Last Two Weeks – We are heading into the final stages of the regular season for the schools. Each game may mean more than usual for playoff positioning, region championships, etc. Games may be more intense. Sharpen your focus. Sometimes even teams at the bottom of the region can lash out. Locally there has been an increase in unsporting acts which have led to 10 players being ejected from contests during the last 10 days. Stay alert in your games!
Ejections – It does not matter who you eject from a school contest. It can be a fan, the principal, the water boy, or somebody standing in a doorway. You need to file a report with the High School League after you do this. Also please send me a copy of your report to the High School League.
Foul Reporting Procedures – Church leagues and rec leagues have been underway for some time. Having qualified officials is a big plus for these leagues. However, as all of us know, this often leads to situations where you are doing 4, 5, 6 or more games per day. In these circumstances it is understandable that we may shorten the distances that we have to go when reporting a foul. We may not go to the reporting area. However, we should still follow the proper procedure at the spot of the foul. If this is done well, this may be all we need to do before resuming play. Doing this will also help us to maintain the correct habits at the spot of a foul during your school contests. For some of you there has been a noticeable deterioration of correct protocols at the spot of the foul over the last few weeks.
Tip of the Week
Free Throws – Free throws may be a break time for the players but not for officials. Know the number of free throws. Verbalize who the free thrower is. This can discourage switching shooters particularly when going to the opposite end of the court or after timeouts. It is very embarrassing to have the wrong player attempt the free throws.