Quote:
Originally posted by lukealex
But what do you say to the players and coaches? In the Varsity games I've done I've heard my partner talk about sportsmanship, clean game, boundaries, nothing unusual about the court, that type of thing. Does anyone say anything different?
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Its funny you asked this.
I've never been a "talk about the rules, color of the boundaries, stuff hanging from the ceiling, who's the spokesman, etc." type of R. I usually make the pre-game captains meeting short and sweet...these guys are Varsity players and have heard it many times.
Having said that...
the other night I was the R, and decided I would change up the Captains meeting a bit. The game was a big cross town rivalry and I thought I might try something to lessen the tension. (For players and our 3 person crew)
After the customary handshakes and introductions (3 players from each team) I said, "OK gentlemen, my partners tell me you guys never listen to these pre-game meetings. I told them I think you do. So I'm going to let you fellows tell me what you think I'm going to say." (IT WAS GREAT! You should have seen the look on their faces...they actually looked like they came out of a hypnotic daze.)
...I continued..."So, who's going to be first." One of the Home team Captains said, "Shirts tucked in...you're going to tell us to keep our shirts tucked in." "OK", I said, "and what else?" Then a Visiting team Captain said, "Talk to you respectfully." Looking at my partners, I said, "Great!...see guys, they do listen. Proper dress and Sportsmanship issues, good job Captains." By now, one of my partners got caught up in the act and started giving out answers...it was hilarious. I then gave them my usual brief meeting....how all the people in the gym paid to see them, not us, so don't make us do anything "funky".
I told them to have fun, and the captains shook hands again.
One of my partners told the other partner, that was the longest pre-game meeting he had ever heard me give.
I probably won't do that very often this year...but, for some reason, it felt good that night to have 3-way communication. A dialog with the players, rather than me just blah, blah, blahing...kind of like now.
