Unfortunately an unpleasant an disconcerting trend in high school athletic events continues. I reference the more common occurrence of violence on the periphery of events and actual fighting between participants and fans at the events.
The Champaign school district administration had to respond to a student's shooting death, which happened on a football game night. Their response was to move all Champaign high schools' football games to Saturday daytime hours. I'm sure they also beefed up security. The Champaign leadership also felt a need to cancel their scheduled inaugural Thanksgiving boys' basketball tournament with no plans to reinstate.
Just last night at the Alton Thanksgiving Classic a fight broke out between Alton and Riverview Gardens players with just seconds remaining in the contest and Alton leading by a wide margin.The administration canceled that game causing both teams to forfeit and announced the remaining tournament games for today (Saturday) November 24 will also be canceled. This results in 8-teams being denied participation in the basketball tournament.
These decisions, of course are easily second-guessed and I choose not to do that but instead suggest that every circumstance would perhaps call for different responses. Speaking generally, I will offer a personal opinion since I have the responsibility of directing the Decatur 8-team boys' Thanksgiving Basketball Tournament. If the social climate is such that it would merit cancellation, I would first pursue the possibility of suspending any player who acted in an unsportsman-like manner but then I would suggest to the administration to consider 'locking out' spectators except for the media and continue playing the games. Why should good student-athletes be punished for others' bad choices and behavior?
PS. I'll bet the games behind closed doors would likely be better played in a more 'pure form.'
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