LineUp Situation

[MCBear]

The Umpire should have caught that the serving team had the wrong person in the serving position when Team A's starting players were checked on the court prior to the server being given the ball by the umpire at the beginning of the game. Also, the scorekeeper should have noticed immediately that the wrong server was beginning the game.

In addition, where was the Team A Head Coach during this whole situation? After all, the head coach should have recognized that the server was NOT the person that was entered on the lineup sheet in the first serving position.

No matter HOW it happened, once the ball was contacted, the serving team is penalized with a loss of rally for the wrong server. The lineup is corrected and the game goes on.

Unless the Head Coach is a real jerk and the behavior is really bad, I do everything I can as an Umpire to defuse the situation to avoid having to give a card for MY screw-up. To stop the coach from continuing the monologue, say the following, "Coach, can I ask you a question?" and then don't say anything for moment or two; or say something to break their pattern like, "Coach, I was wondering, would you like to go to the concession stand with me right now and we can discuss this as we go?" Although that last one may sound really out of left field, I am sure the coach will stop talking because you asked such an off-the-wall question. The coach is running a pattern of learned behavior and asking a different question or responding differently than they expect will interrupt the pattern and give you a chance to have a civil discussion with them.