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Well, we've got another full Sunday of kickball ahead of us, and I think it's going be awesome having everyone at Holcom together.  Once again, there is no equipment pick-up or drop-off this week.  Please make sure you're starting these games on time, and make sure you report to your field at least 10 minutes early when reffing.  For the 5 and 6:30 games, the teams will ref each other like usual.  The teams playing the 5:00 game will ref the teams playing the 6:30 game on the same field and vice versa. For the 8:00 and 9:30 games, we have assigned home plate refs for each game, and we will be seeking volunteers on site to fill the other positions.  I have received emails from many of you this week saying you want to ref.  I greatly appreciate your initiative, and please look for me at Holcom so I can find a game for you.  Here are the head referees for the late games: 8:00 Gold:  Nick Lerner 8:00 Blue:  Deron Belt 9:30 Gold:  Erin Adams 9:30 Blue:  Troy Pomeroy Now for the not-so-fun stuff.  Last week, there were several games that got completely out of control, and some of the behavior was downright despicable.  I tried to find out as much as I could this week, but it was nearly impossible to find the root of all the problems.  At this point, I really don't care whose fault any of it was, it just needs to stop, and I mean RIGHT NOW.  Believe it or not, the Board and myself have better things to do with our time than investigate a bunch of people in their 20s and 30s (and beyond) acting like bratty children.  To the Captains of our league:  It is your responsibility to keep your teams, and yourselves in line.  You, and only you, may question a referee's call.  Please do so in a polite and respectful tone, and once you've said your piece, move on with the game.  You are not entitled to yell, insult, or in any way disrespect the ref just because you are a captain.  If one of your teammates starts yelling or questioning a ref, you'd better shut them up in a hurry, because there is going to be zero tolerance for this nonsense from here on out.  This also goes for interaction with the other team.  If one of your players is getting into it with someone, go get them, because the refs are not going to put up with teams arguing with each other.  Consider removing your player from the game before the ref decides to eject them.  Thank you in advance for your leadership and good attitudes this week. To the Referees:  Thank you for volunteering your time to keep our league functioning.  With reffing comes responsibility, though.  It is crucial that you communicate with the captains and the other refs throughout the game.  Find out who the captains of each team are before the game starts, and introduce yourself if you don't already know them.  It's amazing how much a couple of handshakes before a game can influence the general mood on the field.  If you are approached or questioned by a player that isn't a captain, inform their captain of it so that they can remind their player.  If the player is rude or hostile in any way, warn the captain that he or she is out of line.  If the behavior continues, remove that player from the game.  Let's all follow the example set by Phil in his letter, and admit that things got out of hand.  Let's all promise ourselves and each other that this week will be different.  Let's all be mindful of the Spirit of the League when we're out there, and let's all enjoy the best part of our season.  Above all else, let's all have fun playing the game we love. Thank you, Geoff