The New Mexico Activities Association is just doing its job applying changes, and unless it is coaching your team, don’t make a case over something that will stand despite protests

By Arnie Leshin 

When I come across something I don’t agree with, I usually keep it to myself instead of waking the town and telling the people.

I can, though, beg to differ with something that’s not from a group, because unless it can fault with its own decision, a group will generally stand its group. You know, like in any sport, being outraged by a call that was made will not get the official to change it, but he or she can eject the one who begs to differ.

Baseball, basketball, football, the three major sports, have made changes, as in reviewing a call that was made. You might have protested, but it’s the decision of the officials to recheck the call, and why get ejected just for arguing about something that’s in the hands of the officials.

Now the New Mexico Activities Association has a tough job keeping all the athletic programs in the state in gear. There are the alignments that change, ineligible athletics who most likely get the due process and a chance to have their ineligibility overturned or remaining. Same with a suspended athlete who can have its case heard by the NMAA.

There’s more, much more. There are brawls on the field of play, fights among spectators in the stands, trash and bottles tossed from the stands when a call doesn’t go their way, and this is just a glance of what the NMAA has to deal with.  

But to object about something different does not need to make for a long story in the newspapers. Doesn’t matter if a coach or another school official complains to the media or the media contacts the school or whoever else is involved.

Nothing wrong with the reporter who writes what he hears from coaches of other school officials, but the more space you give them is only an invitation for them to call again.

Now it’s winter sports time here in the Land of Enchantment, and the NMAA caused a stir by cutting short pre-season practices that results in the coaches having two fewer weeks to piece together their squads, whether varsity, JV or freshmen.

This involves mostly basketball. Whereas in swimming and wrestling the season starts later, it’s the hoops crowd voicing complaints, with some games this week, and most of them on the 29th of November.

Fine, but the NMAA probably finds no reason to change what it agreed upon. There’s no way it can review this, so isn’t it best that the respective coaches be concerned more about getting their teams prepared, new rule or not, for the campaign that finds the players only interested in offense and defense and winning games.

Now on the court, a high school official here can call technical fouls and can eject a player or coach. The bench can also be hit with Ts and ejections. Ranting and raving about it will only get an official to remember the last time he or she officiated this so-and-so team.

But to get a call overturned will be difficult without a review to look at. So it’s best to go on to the next play, and because the officials don’t coach your team, don’t go berserk and try to be the official who has the whistle that you don’t have.

The NMAA is just doing its job.

HOOP NEWS:

Here are the expected season basketball openers for most schools;

GIRLS:

Academy of Technology and The Classics, December 13 at Menaul, 6 p.m.

 

Capital. November 22 at Pojoaque Valley, 7 p.m.

 

Desert Academy, November 29 at New Mexico School for the Deaf, 5 p.m (DH).

 

Monte del Sol, November 23, at Robertson tournament.

 

St. Michael’s, November 27, vs. Dexter at Taostournament..

 

Santa Fe Prep, November 27, at Escalante.

 

Santa Fe Indian School, December 4 home to Aztec, 7 p.m.

 

Santa Fe High, November 29, vs. Piedra Vista at Al Armemdariz tournament at Capital.

 

BOYS:

Academy of Technology and The Classics, November 29, at Rehoboth, 5 p.m

 

Capital, November 29, home to Jemez Valley at Al Armendariz tournament,

 

Desert Academy, at New Mexico School for the Deaf, 6:30 p.m. (DH)

 

Monte del Sol, November 23, at Robertson tournament.

 

St. Michael’s, December 4, home to Los Alamos.

 

Santa Fe Prep, December 4, home to Menual, 7 p.m.

 

Santa Fe Indian School, November 29, at Wagon Mound tournament,

 

Santa Fe High, vs. Pojoaque at Capital in Al Armendariz tournament.