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Big Celebrations Causing Big Problems for High School Football Players
Filed under: In The News, Sports
Warning to high school football players: Beware the chest pump and the chest thump.
They're common celebrations after touchdowns and other big plays at every level from kiddie football to the National Football League. But high school officials are cracking down.
In Atwater, Calif., Atwater High School senior Angel Molina had just scored his third touchdown of the game -- a feat by any standard -- earlier this season when he tapped his chest twice and pointed his finger at the sky.
"I didn't say anything," Angel told the Merced Sun-Star. "I just pointed up. I was honoring God."
The team was penalized 15 yards for an unsportsmanlike display.
That was mild compared with the punishment dealt high school senior T.J. Peeler. In October, referees ejected T.J. from a game and suspended him from the next one for serial chest-bumping – a joyful smashing of chests, usually with a teammate.
The first time, T.J., one of the top-rated running backs in the Washington, D.C. area, wasn't even in the game. The chest bump took place on the sidelines. A few minutes later, T.J. ran 63 yards for a touchdown and, in the back of the end zone, chest-bumped again. Another penalty.
The team was penalized 15 yards for an unsportsmanlike display.
That was mild compared with the punishment dealt high school senior T.J. Peeler. In October, referees ejected T.J. from a game and suspended him from the next one for serial chest-bumping – a joyful smashing of chests, usually with a teammate.
On behalf of the star player, officials at Broad Run High School in Ashburn, Va., appealed the suspension -- and won. The runner was then eligible to play in a key playoff game for Broad Run on Nov. 20. The Broad Run Spartans won that game -- their winning streak stands at 26 -- and are now two victories away from a state championship.
Though it may seem like it, referees aren't trying to suck the fun out of high school sports. They're just following the rules of the National Federation of State High School Associations. Before the season, the NFHS distributed letters to high school athletic directors telling them it's cracking down on excessive celebrating and other examples of questionable sportsmanship.
Under rule 9-5-1: "No player shall act in an unsportsmanlike manner once the officials assume authority for the contest."
Some examples of bad behavior: "Baiting or taunting acts or words or insignia worn which engenders ill will" and "Any delayed, excessive or prolonged act by which a player attempts to focus attention upon himself."
T.J. told the Washington Post that he is revising his touchdown parties. "I'll probably just not do any chest-bumps. Probably just do a thumbs-up or something like that."
ParentDish sports reporter Mark Hyman is the author of "Until It Hurts: America's Obsession With Youth Sports and How It Harms Our Kids" (Beacon Press).
Have a suggestion for an article on youth sports? Contact Mark at pdyouthsports@aol.com.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
12-04-2009 @ 2:22PM
LS said..."Excessive celebration" is hiding a cellphone in the goalpost. "Excessive celebration" is doing those ridiculous dances that the pros do to get camera time. Excessive celebration is not pointing to the sky or a "bump" with a teammate.
These people need to get a grip.
Reply
12-06-2009 @ 9:05AM
Inger said...I agree! Next there won't be winners and losers because someone's feelings might get hurt!
2-27-2010 @ 11:45PM
Cotay Kviddera said...They just need us to have a little fun when we score. As long as you don't say anything or dont use props, you should be good to do about watever you want to
12-06-2009 @ 9:15PM
sicilian said...When did america become filled with a bunch of P. U. S. S. I. E. S.
Reply
12-06-2009 @ 11:09PM
Jim said...I'll tell you why: The ACLU, the Democratic Party and any other cream puff organization bent on making things "fair." We as a country have gone too far. Kids can't play tag, there are no winners and losers in youth sports for fear of hurt fellings, and all of these initiatives have ill prepared America's youth for the real world.
12-06-2009 @ 9:42PM
danny k careins said...Way back in the 1990s there was a kid from Indiana whose grandfather had come to everyone of his high school games. Right before his senior year the grandfather died. The kid wore a picture of his grandfather inside of his helmet. Every time he scored a touchdown he would point to the sky as a tribute to his grandfather. One time a ref called him on it . . . so lame
Reply
12-06-2009 @ 9:45PM
hcrclvll said...Real shame that these young adults are not permitted to display their youthful joy as those in college and the pros do. Real shame
Reply
12-06-2009 @ 9:59PM
John F.C. Taylor said...It is really sad that officials have to take the fun out of a game by going to extremes in enforcing rules like this.
Reply
12-06-2009 @ 10:57PM
johndpieper said...Although I think this may be an excessive ruling, it's not the referee's fault. Do we teach our children to obey rules/laws or do we teach them to obey rules/laws they think are fair? I think you know which we should do. We teach our children to obey all rules/laws and then we work to change the ones we don't think are fair in an appropriate way. This is just like the young child suspended for carrying his boyscout knife to school. EVERYONE thought it was horrible that he had been treated that way but the school had a zero-tolerance policy. Had the young man injured someone with the knife, everyone would have been outraged that the zero-tolerance policy had not been followed. For this football player, no end zone demonstrations means just that. Because he was giving credit to God doesn't mean the rule can be ignored. We must be consistent with our children when teaching them to be responsible citizens. We should not teach our children that rules/laws they don't think are fair can be ignored, but we should teach them that unfair law/rules should be challenged in appropriate ways in an attempt to affect change. I think the officials who put this end-zone rule into place should revisit it to determine if it's too vague or inappropriate.
Reply
12-07-2009 @ 1:25AM
Former sailor said...What got carried away in this instance was the official's enthusiasm for enforcing a rule that he invented! He acts like one of those radical atheists, who constantly prosletyze to force their anti-religious beliefs on others. They should leave their anti-religion attitudes at home, and simply officiate the game. What that player did was in no way offensive or harmful to the other team, his own team, the officials, or the spectators. It just didn't fall in line with the official's personal (anti-)religion.
12-06-2009 @ 11:49PM
jonathanmullings said...i understand the fist pump and the pointing to the sky while is not the kids fault about the celabrate like that its what they see from their heros in the pros my anger with the celebrations is that many times they are over board like scoring one touchdown or getting a first down in the game in the first quarter act like you have been there before specialy when you are loosing what the hell is celebrating a first down or a touch down when you are down 20 points thats what makes me mad waith till there is like one min in the game then celebrate how many times have we seen a guy celabrate when they score one touch down and end up loosing the game badly its ok to celabrate but make sure you are going to win
Reply
12-07-2009 @ 12:53AM
Ohyeah said...To Jonathanmullings.............What?!!!
12-07-2009 @ 9:38AM
jonathanmullings said...Note to self:
1) Stay in school.
2) Learn how to use punctuation.
12-07-2009 @ 1:08AM
RoyLee said...What on earth have we come to? It's High School people. What rules have they implied? Are we guessing at what the rules are, or do we know for sure? Or do they make the rules as they go?
Reply
12-07-2009 @ 1:40AM
Artisan3m said...I officiated Texas highschool football for 26 years and only flagged excessive celebration once in all that time (the entire team left its assigned team area and rushed into the end zone). An official has to bring some common sense with him ~ the discretion here is what is excessive? It is unfortunate but there are officials who feel if they don't throw a flag, they are not earning their paycheck. Obvious fouls should be penalized, but if the official is actually "hunting" for some reason to throw his flag, he is probably in the wrong business. My rule of thumb was if the "celebration" resulted in a delay of the game (such as setting up for the try after a touchdown, then it was excessive) That rarely occurs.
Reply
12-07-2009 @ 6:13AM
Shelly said...Taunting or doing something obscene should not be tolerated. Those are very real unsportsman like conduct issues. What this article talks about is not that at all. Stupid rules made by stupid people and enforced by very stupid officials.. That is what is happening here.
Reply