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Michael Murillo

Special Olympics soccer team brings home the bronze

August 5, 2015 By Michael Murillo

The Land O’ Lakes High School Unified Special Olympics Soccer Team celebrate their bronze medal win in the World Games in Los Angeles. Holding the American flag are Samantha Frahm and Haley Eckel. Standing are Christopher Hale, Hassan Shehab, Ordray Smith, Rufus Smith-Jones, Kyle Lufcy, Joseph Tramel, Tommy Guglielmello, Cameron Hilgenberg, Kyle Townsend and Andrew Ahearn. (Courtesy of Andy Dunn/Pasco County Schools)
The Land O’ Lakes High School Unified Special Olympics Soccer Team celebrate their bronze medal win in the World Games in Los Angeles. Holding the American flag are Samantha Frahm and Haley Eckel. Standing are Christopher Hale, Hassan Shehab, Ordray Smith, Rufus Smith-Jones, Kyle Lufcy, Joseph Tramel, Tommy Guglielmello, Cameron Hilgenberg, Kyle Townsend and Andrew Ahearn.
(Courtesy of Andy Dunn/Pasco County Schools)

The Land O’ Lakes High School Unified Special Olympics Soccer Team is a little heavier this week after attending the World Games in Los Angeles.

They didn’t gain any weight. It’s from the medals around their necks.

Representing the United States, the team took home the bronze medal after competing against the best of other nations around the world. They tied China 0-0 in a hard-fought defensive battle. They defeated Luxembourg, 4-2. And they fell to Liechtenstein in a high-scoring affair, 5-4, and to the Czech Republic in a tight contest, 2-1.

That left a rematch with China to determine who would claim the bronze medal for their country. This time, the United States came out on top, and the team left the field with a medal around their necks and a lifetime of memories.

For information and more photos, follow the team on their Facebook page by searching “World Games USA Unified Special Olympics Soccer.”

RECREATIONAL SOCCER LEAGUES ACCEPTING REGISTRATIONS

August 5, 2015 By Michael Murillo

The Wesley Chapel Soccer Club is now accepting registrations for its fall recreational soccer leagues. The league is designed for North Hillsborough and Pasco County boys and girls ages 4 through 18. Teams will be divided by gender and age, with all teams U6 and above holding one practice a week. All teams will play games on Saturdays, and players will receive ample playing time. For information and to register, email , or visit WesleyChapelSC.com/recreational/.

See the Bucs, save a lot of bucks

July 29, 2015 By Michael Murillo

Football season is starting. That means a fresh start, new players and optimism for the hometown Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

It also means your wallet might get sacked if you want to see the team live. The very cheapest game tickets are $30 — and at that price, you’d better have great eyesight or a good pair of binoculars. For a better view, you could easily pay twice that much, or more. The best sideline seats are nearly $120 each. And it’s the same price for preseason games, which don’t even count.

On select days in August, you can see the Buccaneers practice and not pay a penny.  (Courtesy of Buccaneers.com)
On select days in August, you can see the Buccaneers practice and not pay a penny.
(Courtesy of Buccaneers.com)

But your money will be intercepted before you even get to the gate. If you’re lucky, you might find a parking space for $10, assuming you like long walks on Sunday mornings. More likely, it will be $15 or $25 just to leave your car in the sun for several hours.

And are you the type of person who gets hungry and thirsty?

That’s going to hurt, too. It’s great to have a National Football League team to cheer for and support, but there’s nothing cheap about seeing them.

Or is there?

Beginning Aug. 1, the Buccaneers will have 11 open practices during training camp on select dates through Aug. 19. Admission is free, and parking is free. It’s the best way to see the team in action without breaking the bank.

Before the games, and before the preseason, the team goes through challenging workouts on a daily basis in training camp.

The practice field is where the young players get in their reps, the veterans shake off the rust, and utility players fight hard to make the team. It’s where the coaches work on their game plans, and the offensive and defensive schemes that best fit their players.

While it’s not a game situation, it can be fun and educational for football fans.

After all, you’re seeing the team develop its identity before the season starts. You’ll see players earn spots on the roster, and you might see a few wrinkles that get used during the regular season.

And, if you really want to see how the team is progressing, the best way is to see them for yourself.

Best of all, you’ll see the money in your purse stay there. You can go to a practice or two (or all 11, if you want) and not spend a penny. Just find a date and time that works for you, show up and spend a couple of hours watching the team, and enjoy the start of a new football season.

And if you have young fans in the family, the experience is even better. Children under 12 can go on the field and get autographs from players after practice. The Buccaneers also have a special Kids Zone during the open practices, which includes football skills stations, a dunk tank and face painting. You might even see the team’s cheerleaders and mascot, Captain Fear, too.

There’s also discounted concessions, so you can afford to eat or drink something. And you’ll even find the latest merchandise in case you catch a little team spirit and want to spend some of that money you saved watching the team for free.

Unless you know a player or have a rich uncle — or you have a rich uncle who’s also a player — this is the best way to see the team on a budget.

Practice doesn’t count, but it definitely matters. It’s the next best thing to going to a game. And for children, who have a Kids Zone and autographs to enjoy, it might be even better than going to a game.

Plus, it’s free. You can’t get more “On the Cheap” than that. Enjoy.

Practices are at One Buccaneer Place (which is also the address), just off Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, near Raymond James Stadium.

For more information, call (813) 870-2700, or visit Buccaneers.com.

What: See the Bucs in action for free during the team’s open practices
Where: One Buccaneer Place, off Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, near Raymond James Stadium.
When: The free training camps are scheduled for:

• Aug. 1: 2:30 p.m. – 5 p.m.

• Aug. 2: 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

• Aug. 3: 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• Aug. 4: 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Aug. 6: 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• Aug. 8: 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• Aug. 11: 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• Aug. 12: 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• Aug. 17: 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Aug. 18: 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• Aug. 19: 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, call (813) 870-2700, or visit Buccaneers.com.

Published July 29, 2015

Scout has a sign in mind for Old Lutz School

July 29, 2015 By Michael Murillo

Eagle Scout projects are an important part of earning the distinguished designation from the Boy Scouts of America. But because they’re normally completed while a candidate is close to graduating high school, their schedule is pretty full.

In many cases, they might only have a few months to design, present and complete it.

Sam Crawford doesn’t have that problem.

He’s not getting ready to graduate high school. He hasn’t even started it yet.

Sam Crawford's project mentor, Michael Ritchie, made a detailed sketch of the proposed sign. It will need adjustments and an architect's touch before it can get final approval.
Sam Crawford’s project mentor, Michael Ritchie, made a detailed sketch of the proposed sign. It will need adjustments and an architect’s touch before it can get final approval.

Crawford, 13, will start his freshman year at Steinbrenner High School this fall. He’s also working toward his Eagle Scout designation.

The Lutz teenager had the option of either wrapping up his project and becoming a very young Eagle Scout, or spending more time on it and making it something big.

Crawford went big.

“I just really wanted to do a project that, when I was older, I could still see it, and it would still be in use,” Crawford said.

So, as he heads off to his new school, he’ll be doing something for an old one — a very old one.

His project involves the Old Lutz School, at 18819 U.S. Highway 41 N.

The school was built around 1927, and served as a school until the mid-1970s.

Now, the structure serves as a symbol of the community, a gathering place for civic groups and a host for local events.

It is also the beneficiary of Crawford’s Eagle Scout project.

Right now, as drivers on U.S. 41 pass the school, they likely have no idea what’s happening at the school, because the sign is too small to be seen clearly from both sides of the highway.

Crawford’s solution? A bigger sign that’s easy to read.

Scouting is important to Sam Crawford, who will attend Steinbrenner High School this fall. He's also working toward his Eagle Scout designation with a project that benefits the Old Lutz School. Shown here, he is standing next to Scoutmaster Jeff Potvin. Joey Hermes, another scout, is in the background. (Photos courtesy of Sam Crawford)
Scouting is important to Sam Crawford, who will attend Steinbrenner High School this fall. He’s also working toward his Eagle Scout designation with a project that benefits the Old Lutz School. Shown here, he is standing next to Scoutmaster Jeff Potvin. Joey Hermes, another scout, is in the background.
(Photos courtesy of Sam Crawford)

Current plans call for it to be 10 feet long and about 8 feet tall, with removable lettering and a protective cover on the signage.

Plans also call for a shingled roof and brick construction, to make the sign both durable and attractive.

When finished, the sign will be the perfect place to list announcement and events for both the school and local organizations.

Even with quality materials and a sturdy design, it might seem like a simple thing to put up a sign.

But this is no simple sign. Crawford wants it to use electricity so it will be useful at night, and the school only has a couple of outlets.

He’ll also need permits to build it, which will take time to secure.

And, he has to find a way to pay for it, since a sign this elaborate will cost thousands. He’s getting material donations and the Citizens for the Old Lutz School Building are chipping in a good amount, but Crawford still needs to raise money to make up the difference.

In all, his Eagle Scout project will take about a year from start to finish. And, he’s already about halfway there.

He’s fine with taking a little extra time to create something that will be useful for years to come. He also expects to learn quite a bit by the time the project is finished.

“I’m very excited, because I’ve never led something this big,” Crawford said.

“It’ll teach me a lot about leading a group of people, and I think I’ll learn a lot from the experience,” he said.

Crawford’s extra efforts are appreciated by the people who are most involved in the school.

“He’s a very nice guy and working very hard on it. It was a big project for him to take on,” said Phyllis Hoedt, co-chair of the Citizens for the Old Lutz School Building.

The new sign will be oriented so drivers traveling north and south can see it clearly, Hoedt said. It will help promote events at the school, such as yard sales, flea markets and their annual Christmas event. The end result should be better promotion on a busy highway, and better attendance at events.

“We’ll have a nice sign to advertise what’s going on the community,” she said.

For now, that nice sign is still in the planning stages.

Crawford still needs a professional sketch by an architect and must finalize structural details so it can be built once they get the proper permits. But once it’s completed, it will be useful and a point of pride.

“I really enjoy (the project) because I’ve grown up in Lutz all my life. I feel like giving back to the community and putting this sign in, it really will help the community for many years to come,” Crawford said. “Hopefully more people will be showing up at the events — thanks to the sign.

Published July 29, 2015

Shuffleboard club combines socializing, sports

July 29, 2015 By Michael Murillo

If you can’t clear and hide, you could end up in the kitchen.

That isn’t a down-home saying you might hear from your grandmother.

It’s sound sports advice. In the game of shuffleboard, clearing and hiding are moves you make with your discs, and the kitchen is somewhere you don’t want to be.

Steve Barnett is proud to show off his white Masters jacket, which he earned for his top play on the courts. His friends, from left, John Houghtaling, Chuck Moulton and R.L. Lay, appreciate the difficulty of Barnett's accomplishment, but that doesn't mean they won't tease him at every opportunity. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photos)
Steve Barnett is proud to show off his white Masters jacket, which he earned for his top play on the courts. His friends, from left, John Houghtaling, Chuck Moulton and R.L. Lay, appreciate the difficulty of Barnett’s accomplishment, but that doesn’t mean they won’t tease him at every opportunity.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photos)

While they avoid the kitchen, members of the Zephyrhills Shuffleboard Club flock to their courts at 5209 Eighth St.

They play most mornings and many afternoons, too.

It might taper off a bit in the summer, but the courts are packed in the winter. And there’s usually a foursome willing to break out the cues and discs for a game just about any time of the year.

“This game can get in your head. It literally takes your life over if you really get into it,” said Chuck Moulton, who serves as the club’s treasurer and maintains the website.

Moulton isn’t really obsessed with the game, but he’s been an avid player since he first picked up a cue around 15 years ago. He took to it immediately, and over the years he moved up the ranks from novice to district amateur to state amateur to pro. The club has more than 150 members, and Moulton estimates that around 65 of them have reached the pro level.

That doesn’t mean it’s a cutthroat atmosphere when they play. Tournaments can get serious and players like to win, but what keeps people coming back is the friendships and camaraderie.

“Everybody’s really good friends. I’ll bet I have 500 to 600 friends through this sport that I can tell you their first and last name, where they’re from and something about them,” Moulton said. “It’s its own community.”

That community includes players like John Houghtaling, who moved to Florida from Cooperstown, New York. He used to spend winters here, but made it his permanent home a couple of years ago. And the shuffleboard club played a role in his decision.

“One of the biggest reasons why is the folks that I’ve met and the game, believe it or not,” Houghtaling said.

Steve Barnett, left, and Chuck Moulton enjoy an afternoon game at the Zephyrhills Shuffleboard Club's courts.
Steve Barnett, left, and Chuck Moulton enjoy an afternoon game at the Zephyrhills Shuffleboard Club’s courts.

Cooperstown is the home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, and Houghtaling sees similarities between that game and the one he plays almost daily. They both seem simple, but the nuances of each move and the strategies that go into each turn make them deceptively complex.

He said there is a game within the game of shuffleboard.

Some club members have been at the sport for decades.

Steve Barnett has only been playing a few years, but he’s already making his mark. Barnett qualified for the Central District Masters tournament, which requires accumulating points through good showings at tournaments. Only the top eight players for each gender get to participate each year, and the Zephyrhills Shuffleboard Club normally has multiple qualifiers, giving them a reputation for being one of the more talented clubs.

Barnett is proud of his Masters jacket, but it’s not the most meaningful part of the game for him.

“It’s probably the camaraderie, meeting new people, making friends with people,” Barnett said. We just came back from the Keys, my gal and I, and took one of our shuffleboard couples with us. We had a ball.”

Players can have a ball just sitting around the court and socializing with friends. Even if Moulton isn’t playing on a particular morning, he’ll still make his way down to chat and laugh with other club members. One of those members is R.L. Lay, who doesn’t go to tournaments anymore. After 14 years, he now chooses to play a few casual games most mornings and take in the social aspect of the sport.

“I’ll come in and I enjoy myself. I have fun, and I’ll play three or four games in the morning, and if they can talk me into the fourth one I’ll play. And they enjoy beating up on me,” Lay said with a smile.

Lay might take a good-natured ribbing from his buddies, but he’s no slouch with a cue. His specialty is sending opponents to the kitchen, the section of the court that subtracts 10 points if a disc is there at the end of a turn.

“I win my share of the games and lose my share,” he said.

Win or lose, the goal is for members to have fun at the club. And if there’s an inexperienced person who wants to give it a try, the regulars are ready to greet them with a handshake and tips on how to get started, Moulton said.

“If you came down and said ‘you know, I’m a newbie and I’d like to learn this game,’ all these guys would help you,” he said.

For more information about the Zephyrhills Shuffleboard Club, call Moulton at (813) 779-9513, email ">, or visit ZephyrhillsShuffle.com.

Published July 29, 2015

New high school football season nears

July 29, 2015 By Michael Murillo

It’s almost here.

The players can work out and the coaches can do a little planning over the summer. But soon high school football teams will be able to take the field as a unit and really get ready for the upcoming season.

Sunlake High School and Wesley Chapel High School are just two of the teams counting the days until practice starts for a new season.  (File Photo)
Sunlake High School and Wesley Chapel High School are just two of the teams counting the days until practice starts for a new season.
(File Photo)

The first official day teams can practice together is Aug. 3. But that’s for noncontact practices only. Contact practices can begin Aug. 8, leaving just a few weeks to get ready for the start of the season. Some schools will take part in a preseason contest a couple weeks later, but the first regular season games begin Aug. 26 through Aug. 29, with many teams kicking things off on Aug. 28.

Before the games count, and before the final depth charts are set, the teams have to huddle together and practice. And after a long off-season for schools that want to build on last year — and those that want a fresh start — practice is just a few days away.

JUNIOR TENNIS OPEN AUG. 1-2

July 29, 2015 By Michael Murillo

Sports Group International will host a United States Tennis Association Junior Open on Aug. 1 and Aug. 2 at the Lake Padgett Estates Tennis Center, 4533 Savanah Way in Land O’ Lakes. The tournament will include singles and doubles events for boys and girls ages 12 through 18. For information and to register, contact Mauricio Moreno at (813) 638-6306 or ">.

FINAL SOFTBALL REGISTRATIONS

July 29, 2015 By Michael Murillo

Pasco County Parks and Recreation is extending its fall recreational softball league registrations through Aug. 7 or until all leagues are full. Games will be played at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. The league is open to players 18 years old and older, and includes 11 regular-season games and a single-elimination tournament. The season begins the week of Aug. 17. The cost is $475 per team plus a $25 sanctioning fee. For information, call the center at (813) 929-1229.

Lutz artist’s work selected for international exhibit

July 22, 2015 By Michael Murillo

Elizabeth Fontaine-Barr always wanted to be a painter — whose works would sell and gain recognition for artistic excellence.

She got there, but it was no simple path.

She enjoyed drawing as a child. She won art awards in high school. And, in college, she obtained an art degree.

So far so good.

Elizabeth Fontaine-Barr's ‘Off the Path’ was accepted into the International Society of Acrylic Painters open exhibition in California. Landscapes are preferred subjects for the artist.  (Photos courtesy of Elizabeth Fontaine-Barr)
Elizabeth Fontaine-Barr’s ‘Off the Path’ was accepted into the International Society of Acrylic Painters open exhibition in California. Landscapes are preferred subjects for the artist.
(Photos courtesy of Elizabeth Fontaine-Barr)

Then she realized something was missing.

“They don’t tell you how to make money when you graduate in painting,” Fontaine-Barr said.

Knowing there would be bills to pay as an adult, the New Orleans native had studied advertising design in New York.

She opened a store back home with another artist where they taught art classes to children and did custom picture framing.

Then she was a freelance commercial artist, and she went on to become the editor for a New Orleans hospital newsletter.

After that, Fontaine-Barr went into advertising sales, managed a rock ‘n roll band, and spent time in the health field. And during that time, she worked on film and video, serving as a production coordinator when she moved to Florida.

“I’ve worn a lot of different hats,” she admits.

Now, Fontaine-Barr, who moved to Lutz in 1990, wears the hat that fits her best.

She returned to painting and is selling her work.

She’s being recognized with admittance into the 18th Annual International Society of Acrylic Painters open exhibition, July 30 through Aug. 23, in Paso Robles, California. Her accepted piece, “Off the Path,” made the cut after being scrutinized by a juror, who examined all the submissions and accepted just 58 into the exhibition.

“Off the Path,” like most of Fontaine-Barr’s works, is a colorful landscape that doesn’t look like anything you’d see in real life.

Elizabeth Fontaine-Barr has been a custom picture framer, an editor, and a manager for a rock band among other careers. But she came back to painting, which she has loved since her childhood.
Elizabeth Fontaine-Barr has been a custom picture framer, an editor, and a manager for a rock band among other careers. But she came back to painting, which she has loved since her childhood.

She draws inspiration from real-life landscapes — often they’re vacation photographs — and puts them through the filter of her own emotions.

The result is an expressionist’s interpretation of the image. “Off the Path” is filled with vibrant hues and an expansive sky.

Unlike many of her works, it doesn’t have foliage to break up the scene.

The inspiration for her ISAP entry came from a photograph of a different painting of a landscape, though you wouldn’t recognize the painting or the original image in Fontaine-Barr’s art.

Once it goes through her creative process, all that’s left is her own impression of what she’s seen.

“Just because I’m looking at a photograph, it’s not going to look like that photograph,” Fontaine-Barr said. “It’s just a trigger for an emotion that I am trying to get down on canvas.”

Fontaine-Barr started getting back into painting around 2008, and it took some adjustment.

Like a blank sheet of paper can be intimidating to a writer, a blank canvas can be daunting to a painter, she explained.

When her creativity flows, she takes advantage of it while she can, coming back to a work periodically on a piece until it’s done.

And because she’s not replicating that particular landscape, it can be hard to tell where it’s going or when she’s actually finished.

“Sometimes, because I’m not drawing what I’m seeing, I don’t know how this is going to turn out,” she said. “It’s almost like the painting has to paint itself.”

Fontaine-Barr does the actual painting, and now she’s doing some selling as well. She estimates that she’s sold more than two dozen works, and hopes “Off the Path” will be another.

Still, it’s no fast track to wealth.

Once an artist factors in the cost to enter exhibits, ship the painting to the event and give the gallery its cut, a painter isn’t looking at a life of luxury, even if the work sells.

Fontaine-Barr won’t be attending the exhibition in California. Going there would add even more to the expense.

Still, being accepted into exhibitions is good for an artist’s resume, Fontaine-Barr said. In addition to the ISAP exhibition, she’s been accepted into regional and local events, as well.

Also, if an artist wants gallery representation — something Fontaine-Barr is considering pursuing in the future — it helps to have a proven track record of acceptance.

As she continues her artistic pursuits, she’s keeping up with her own family’s track record of creativity. Her husband, John, is a musician, and her daughter, Hannah, is involved in ballet.

After spending years in creative and noncreative careers, Fontaine-Barr is again finding satisfaction and success putting her own creativity on canvas.

“I finally came full circle back to my passion,” she said.

For more samples of Fontaine-Barr’s work, visit FontaineGallery.com.

Published July 22, 2015

 

Rule requires new clarity for softball substitutions

July 22, 2015 By Michael Murillo

There’s now a specific definition for “projected substitute” in the softball rules of the National Federation of State High School Associations.

The new requirement is spelled out in Rule 2-57, Article Four.

This may not sound like a very big deal, but it could have a big impact.

It could affect how high school coaches manage their softball games going forward.

Land O' Lakes High School softball coach Mitch Wilkins likes the idea of defining projected substitutes. Now that the definition is in place, his team, and all high school teams, will find the addition in the updated rules next year. (Courtesy of Edwin Rodriguez)
Land O’ Lakes High School softball coach Mitch Wilkins likes the idea of defining projected substitutes. Now that the definition is in place, his team, and all high school teams, will find the addition in the updated rules next year.
(Courtesy of Edwin Rodriguez)

If a coach wants to substitute players, the coach is supposed to do it when those players are ready to become active.

On offense, that should be when the coach wants that specific player to bat.

On defense, it should be when the team takes the field when the other team comes up to bat.

But that’s not always how it’s worked during a game.

Some coaches would substitute a player, and inform the umpire of other substitutions they’re making for future at-bats.

Often the umpire would tell the coach to make each one at the appropriate time, but sometimes they would accept the group substitutions.

And that could cause problems, if the coaches made a mistake or changed their mind before the player was actually active in the game.

Those projected substitutes aren’t allowed, but since there wasn’t an actual definition in place for what constitutes one, there was some leeway and inconsistency in how the situations were handled.

Now there won’t be any confusion, because a projected substitute is now officially defined as “a player who does not immediately participate in the game.”

The NFHS expects this will eliminate any ambiguity regarding projected substitutes.

“There was confusion about the rule,” said Theresia Wynns, NFHS director of sports and officials education.

“We’re trying to emphasize that (projected substitutions) is an improper procedure, and so coaches need to be more diligent in reporting their substitutes on offense.”

The offensive side was emphasized because everyone is active at the same time on defense, making everyone an immediate participant in the game.

Making a rule change, or even adjusting a definition, is a three-step process at the NFHS. State associations make proposals to add or change something in the rules, and an 11-person rules committee considers the proposal. If it passes, it goes to an internal rules review committee. After that, the NFHS board has the final say. If the board approves it, the change goes into effect and is added to the rulebook.

It takes a lot of steps just to clarify a definition, but Land O’ Lakes High School softball coach Mitch Wilkins thinks it’s a good move, and believes coaches should already be adhering to the spirit of the rule.

“It makes more sense to be clear to always substitute when the player is actually entering the game,” Wilkins said. “Whatever the situation is, you don’t make the substitution until the time that she’s going in to play.”

Technicalities with regard to substitutions can have a real-world impact on games, Wilkins explained. Last season he had a situation where he forgot to substitute a player in, and she had already faced a pitch. He informed the officials and, after a conference, they called the player out due to an improper substitution.

There was just one problem. That’s not how the rule works.

“I made the announcement before the defense caught it,” he said. In that case, as long as the defense didn’t protest before he informed the umpire, he was allowed to make the substitution without penalty. Wilkins informed the officials of the proper application and, after another huddle, they reversed their decision, and the out didn’t count.

Any clarification that eliminates doubt is a good thing, Wilkins said. And he credits umpires for working hard to get their calls correct.

“The umpires really strive to do a good job, and the umpire associations pride themselves on having educated umpires that do things the right way, and I think that’s very important. Coaches really appreciate umpires that work hard and know the game, and do it the right way,” he said.

And with a clear definition regarding projected substitutes, the NFHS believes everyone, including the coaches, will have an easier time getting things right.

“We’re hoping that those who are guilty of projected substitutes now become more conscious of what they’re doing and will be more thoughtful about the process,” Wynn said.

Published July 22, 2015

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