Here's a first for me.

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by TwoBits

Rec ball, 12-14 year-olds playing, NFHS rules. R1 on third, 1 out. Batter hits one hopper back to the pitcher, R1 runs home (it's rec ball), F2 has ball waiting for R1 in front of the plate. R1 raising both harms, plants them into F2's chest, and F2 goes flying backwards. I immediately signal out and eject R1. This obviously makes offensive coach unhappy who begins the typical rec ball coach question, "What is she supposed to do? The catcher was standing in the base line!" I reply she can slide, seek to avoid contact, run back to third, or not run at all.

While this conversation is occuring, the defensive coach comes out to give his opinion, a rather shocking one. He said he did not think it was malicious contact and that R1 was just protecting herself, and therefore should be allowed to continue play!

So, for better or for worse, I let her stay in the game.

Opinions or comments?

Two cents for two bits.

1) What others have said about a partner, agreed; if you had one, he/she needed to make sure you spoke with one at a time.

2) You made a decision based on your evaluation of what you saw. You are the only person with that authority, and the other coach's opinion is no more valuable than the child's father ranting outside the fence.

3) You signaled an ejection; that makes that player ineligible for the rest of the game. There is no process to uneject. If that opposing coach (you know the one that told you she should be allowed to play) was truly devious, he could have played the game out, and then, before you left the field, protested the game for violation of 3-6-20.

4) If you think you possibly overreacted, maybe you did. That means you slow down and make future decisions more thoughtfully. But you cannot change this one legally, any more so than deciding you are changing any other judgment call without considering new or additional information.

5) By UN-ejecting this player, what do think the chances are that she, her coach, or anyone else out there actually learned that what she did is illegal?

Now, all that said, these are the rulings by the book (all but #5, that is philosophy, not the book); and I assume that is what you wanted. If you made both teams happy in that rec game, that may be the best solution for that day. But you also may have made life tougher for the next time and for the next ump.