Of Captains and Coin Tosses

[Rich]

We don't let kids make the wrong choice. Period.

When a captain defers their choice, I turn to the other team and say "Receive" and don't even wait for the answer before turning back to the team that deferred to see which goal they wish to defend. (I already know what the teams want anyway, cause I collect that from the coaches well before the coin toss. In 20+ years I've never had a team choose anything other than receive after the other team defers. If they did, I'd know already, cause the coach would've told me so.)

Likewise, on penalties, our wing gets the choice from the coach and I'll let the captain know what that choice is and what we're doing.

Nobody wins when we let 16 and 17 year olds make the wrong choice on the field. The kid doesn't, the team doesn't, we don't.