Tue Oct 19, 2004, 01:55pm
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Official Forum Member
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 17
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Quote:
Originally posted by Ed Hickland
Quote:
Originally posted by Rich Fronheiser
I will not tolerate a coach "telling" me not to talk to his players. Too much of that and the coach won't be around to hear me talking to his players. Some of these coaches think we are just hired help to be pushed around. Don't think so.
--Rich
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Quote:
Here's an email I got this morning from the OP. I refrained from posting emails I got yesterday because I normally won't post private emails, but I think you should see the mentality of this coach:
This goes right to the heart of the discussion. No, I am not looking for
anyone to agree with me, I am looking for understanding more of the
mindset of officials, and quite frankly, you've given me a perfect
understanding of at least one of them. You have shown me that rules have
no meaning for you until they become personal. If the player was
swearing, by rule, he should have received his first personal foul; the
second time would have warranted ejection. Is that not what the rules
state? No, but for you, my friend, when it became personal is when you
decided to take something out of your pants. Officials like you give
officiating a bad rep, and I am sorry for that. I don't know you, nor do
I really care to, but it is quite obvious that you are officiating for
all the wrong reasons. You don't know me, and I really don't care for
you to either. I know the motivation that I have for working with the
youth of our city, and it is to make better citizens of them. People
like you hamper that honest work. Yes, they are lovable youngsters when
they are given a fair shake and see that the adults around them play by
the same rules.
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What he fails to understand is that I was trying to be preventive in getting the kids to stop the swearing. I stepped across the neutral zone and warned the kids to clean up their mouths. Then a kid backs me down and tells me to mind my own damned business and I shouldn't flag that?
I asked the OP how he would react if a kid did that to him, BTW, but I get the impression that he feels we're all just hired help and he's the one who's doing all the work. Sad, really, but his mentality is typical of today's youth coaches, at least from my perspective.
[Edited by Rich Fronheiser on Oct 19th, 2004 at 12:39 PM]
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Recently, in an extremely competitive 13-14 year old game between two crosstown rivals a player started trash talking and I flagged him. It took both my fellow officials to come between me and the coach who too offense to my flag -- most uncharacteristic of me and somewhat shameful.
Later in the game the same player started the trash again only this time I walked to the huddle with him and used a phrase a popular local official once used, "You are too good of a player to get a foul like that" and tried to settle him down.
Again, this "coach" wanted to know why I was in his huddle.
The answer was simple, trying to save his player, a good player at that.
I could have just thrown the flag, disqualified the player and be done with it. But it was obvious coaching was lacking and the player had talent that needed it. Throwing the flag was simple and easy but trying to impress on this young man took time and effort.
Later when the same player intercepted a pass and returned it 60-yards for a touchdown the response was a simple score followed by placing the ball in the end zone. Like I told him, his playing did the talking.
The player was extremely pleased with his performance as it was all over his face.
Do I do my job? I think so. I could have gone strictly by the book and flagged him and sent him home resentful of authority. I did not get any monetary reward from holding the flag and taking the time but the reward to me was more personal and much more rewarding.
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Ed - This is a great story and I am glad to hear of your success. As a coach, I know I would be appreciative of that extra effort. It was apparent that at least the player was receptive of your efforts. In some cases this would not be a success story, and one that may have had a different outcome. I think your wisdom prevailed here, unlike some other stories that I have heard that appear to have created ire and resentfullness of authority. Keep up the good work!
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