We hope you are enjoying the holiday season! As games start to ramp up, we want to address the issue of fan ejections. They are up — all justified — and the Section V Boys Basketball chairperson and individual league chairs are aware of the issue.

Some things to remember:

  • Identify and introduce yourself to the site administrator before the game. Find out from the site administrator where the site administrator will be during the game.
  • Do not engage directly with fans.  Follow the process for removing fans. Find the site administrator and let them deal with the problem. This is important from a liability perspective. In today’s video clip world, which frequently gets followed by a threat of lawsuits, it’s just not worth it.
  • Try to keep a level head. As a situation gets hot, our job is to stay cool. Try to alert the site administrator of any issue before it becomes an ejection, if possible.  
  • Use your people skills with coaches and players. Sometimes when we look like we are all enjoying the night and the coaches and players are with us…this can help diffuse hostile environments. We will have rivalries and matchups where the gym gets hot. Again, work to break down the temperature.
  • If there is an issue, do not contact the school directly. All contact with the school should be through the President of Board 60. 
  • Be sure to note the ejection on the Sportsmanship form on the website and file out the proper paperwork in a timely manner.

We recently sent a request to all the leagues asking for the following to be mandatory and available at every school and neutral site tournament contest. 

  • The site supervisor/administrator has to be visible and available. A strong presence by the person in charge is not optional. The schools must be on board with this.
  • Schools have been asked to be aware of their “problem” sections.  At some schools, it’s the student section. Others, it’s the parents. Regardless, we have asked the schools to have site administrators or SRO (School Resource Officers) stations at these sections to prevent issues.  
  • At least the offer of being walked to our cars after games. We understand that some nights don’t necessarily call for this. However, we made the schools aware that they need to have a better read on individual game nights that may call for this service. 

Also, keep up the good work! We are off to a great start to the season and appreciate everyone’s efforts. 

Please, let us know if you are ever in a spot where you feel like the environment wasn’t safe or a school didn’t meet the basic requirements of game management. 

Thank you,

Todd R. Kirkey
(585) 287-0987