go slow , then slower , then slow down

[Sleeper]

We had a situation with a player in a Varsity game this year that was pretty tight. He was doing a lot of trash talking, and my white hat asked me to tell the coach about the situation and that the player was close to a UC flag. I let the coach know and the coach pulled the player for a couple of plays to get him calmed down. We never, though, ever thought of "sitting the kid down". That is the coaches job and responsibility. It is our responsibility to enforce the rules. The preventive officiating came through informing the coach of a potential problem and pending violation. If the coach chooses to let him play, then the coach and player accept the consequences of the decision. We are not babysitters.

Players need to learn that there are reprocussions for what they do. Sometimes, it means that they get 15 yards and a ticket to watch from the sidelines. In Texas, they also get to watch for the next game as well. It seems harsh, but channeling the agression of the sport while still being under control is part of learning to play the game.