Have you ever “stormed a court” or “rushed a field?”

My high school football team won their CIF Championship back in 2009 and following that final kneel down, all hell broke loose on the field.

For the players, the rush of having family and friends greet them in droves must have been unforgettable, and for the field stormers themselves like me, the feeling was no doubt exhilarating and memorable.

“Storming the court” or “Rushing the field” is the phenomenon in which hyped up yahoos. a.k.a fans, rush onto the grand stage, field or court, following the victory or upset in favor of their team.

Recently, storming the court has been the topic of discussion in the college basketball-sphere, with issues of player and coach safety being thrust into the forefront.

Player and coach safety discussions need to be had and changes to the “storming the court policy” will most likely to be made, but calls for abolishment of the ‘sacred’ practice will most likely go unanswered. Storming the court can be controlled and the excitement of it can be maintained at the same time, with three simple adjustments.

Security lines set up around court with two minutes remaining.

This usually takes place, but in some instances security isn’t prepared for the student section to unload following the final buzzer. If security can be quick and prepared surrounding the court, almost like the NBA Finals security measures, both players and coaches from the opposing side will surely have enough time to exit the court.

Students and alumni shouldn’t be able to rush the court until opposing players and coaches have shaken hands and made their way off.

If security can hold back students 30-50 seconds while players and coaches shake hands, and allow them to exit before storming accordingly, most problems are solved.

If a school or Coach doesn’t want students to storm the court following a home upset or victory, simply don’t allow it. If students or alumni don’t comply, they are banned from NCAA sporting events.

Universities can take the initiative and not wait on the NCAA or conferences to write up rules in regards to students storming the court. For now most conferences have fines for Universities which allow a field or court to be rushed, but vacated wins or March Madness abolishment could sink enough fear into the students hearts to never storm again.