Inside Hoops- Basketball and Hand Shakes- No Thanks

Good sportsmanship is fading on all levels- youth sports, high school sports, colleges, and the pros. I am all for emphasizing good sportsmanship, but I am opposed to all the hand shaking in basketball today. 

Years ago, a student had been kicked out of a teacher’s class after the student was disrespectful and used profanity to the teacher. Later an administrator and the student appeared at the teacher’s door and the administrator told the student to apologize. The student then said to the teacher, “I am sorry you got mad at me.” 

That is what happens when etiquette becomes mandated. It becomes routine, and often becomes insincere. I believe that is where we are in basketball with the hand shaking lines. 

When I first played high school basketball and when I first coached basketball, the pre-game routine involved the starters for the two teams being introduced in an alternate fashion. The first two players met at half-court, shook hands and went back to their side. Then each of the players did the same thing. 

This pre-game routine was halted so teams could use the introductions as part of pre-game hype, and introduced all the visitors first to a chorus of boos. Then the home team was introduced inflated excitement. The hand shake was eliminated. 

Some coach some place came up with the idea of having each of their players when introduced go to shake the referees and the opposing coach. People viewed this as courteous and good sportsmanship. You can’t fight good sportsmanship. So coaches felt a pressure to follow in kind, until everyone was doing it. 

I held out and did not have my players do it until the last two years. My reason for doing it finally was that a referee told me, “You know some referees are saying that you have poor sportsmanship by not having your players do the pre-game hand shake routine and it upsets them.”

I asked the referee, “So are you saying some referees start the game out mad at me because of not having players shake hands?”

The referee without hesitation said, “I am confident you and your team are viewed as bad sports by some refs.”

I decided that I was not going to have my team potentially hurt by a grumpy ref. We began shaking hands. The ritual is meaningless- the players don’t speak to the refs or coaches when they bump fists. Most of the refs don’t look at the players as they bump fists. Most of the coaches just want to get back to their team. No sincerity just a pretend courtesy. 

After the games, it used to be that the two head coaches met at half-court, shook hands and even talked for a couple minutes. 

When I first started, both coaches would usually compliment the other coach about things their team had done in the game. Two professionals who were trying to “teach” their teams would share a moment after games. Yes, sometimes there were coaches who did a “blow-by”, just shaking hands and leaving. 

The players NEVER shook hands after games. My theory is that some youth coach or director of a youth league decided all players should shake hands after games. I don’t remember exactly when it started but I just remember the start of one year, the horn went off, the players all lined up and they went down the line touching hands. 

Some anecdotes of incidence as a result of this ritual—

** Wisconsin vs Michigan ended in a near fist fight after a game.

** Galesburg vs Moline in boys basketball ended in a skirmish after something was said in the line

** A coach refused to shake hands after a loss because a player on the opposing team had slapped their hand too hard when they played earlier.

** Girls going thru the line with their head down saying,”Bitch,” over and over to each player. 

** Players who don’t speak and just go thru the routine. 

People will say the above examples are all the reason hand shaking should stay as a ritual and should be used to promote better sportsmanship. 

I would argue that neither the present high school pre-game or post-game rituals do anything to promote good sportsmanship. They have become meaningless and sometimes harmful rituals that while not promoting good will, they in some cases promote poor sportsmanship. 

My recommendation would be that high school basketball follow the routine of the WNBA. 

1- Pre-game when players go out for the center jump if they want to bump fists or shake hands with certain opponents they do this. But it is their choice and it is not mandated.

2- Post-game players go to their teammates. If the team has a ritual, they do that with their teammates, and then they leave the floor. The players do not interact with the other team unless it is directing a wave at a particular player.

3- The head coaches from both teams exchange hand shake, hug, fist bump, and words after the game. It is obvious that coaches interact differently with different coaches. 

My belief that following the WNBA model would result in a more sportsmanlike and sincere result.