[footlocker]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by CYO Butch

As a middle school coach myself, I would say that I like what the official did. "Working the refs" is completely inappropriate at this level. It sets a VERY BAD EXAMPLE for the kids, and it reflects what I see as a misplaced set of values. The game is there for the kids. You want them to win, but you also want them to learn a whole lot of life lessons about teamwork and dedication within a set of rules - lessons that ultimately don't have much to do with basketball. Trying to influence the outcome by maniplating the only impartial people there is not the lesson I want to teach, and it is not the lesson that I like to see others teach either. Sure, coaches are often emotional people, and we can get very frustrated when things are not going our way, and sure, sometimes our emotions lead us to things that might cross the line to deserve a technical, but that line will move closer the more we complain. If you had not been on the officials all game, your complaint might have just resulted in a warning, but you brought it on yourself.

Aside from my feelings about the lesson "working the refs" gives, I think it is really self-defeating. Why would anybody think they would gain by getting an official p*ssed at them?

I like this response the best. I hope Kaliix can learn from it as well as other coaches.

Now, I may catch some heat here. It's easy for us to dismiss what you’re saying as biased. However, it is not my goal to be contrary to a coach so I'll give you my honest response.

You were biased and did not see the game objectively. I'm sure you admit that. However, if the game was called tight at one end and your girls were abused at the other end then that is bad officiating. Since none of us were there and we only have your side, it's easy to dismiss you. However, anyone on this board that observes other, younger officials will tell them to be consistent with the calls.

We don't know what imbalance there may have been. But you may be right. I have seen bad officiating, bad coaching and bad playing. Wearing stripes does not make them right, but they are the rule enforcers for your game. If you were chipping at me during the game and I never had a chance to straighten you out, then you yell at me from across the court, “Come on! Call 'em both ways!!"… I’d likely T you up too. I can’t let you think that it is ok to show me up in a gym full of people. It’s inappropriate.

But you may have been right about the calls, I’ve seen it. If you want to work the refs you are teaching something to your players. Unfortunately, it’s nothing I would want my kids learning.

Good luck Coach.