Always something new, even after 49 seasons.
Had a 6-player game recently. Turned out to be the very first varsity game for a new private school - EVER. Coaches were very nice and respectful, but very inexperienced. During pre-game conference with them, I asked to check their game balls. OK, no problem. They handed me a couple of fairly new, reasonably inflated footballs, which I marked quickly. I asked if they had any more, because only the ones I marked could be used in the game. The HC turned to a manager-type kid and said, "Hey, bring me that kicking ball." Chuckling internally, I said, "Uh, coach, I can check and mark that ball, if it is good, but you can't ask for any specific ball to used at any point in the game." Coach: "Oh, I can't?" Me: "No, sir." Coach: "Oh. Well, never mind."
During the coin toss, this same new team had four captains (of their 7 total players). I marched them out, backs to sideline, facing the other captains. They ended up having to kick off, so they chose to defend the south goal. I asked them to put their backs to "that" goal (as I pointed toward the south goal). All four, almost in perfect unison, rotated in place, to face the north, while still parallel to the sideline. Uh, no, fellas. Move to this yard line and line up on the yard line and face toward the north. They did.
I guess they'd never seen a coin toss before. (?)
I still felt like I performed a valuable service, even when went home at half-time, after it was 56-0.
