I hope this communication finds you well and enjoying the fruit of your officiating craft during this holiday season.

There are a couple of points I wish to make with reference to unsportsmanlike conduct reports that we have been receiving in the FHSAA Office lately. There are several areas of concern:

1) Contest officials are not accurately reporting the details of the unsportsmanlike conduct incidents. This includes minimizing the severity of the action to assist the school or individual in minimizing the penalty that may be assessed from this office. Please report the incident as you have witnessed it, no more, no less. There is no need to report the intent of an individual but do report the unsportsmanlike conduct demonstrated.

2) Contest officials are relying on third parties to submit the unsportsmanlike conduct reports. Unfortunately, in doing so, reports may be altered or not submitted at all, causing the officials to be penalized in accordance with the FHSAA Officials Guidebook. This is unfortunate as it creates an ill-feeling by the contest official, thinking he or she has met the policy, when in actuality he or she has not.

3) Report unsportsmanlike conduct that does not result in an ejection but causes a delay in the contest. This expectation is nothing new. It is actually in the FHSAA Officials Guidebook to do so. It appears that fan unsportsmanlike conduct is on the rise and we are working with our member schools to address this. This is not a directive for officials to pay any more attention to fan misconduct than you have, but this communication urges you to report incidents that involve fans fighting (especially with players, coaches and assaulting officials), entering the playing area as a disruption of the contest, rushing the court immediately at the conclusion of the contest, etc.

4) During the fall season, we experienced one reported brawl situation. This is a drastic improvement from one year ago. However, the winter sports incidents of this nature have picked up. Be diligent in preventative officiating. Schools often say this happens because the officials did not control the game. We understand the officials may play a proactive role in deterring, but this office believes the coaches play an equally, if not more, active role in this process.

5) At the Officials Leadership Conference, officials association were encouraged to establish a brawl mechanic for its officials. Most associations have done this as reported. The one brawl that occurred during the fall sports was addressed thoroughly due to the training of the officials association that worked that contest. If the official is not in danger, we do expect the officials to record and report as much information as possible regarding the incident.

We understand and appreciate your efforts in providing this service to the students of Florida. It is always a challenge to enforce rules but be knowledgeable of the rule and the mission of interscholastic contests and we should all enjoy this competitive, holiday season!

Sincerely,

M. Denarvise Thornton, Jr.

Associate Executive Director

FHSAA