By By BRUCE HIXON – Sports Editor
Players and coaches who get ejected during sporting contests will face some stiff penalties in the 2006-07 school year.
Most of the penalties the Alabama High School Athletic Association center around the pocketbook. Players and coaches face a minimum $300 fine for the first offense, a minimum $500 fine and a one-game suspension and a $750 fine and suspension for the remainder of the season. If the ejection occurs during the last game of the season, a monetary fine will be assessed will be placed on the school according to severity and what number the ejection is.
That does not mean Riggs totally agrees with the new penalty system.
W.S. Neal football coach Blaine Hathcock is supportive of the monetary penalty on coaches, but is less supportive of a monetary penalty on players.
While Hathcock does not condone inappropriate behavior on the field, he does understand how emotions can flare on a spur of the moment.
Riggs has concerns about possible officials who may carry a grudge against a coach, a player or even a school.
again until that night,” Riggs said.
A big question about the monetary penalty system is how the fines will be paid. Will players be expected to come up with the money for reinstatement or will the school pay it? Would a coach's penalty be deducted from his salary or come out of the athletic budget.
W.S. Neal principal Phil Ellis said his school has yet to determine what its policy will be.