unsportsmanlike?

[Andy]

I'm going to put this situation out there and ask for your comments.

HS tournament, NFHS rules, I am working solo, on the floor (no stand), on the same side of the court as both team benches.

At the beginning of the match, I hear Team A coach tell her players, "I want lots of excitement every time we score a point!" As the first set goes on, it becomes clear that team A is much better than team B.

So, each time Team A scores, the player seated at the end of the bench gets up and does a dance move or a cheerleader type jump or a cartwheel, then moves to the end of the bench. This goes on throughout the first set with one player even getting on the floor and doing the worm!

At the conclusion of the first set, I pull the team A coach aside and tell her that it's OK to spontaneously celebrate her teams points, but what they are doing is bordering on unsportsmanlike conduct and showing up the other team. I tell her that I do not want to see anymore of that. She gives me the "you're no fun" look, but agrees to stop. No issues in the second set.

Should I have addressed this sooner? Then team B coach was so focused on her team that I don't think she saw what was happening and never said anything to me about it. Your comments, please!

[FMadera]

Yes, you probably waited too long. Big difference between "fun" and what they were doing.

Bench players may stand for a "spontaneous" celebration. Not what it sounds like it turned into. Nip it in the bud earlier and you won't have issues down the road.