Yesterday the soccer team I coach played its first game of the season, and won quite handily: 8 - 0. Today a colleague brings to my attention that one of my players may well be ineligible to play because he's in his 5th year at school. Having taught T in grade 11 English last year it hadn't crossed my mind that he was in his 5th year, but when the phys.ed. department looked into it, it was indeed the case.
If you play a game with an ineligible player on the roster, and you play that player, the rules state that the game may be forfeited. T played 45 of the 90 minutes and scored 2 goals - the 3rd and the 8th - so his play didn't change the essential direction of the game. But he did play. So I've written a letter to the MHSAA and the Zone commissioner bringing the problem to their attention, asking for clemency based on my oversight and the decisiveness of our victory.
When I heard that he was ineligible however, I first thought to just shut up about it, quietly remove him from the roster for the remaining games, and hope for the best. That could well have been a successful strategy. However, were it not to be successful, it could become rather ugly. To be caught would be to be embarrassed and most surely to be sanctioned with a loss.
But I'm still not convinced that honesty always brings about the best results. If we are allowed to keep the win, I'll be encouraged, but if we're levied with a loss, despite our honesty, I'll be more likely to be deceitful on issues like this in the future. So honesty is really only the best policy if things turn out in such a way that you feel it was best for you to be honest. Really what I've done is played my honesty, like a poker player might play the cards he's dealt. I've placed a wager (determined that the odds are better if I'm honest than if I'm not) on it, expecting it's my best chance to win the hand. If I lose, I'll consider playing differently next time.
Honesty is the best policy ... if things turn out well for you.
Ride report
in: 14'C wind 10 ks SW
out: 28'C wind 10 ks W
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