wouldn't really be an issue. It would only take a couple of officials with nutz to get the message across.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

The law would apply only for 12 and under sports leagues, so job security wouldn't really be an issue. It would only take a couple of officials with nutz to get the message across.

And how many of those officials would effectively be blackballed from working those leagues / games?

When I moved to Wisconsin, I looked for some youth football to work. Found what I thought was a good program. Coaches on the field during play at the younger levels. After 3 weeks of dealing with coaches who would try to get in your face and argue in the middle of the field, the league organizer said they're hiring other people going forward "because the coaches don't like that you won't let them yell at you on the field."

[jpgc99]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

The law would apply only for 12 and under sports leagues, so job security wouldn't really be an issue. It would only take a couple of officials with nutz to get the message across.

I haven't umpired youth baseball in several years - and haven't done any baseball for a few years now - but I would volunteer to fly myself to Florida and take care of business. Tell me where to sign up.

[Rich]

I believe in the value of youth and interscholastic sports, but you will never, ever hear me use those words.