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Game management covers such a wide path -- and while we usually use it only to discuss how officials handle coaches and players, this post is instructive that game management also includes how coaches (and even players) handle game situations.
I had several incidents this past week that reminded me of that. In a youth game the other day (6th grade boys), a team up by more than 20 was trapping and fast-breaking and running up the score. After I called a foul against the losing team, the player who was fouled shouted, "Finally." I gave him a "T." After the foul shots, the kid's coach called a time out and asked me what happened. I told him. After the game, the coach told me that behavior was not OK and that the player was benched for the rest of the game.
In another game, my partner and the home coach were getting into it over what the coach thought were poor calls -- one in particular. . My partner was a first-year official and I could see he was getting upset by this coach's behavior -- and his refusal to put that call behind him. I told my partner to move far away from the coach because I knew the coach would say something to merit a T. The coach also pleaded with me for "some help" but all he got was that he should concentrate on the coaching and we would take care of the officiating. A few days later I saw this coach at another game. He thanked me for keeping him out of trouble. I saw it as good game management all around. It was nice to know the coach saw it that way too.
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