The first couple weeks of any season are hectic and often less fun that what will follow. We have to take care of the business part of things, the time of the halves is slightly shorter in length, and we have some games that are simply not competitive. That last part happens because we get new teams in the League and we're not quite sure where they fit in with the teams that have already been placed in the Divisions. So we get the occasional blowout, with which I am never happy. As the season goes along, it becomes easier to match teams us so that we can have competitive games up and down the schedule.

One of the things that REALLY bothers me is the phenomenon of teams bailing on the League at the absolute last minute. Virtually every other league requires payment in full before the start of league play. But because of my casual/lazy/too trusting nature, we are best by problems that pop up every season. This current season, for example, began with one of my scorekeepers contacting every single team that had placed their name on the sign-up during last season's playoffs. She did so in late December. The vast majority responded and said that they would be playing. Three teams said that they would not be participating. A handful either weren't sure or didn't respond. I contact that latter group in case they had been wary of the young lady's unfamiliar phone number. 

 We got it all squared away and were ready to go. But then, the first day of the new season, three teams just flat didn't show up. One team texted me that morning to tell me that they had decided "to take this season off." That's fine; having fewer teams wouldn't bother me. I would make the same amount of money (ZERO) whether we have 60 teams or 100 teams. But why wait until that morning? I contacted the other two teams and they both said that it was a last-minute thing. Then, last week, two more teams did it. This causes forfeits, which hurt feelings and costs money. (We have to pay everybody who was going to work the game and pay for the court and then give the team that showed up a make-up game. It gets expensive.)

I'm fairly certain that the guys who bail on me probably had some of their teammates bail on them, so I try to be even-tempered with them. But it really bothers me. 

I've always been careful to share with you negative things that happen in the conduct of the League, lest you think that we're trying to keep secret any reports of improper behavior. I'm certainly not happy that what I'm about to share with you happened, but, at the same time, I'm amazed at the complete silliness of it all.  So, we had a game between Team A and Team B in the early afternoon. Good game, competitive, no chippiness. Team A held on for the win, the two teams congratulated each other and then went back to their respective benches. But then, two guys (who, it turns out, are related) on Team A started arguing about something. Voices are raised and then they start wrestling with each other. People nearby think it's a joke. But it's not. 

Their teammates separate them and they exit the building. But then, it starts back up in the parking, this time with punches being thrown. The manager of the facility walks out to the parking lot and informs the two guys that if they don't stop immediately, law enforcement personnel will become involved. The two guys stop fighting, then get into the same car and drive away! Too weird. Not long after that, the captain of Team A asks that his team be removed from the League. (I had already made that decision, but I told him that I agreed). 

Every team needs to have their roster in. Please text Alexander at (520) 225-7845, tell him your team name, and he'll text you back a link where you can go to fill out your roster. Thank you.