Sometimes I Just Don't Understand.

I refereed a Jr. High game last night and immediately the coach on my sideline began to give me problems. On the second play from scrimmage I had to throw a flag for a sideline warning. This meant the coach wasn't back where he needed to be at the snap of the ball. For the last several years the rules have been adjusted to keep the coaches off the playing field and starting this year the coaches have to be in the team box at the snap. The reason for this rule being a special point of emphasis is because about three years ago a high school coach was run over by an official on the field of play. The coach fell back and hit his head on the ground which cause traumatic brain injury and the coach is no longer in coaching. Well, the twist to this is the school district sued the official crew and the official for NOT enforcing the rule. The school district lost the case and their football coach. Every since that happened, keeping the coaches off the field has been a point of emphasis. Anyway, I digress, I asked the coach to step back and he didn't so I threw the flag on the next play from scrimmage. He and his assistant went ballistic, when he got in my face and began screaming, I threw another flag. I could have gotten him for unsportsmanlike conduct but I gave him his second warning which this time carried a 5 yard penalty. Now I have been officiating for over 13 or 14 years and having a coach go ballistic on me before but when the coach started to question my integrity he got to me for a fleeting moment. He was complaining that the other teams coaches were on the field. He said, "if you have any integrity in you at all you'll throw a flag on the other coaches for not getting back!" I said, " now coach would you want the referee throwing a flag on you from his sideline?" He said, "yes if I was on the field". I said, "right". End of conversation! I guess when he saw that he wasn't going to rattle me he decided to back off. The rest of the night went without a peep from either coach and they shook my hand and thanked me after the game. Unfortunately, this has become the norm and each year the coaches have become more and more aggressive. If it were not for the 4 other guys on that field I believe I would turn in my stripes. I love those guys and I love the time I spend with them good and bad games!