Tennessee high school player ejections up 23% from last year

June 11, 2019 / Athletic AdministrationCoaching
Tennessee high school officials ejected 618 student-athletes during the 2018-19 school year, an increase of 23% from the year prior.

basketball refereesThe sudden rise alarmed board members with the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA), prompting them to ask whether more needs to be done to promote sportsmanship. The 2017-18 school year saw 503 ejections.

From the Tennessean:

“I think it’s something to look at,” said Memphis Central principal Greg McCullough, a Board of Control member representing West Tennessee. “I think we have to educate. We have to start with our coaches first.

“We’ve got to educate our people on how we are going to secure games and just having people in certain spaces. I think we need to meet with our athletes in every sport and tell them our expectations.”

Ejections in baseball declined from 76 to 62, but they increased in most other major sports. Football jumped from 153 to 188; boys soccer from 126 to 156; girls soccer from 29 to 47; boys basketball from 68 to 81; girls basketball from 21 to 50; and wrestling from 24 to 25. Softball increase from six to eight, and golf had its first ejection in at least nine years, the Tennessean reported.

   » ALSO SEE: Promoting ethics in high school sports

The good news: Coach ejections decreased from 75 to 68.

Tennessee saw a number of incidents last year that led to sanctions, probations and fines for various schools. Most incidents involved players from opposing schools fighting on the field or court. In a few altercations, fans were involved.

Read more from the Tennessean.


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