Hasn't happened yet, but.......

[ajmc]

'm pleased to see that you consider teaching student athletes to deliberately circumvent the rules of the game something you don't condone, but why are you so "sure it's done in many places"?

Sadly, I've seen what I might think are sporadic examples of it being done, but I've never been convinced that it's "condoned" rather than something caused by ignorance, frustration, desperation or a temporary loss of logic.

If you see it, you need to address it immediately right there on the spot, as inconspicuously as possible, but the person suggesting such tactics needs to be instructed that what he is teaching is wrong, will absolutely not be tolerated and if repeated, or carried out, will be dealt with harshly and reported.

[Blue37]

Originally Posted by ajmc

If you see it, you need to address it immediately right there on the spot, as inconspicuously as possible, but the person suggesting such tactics needs to be instructed that what he is teaching is wrong, will absolutely not be tolerated and if repeated, or carried out, will be dealt with harshly and reported.

I would not worry about being inconspicuous.

At a middle school game earlier this year, the winning team taunted the defense after yet another touchdown. We immediately flagged the taunting, but the losing coach did not think that was sufficient. He yelled to his players to "Punch him in the mouth if he does that again."

I immediately took an official's timeout and had a talk with him in front of his bench. I kept my voice at a conversational level and turned my back to the bench area while we were talking so as to keep the discussion private, but everyone on that sideline knew why I was there. After explaining the error of his ways, I had him call his team to the sideline so he could tell them he said it in frustration and they were not to follow through on the instruction. I took the opportunity, while he talked to his team, to move to the other sideline and discuss the USC with the winning coach. He had already pulled the offender from the game and we did not see him again that afternoon.

No more problems from either side. Had I let it go, however, who knows what might have happened.

[ajmc]

"as inconspicuously as possible". Stopping the game and talking to the coach near his sideline, with your back to the bench area, in a tone keeping the discussion private seems to fit, "as inconspicuously as possible" to me.

Conspicuous would be shouting towards the sideline from the middle of the field, or facing the team area and loudly balling out the coach in front of his players, or shouting and gesturing while you were talking to him. His talking to his players confirmed to, "everyone on that sideline knew why I was there".

Sometimes you just have to crack a few eggs to make breakfast, but you should avoid throwing the shells in anyone's face.