In a minor football mess a 12 year old was ejected from a game and suspended for the next (The League Championship game no less) for a block on a punt return. This targeting crap has hit the fan and this was far from a cheap shot. I can understand why the game ejection was called by a minor football ref but to uphold the suspension is ridiculous.

 

This quote makes it seem like a power trip. Let's raise a stink on this and get them to allow this 12 year old to play.

 

COMFL president Dan Labanowich said parents, Stampeders officials and referees who were asked to review the call are missing the point.

 

“It’s not an appealable offence,” he said. “It’s the referee’s call, plain and simple. A rule is a rule is a rule. He was penalized, he was ejected, and the paperwork was done properly at the end of the game.”

 

http://www.insidehalton.com/sports-story/4195415-suspended-peewee-stampeders-player-will-miss-title-game/

 

YouTube video set up to the 9:14 mark.

http://youtu.be/N8WWCublG2M?t=9m14s

Not surprising that a player thrown out of a game has to sit out the next. That's the rules in Calgary minor football. You'd think the kid's head coach would know that. How the coach talking to the ref would have made a difference is beyond me because a ref won't reverse his decision.  If anything, it would make the refs more intransigent & dig in their heels. A league will always back the refs nearly 100% of the time. Without seeing the play, it's impossible to know if the suspension is justified or not.

Not surprising that a player thrown out of a game has to sit out the next. That's the rules in Calgary minor football. You'd think the kid's head coach would know that. How the coach talking to the ref would have made a difference is beyond me because a ref won't reverse his decision.  If anything, it would make the refs more intransigent & dig in their heels. A league will always back the refs nearly 100% of the time. Without seeing the play, it's impossible to know if the suspension is justified or not.

He provided a link to the play.

 

That was a beautiful football play and if that was my kid I'd be none to impressed.

It's a clean open field block on a punt return.

 

The problem is that refs have that twitchy trigger finger and anything that looks like it was vicious must be an infraction.

 

Put it this way iso if this is considered "Objectionable Conduct - Rough Play" then every time your guard pulled or your receiver blocked their DB out it'd be an ejection. Let's just play two hand touch instead.

I have contacted their Board of Directors suggesting that their policy that suspensions can't be appealed be looked at this off season. Especially in this day and age when every movement is video taped either by the team, the parents or the grandparents if there is a clear visual recording of the incident it should be open to review.

 

Again I'm not blaming the ref for throwing the flag but they should've huddled as an officiating team and discussed whether the block was worthy of a flag, ejection or none of the above.

I understand that they want to protect players, but honestly like in hockey the best way to protect the kids is to teach them to be aware of everything. If you know a hit might be coming you can prepare yourself for it. 

 

Not surprising that a player thrown out of a game has to sit out the next. That's the rules in Calgary minor football. You'd think the kid's head coach would know that. How the coach talking to the ref would have made a difference is beyond me because a ref won't reverse his decision.  If anything, it would make the refs more intransigent & dig in their heels. A league will always back the refs nearly 100% of the time. Without seeing the play, it's impossible to know if the suspension is justified or not.

He provided a link to the play.

 

That was a beautiful football play and if that was my kid I'd be none to impressed.

 

Thanks. Missed the link & then I replayed that play back a number of times as it isn't clear if the blocker is leading with his helmet or not. I see him finish the block & it looked like his shoulder hit the tackler wiping him out.  I will say it looked fine to me but again, the ref threw the flag so the penalty stands fair or unfair. As there is no appeals process to a suspension, it's the league by laws that need changing unfortunately & I can say from my experience of coaching up the ranks of minor & high school football, I don't think that'll ever change.

Most community leagues are run by people who aren't experienced as both officials & players so they want no part in overruling an official in a situation like this. They are comfortable & secure knowing they are safe behind the words of the league by laws as composed by a lawyer. So, I believe that nothing will ever be done.  

Rids, your kids are just starting to play the game. Get used to the politics. And championships lost on horrible, HORRIBLE calls because the officials at the pee wee level are just starting their reffing careers. Even at the pee wee level the game is too fast for some of these referees. Good luck not clawing your eyes out in frustration in the coming years.

It's a clean open field block on a punt return.

 

The problem is that refs have that twitchy trigger finger and anything that looks like it was vicious must be an infraction.

 

Put it this way iso if this is considered "Objectionable Conduct - Rough Play" then every time your guard pulled or your receiver blocked their DB out it'd be an ejection. Let's just play two hand touch instead.

Not disagreeing Rids. I've seen penalties in minor football a that age for tackling too hard.  Clean tackles but the refs felt a player could have let up. These rules really discriminate against the aggressive players in favour of the kids who are passive. I don't like them but they are there. 

I don't care if a ref feels like a player could have let up.

 

If it's a clean hit, I don't care if he steamrolled the guy and absolutely buried him. Football is a contact sport at every level, I hate that we're getting to a point where every level of football has officials calling penalties on clean hits that look "too rough".

I don't care if a ref feels like a player could have let up.

 

If it's a clean hit, I don't care if he steamrolled the guy and absolutely buried him. Football is a contact sport at every level, I hate that we're getting to a point where every level of football has officials calling penalties on clean hits that look "too rough".

When it comes to kids that when the rules get blurred. I can tell you from experience you can have two 12 year olds. One is 6 feet & 180 lbs & the other not even 5 feet tall & less than a hundred lbs. Some kids are bullies constantly looking for the little guys to bury. Refs will call a game differently at the lower levels of community football because of that.

Tell you guys a story back to the day when my then 12 year old son played pee wee football & I coached on that team here in Calgary back in 2002. We had a 12 year old linebacker who was big. About 5'9 & 150 lbs. He was the best linebacker in the league & even kids on our team were afraid of him. In tackling drills we had to virtually throw our biggest bravest guys in there to go against him. I know kids on other teams were afraid of him as I heard kids from different teams talking about him. The kid was the dominant alpha male on our team & he definetly ruled on the football field.

One game we played a team that had the best running back tearing up the league. This kid was a big back almost the same size as our linebacker & loved to run over tacklers The only way to really stop him was to spy wherever he ran. So, we got our big linebacker to do that thinking he'd shut the running back down no problem.

Well, after the first half our alpha male linebacker was done & refused to play in the second half. He didn't like the kid lowering his shoulder running over him on every play as it hurt & he got scared. Our backer was crying on the bench & didn't want to go  back in. That running back punished our linebacker not the other way around.

As soon as our tough linebacker met another tough player he crumpled. He wasn't as tough as he thought & I think he was shocked at how the kid just kept running him over. That back was breaking off huge runs for touchdowns in the second half & we couldn't stop him. We ended up losing badly.
I always thought that what happened was a great personal lesson to our player. He got to feel the way other smaller kids felt when he hit or tackled them. He got scared & was intimidated. Maybe for the first time in his life.

So, this happens a lot in pee wee & bantam. As a coach we really had to be vigilant & make sure our smaller players were protected because of the size difference. Same with the officials & that's why referee calls like this fairly or unfairly are made at the lower levels. It's not about being a tough football player. It's about preventing injuries on the field & for the bigger kids to stop headhunting smaller ones.