OHSAA policy drawing mixed reactions
By SETH STASKEY, T-L Sports EditorArticle Links
» Respect the Game
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Respect the Game!
It’s the motto taken on by the Ohio High School Athletic Association a couple of years ago to promote good sportsmanship in prep sports.
The idea means so much to the state’s governing body that it sent each member school a DVD that it was supposed to show to athletes, coaches and parents before the fall, winter and spring sports season.
According to the OHSAA’s website, “the Respect the Game program isn’t designed to tell you how to behave. It’s just a reminder of what you already know: high school athletics is important and valuable.”
Well, according to data observed by the OHSAA that was published in this paper on Sunday dealing with the amount of ejections through the school year, the state doesn’t feel that game has been respected enough.
So, taking matters into its own hands the state revised its rules dealing with ejections for coaches by adding a $100 fine and requiring the offender to take an online class dealing with anger management. And the ejected coach must still serve a suspension.
On Sunday, the coaches — who are the ones who are going to have to be on better behavior as we approach the 2008-09 athletic year — gave their takes. Today, we hear from the athletic directors who are the folks who must police the interworkings of the athletic departments and could find themselves directly in a crossfire.
“The commissioners are really big on the ‘Respect the Game’ idea, and if this rule is going to improve that, I am all for it,” said Barnesville A.D. Mark Cook. “I think coaches are going to be held a lot more accountable now. The Respect the Game program is geared on fans, players and coaches in respecting officials.”
St. Clairsville’s Kelly Rine — who’s worked closely with the OHSAA as a tournament manager in several sports both at St. C. and during his last job as the A.D. at Meadowbrook — is all about sportsmanship and promoting it the best way he and St. C. High can.
“I am certainly all for pro-active steps to improve coaching sportsmanship,” Rine said. “I don’t know that it’s an over-reaction based on the stats given to us on coaching ejections. I don’t think it’s a knee-jerk reaction either on the state’s part.”
Rine had heard about this proposal coming down the pike and was actually “surprised” when he heard it had gone through.
“I think it’s going to take a significant effort by the OHSAA to enforce it,” Rine said. “One immediate concern that I have is an inexperienced official with a grudge could lead to a quick trigger.”
Harrison Central Athletic Director Mark Kowalski — who also serves as the girls’ basketball coach — thinks the coaching rule could lead to less problems from the crowd and even the players down the road.
“I don’t have any problem with this rule from an athletic director’s standpoint,” Kowalski said. “Sometimes the players act like the coaches do, and anytime there’s a coach ejected a problem with the fans could stem from that, so from a game management perspective it could help deter some unfortunate situations and events.”
Martins Ferry Athletic Director Dave Bruney doesn’t agree with the new rule one bit because he feels it takes some of the power away from the schools.
“If we would have a coach being ejected numerous times or an inordinate amount of times, we’d discipline that coach,” Bruney said. “He or she probably wouldn’t be coaching for us very long.”
Bruney thinks the state is going to this level because of areas away from the Eastern District.
“Personally, I can’t believe that this passed,” Bruney relayed. “I think the state is looking at it as if we’re not responsible enough to handle the problem.”
As a coach, Bruney also realizes there are times when a coach could legitimately become heated enough to get to the breaking point. If that happens, he and other Ferry officials will sit down and discuss the ejection if that were to have occurred.
“If in our opinion, the coach had good reason to express himself in the manner he did, we’ll pay the $100 fine,” Bruney said. “However, if the coach wasn’t justified, then that coach will pay the fine out of his own pocket.”
Beallsville High School hasn’t dealt with an ejection of a coach in at least five years, according to athletic director Delmas Moore. The Blue Devils’ athletic department is probably one of many which make that claim.
“I understand the intent of the rule,” Moore said. “I think the $100 is pretty severe because some of our coaches don’t get paid at all and some are getting a real minimal salary, but a coach must conduct himself professionally.”
Moore — who doesn’t coach any sports at Beallsville — agrees with Bruney that the school is the first level of defense in dealing with coaches who are continually getting tossed.
“I think it’s our job as administrators and as a school to deal with coaches we are continually having problems with,” Moore continued. “All coaches are competitive and you have to walk a fine line, but I think the school needs to deal with it before the state has to get involved.”
It’s not like athletic directors didn’t already have enough on their desks with schedules, finances, game management, etc and now they’ve got even more to consider and/or worry about.
Staskey can be reached at sstaskey@timesleaderonline.com
