Quote:
Originally posted by rainmaker
If you and the coach of the opponents' team together talk to the refs at half-time about tightening up, it ought to happen. If it doesn't, then instead of a suggestion to the baord, you should have a complaint.
Another thing I saw work one time, was for the coach of the team that was ahead to say to the refs at half-time, "I've been working with my kids on really clean defense. Would you please call them for the blocking fouls when they bump the dribbler, and the shooting fouls if their arms aren't straight up? Thanks." When this was said to me, we tightened up -- on both teams -- quite a bit.
Also, if you think the refs are just lazy, or trying to get to a hot date, you could say, again at half-time, "I know you guys don't get paid a lot, but if you'd tighten up off-ball right at the beginning of the second half, it may actually speed up the game, since the boys will back off and have fewer fouls at the end. Then we could all get out of here quicker"
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And now, here's another side of the story.
My high school partner and I agreed to work some rec games for a Saturday morning youth league.
My partner is told that he sucks by one of the players after the game. He tells her and her father that he's going to report this incident. Father pokes partner in the chest and partner almost gets the police involved.
Get a letter in the mail this week where officials are held partially to blame for this behavior -- saying that not enough fouls are being called in the games. Of course, these coaches and players think every bit of contact is a foul, and frankly I refuse to call a game that way.
My partner got a phone call from the guy running the league -- he tells my partner that nobody got suspended.
If you are unable to attract quality officials, you need to ask yourself the following questions:
(1) Are we paying the officials enough?
(2) Do we clearly and unequivocally support the officials in disputes?
(3) Do we have clear sportsmanship guidelines we enforce?
I work a rec program about 30 miles from my house. They pay less money than any other program in the area. In 2 seasons of work there I have never had to say a single word to a coach or call a single technical foul.
Would I rather work rec ball there than anywhere else? You bet. Strive to make your program like that for your officials and some of the good ones will come out and work.