Mistake a learning experience

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Thursday, Sept. 4, 2008 | midnight

Let's stop pointing fingers and assigning blame. Let's just call the mix-up that nixed the Spring Valley-Canyon Springs football season opener a learning experience.

Spring Valley was supposed to host the game, but the contest was unfortunately called off when no officials showed up.

This happens in youth leagues all the time, but it's virtually unheard of in high school sports.

"This is the biggest debacle I've seen in my coaching life," Spring Valley coach Kelly Murphy said. "It was the worst thing in the world telling the kids they couldn't play. These kids had been working hard and waiting for this game but somebody, somewhere messed up."

It's understandable how devastated the athletes were. But as the dust clears and all involved parties figure out who didn't receive word of the game and why, the most important thing will be making sure something like this doesn't happen again.

In this case, the game was added at the last minute on Aug. 14 by Murphy and Canyon Springs coach Chris Littmann. While late in the process to schedule a game, Murphy said the proper forms were completed on his end and forwarded to the Clark County School District activities office.

The game, however, wasn't added to the district's master schedule, said Marc Ratner, commissioner of officials in the South for the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association. He uses the district's schedule to book officials.

Ratner, who acts as a liaison between the district and the officials association, has been in his position the past 17 seasons. This is the first time officials haven't shown up.

"I just feel bad for the kids," Ratner said. "I don't put the blame on anybody. The bottom line is that it wasn't on the Clark County master schedule."

The district is still investigating the incident and wasn't certain where the mix-up occurred. Murphy said he submitted the proper paperwork, however, that information never reached its final destination — something, as history confirms, happens once in a blue moon.

Each time a game is added or deleted, there is a form that must be filled out with the district. That form is given to everyone from transportation to the activities association and officials.

"We can't blame anyone at this point," said Ray Mathis, the district's director of athletics. "We'll just review our procedures to make sure everything is intact and that everyone understands them."

Seems like the problem's already solved.

Ray Brewer is the sports editor for the Home News and can be reached at [email protected] or 702-990-2662.