In the name of Sportmanship

[BIG DON]

Let me start off by saying this did not happen in my game, but during the year I saw both teams

Game happed last night one team was playing for a playoff position and the other team was just playing for a Win. The team that is playing for the win has the states longest loosing streak and has the 5th longest in the US.

Little History the schools are about 20 miles apart, the team that was playing for a playoff position was honoring a kid that was killed earlier this year,

During the coin toss the team that has not won a game in like 4.2 years loosing streak is at 42 refused to shake the hands of the captains and refused to shake the hand of the kid that was killed 8 year old brother.

Now the question is as a official can we force the team to shake the hands?
If Yes and they refuse do we have USC fouls on the Captains/Coach?
I am looking at this from a control point in the game that We as officials are not going to allow this type of behavior and later on in the game lose control and fights break out. Or would be opening a Pandora's box.

I do not know what happen in the game except the team remain winless and the winning team hung 66 points on them, could have been a lot worse but the winners called the dog off.
Just something to think about and discuss

[Ralph Damren]

While we don't have the authority to require handshakes, we do- IMHO - have an unwritten responsibility to report unsportsmanlike acts to the proper authorities. Each state probably has a protocol for this, it may be advising your chapter's secretary who would then pass it on the league or state office. While the coach may not be bothered by the situation, the athletic director/ principal/ superintendent/ school board may.

[BIG DON]

I could not think of anything in our tool belt that could force hand shakes.
From what I understand there are serveral Videos out there and you and it will probably be reported   This is the kind of actions I cover in pregames to make sure that we are on our toes and to always  expect the unexpected

[refjeff]

Now the question is as a official can we force the team to shake the hands?

  1.  No. 
2.  Why look for trouble?

[FLAHL]

I had this 2 years ago. I had read threads on this topic right here on Ref Stripes, so I wasn’t taken by surprise.  I didn’t force a handshake or throw a flag, but I told those players “you are on notice from the opening kickoff that there will be no warnings and no preventive officiating regarding any violation of illegal contact or unsportsmanlike conduct fouls.”  Then I went to their sideline and told their coach the same thing. We officiated accordingly.

[BIG DON]

FLAHL

That is the same way I handle it. Like I said earlier it was not my game  If what I am being told is True that team refused to shake hands with the 8 year old brother it would bother me but like been said we can not force kids to shake hands.  But we can put everybody on notice that we were not going to put up with any shenanigans, and I would also let the team that was playing for a playoff seed  out of ear shot of the team that has no chance of making the playoffs to make sure that they keep their cool because what happens in the next 48 minutes will effect next weeks game.

I believe that the winning team could have hung as many points on the losing team as they wanted to and props to the wining coach on calling the dogs off.

Now with that be said I do know of a team that refused to shake hands with a team after the game was over,  there was trouble during the game and something like 12 USC were called on one team,  The coach thought it would be better to send his team to the locker room and avoid any possible trouble.


 

[HLinNC]

We were instructed in NC this summer by our state super to flag it here.

[BIG DON]

Ok What rule reference do you site?

[JasonTX]

If I were a kid I would not want someone to shake my hand because they are being forced to.  I would rather it be genuine.

[AlUpstateNY]

Although I agree, you can't force someone to be nice, or respectful, I wouldn't hesitate to have a really serious discussion, immediately, with the HC of the offending team and alert him, in no uncertain terms, that disrespectful conduct will NOT be tolerated and the display by his captains is an indication of foreboding conduct that you and the crew have been alerted to. 

The HC would be reminded we are all there to play a football game, NOT to oversee a brawl or war.

From that point on, ANY USC behavior would be considered FLAGRANT, and offenders including coaches, risk immediate disqualification for breeches of behavior.

Either YOU are in control, or you're not.

[js in sc]

Understandably we are concerned about what the opposing team did by shunning the 8 year old brother, but I wonder how he felt about it.
Did the officials shake his hand?  Did they try to make him feel better about this slight?
Sometimes we need to be more concerned about the innocents who are affected.
Kudos to the coach who could have made a statement by totally ripping the opponent, rather than holding back.
It was him who made the statement about sportsmanship, not the players. 

[FLAHL]

Ok What rule reference do you site?

If I remember correctly, those who felt that we do have the authority to make them shake hands cited 9-5-1g

“g. Refusing to comply with a game official’s request.”

Excerpt From
2018 NFHS Football Rules Book
NFHS

[Ralph Damren]

In Maine, we require the head coach to join his captains at the coin toss to satisfy 1-1-5. The coaches ,in turn, shake hands with each other and the opposing captains. The ref will say to the coaches : "Do you both agree to play by the NFHS sportsmanship code?" The coaches answer : "Ayuh, 'spect so." The ref then excuses the coaches to return to their sidelines and says to the captains : "You were elected captains not necessarly because of your athletic abilities, but because of your leadership skills. Can we rely on you helping us in keeping your teammates under control?"- or something there such. They'll reply : "Ayuh, 'spect so." - or something there such......

No problems, yet.

[AlUpstateNY]

Sometimes an ounce of prevention can actually be worth a pound of cure.

[VALJ]

We were instructed in NC this summer by our state super to flag it here.

Ok What rule reference do you site?

His instructions from the state are all he needs to cite.  His authority comes from the state, not from the NFHS.

Barring an instruction like this from the state, we have no authority to force a handshake without nebulous use of either the "God rule" or the "not following a game official's instructions rule".

[JasonTX]

I'm not sure if captains remember anything we tell them during the coin toss speech.  I simply wish them both good luck and to go out there and have fun.  Then proceed to the toss.  I may have read it here or someone told me once that being that the captains don't remember the "sportsmanship speech" they instead ask the captains, " Can you tell me why the bologna is round but the bread is square?"  That's something they will remember. 

[Ralph Damren]

His instructions from the state are all he needs to cite.  His authority comes from the state, not from the NFHS.

Barring an instruction like this from the state, we have no authority to force a handshake without nebulous use of either the "God rule" or the "not following a game official's instructions rule".

Each state has the authority to strengthen a NFHS rule. The classic example is disqualification doesn't indicate any future game impact in the NFHS book, but many states will enforce a future suspension. If a state chooses to weaken a rule...example - not to call any more holding fouls...their right to vote at the rules meeting would be suspended. An exception is made if a state has registered it as an experimental rule.

IMHO, refusing to shake hands would fall into the same lobster trap as taking a knee during Our Star Spangled Banner. Not popular, by my standards, but should be dealt with by the schools as education should include sportsmanship and patriotism.