NFHS rules direct the referee to meet with the head coaches and captains before the game to set an expectation of good sportsmanship. As officials, good sportsmanship is a two-way street; that is, you must give it in order to get it.

Participants in the NFHS program range from early to late teens and can be quite impressionable. They spend hours with their coaches and often look up to members of the coaching staff with something approaching reverence. The coach is their hero. That can lead players to consciously or unconsciously follow the actions of their coaches, correct or incorrect. The coaching staff sees these players daily. By the time we officials approach the game, they have spent countless hours of practice together.

Pressures

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