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Originally Posted by BillyMac
COMMUNICATION WITH COACHES
Having the officials in closer proximity often calms down the coach.
Be in control and speak in calm, easy tones. Be aware of your body language; maintain positive and confident body language.
Do not try to answer a question from an out of control coach; deal with the behavior first.
If you’ve missed a call or made a mistake; admit it. This technique can only be used sparingly, perhaps once a game.
Don’t bluff your way through a call.
Specific Communication Examples:
Coach sees the play very differently than the official:
“Coach, if that’s the way it happened/what you saw, then I must have missed it. I’ll take a closer look next time.”
“Coach, I understand what you’re saying, but my angle was different than yours.”
Coach is questioning a partner’s call:
“Coach, they had a great look, but if you have a specific question, you’ll have to ask them, they’ll be over here in just a minute.”
Coach is raising their voice asking the question:
“Coach, I can hear you. I’m standing right here, you don’t need to raise your voice.”"Coach, I need you to stop raising your voice and just ask your question calmly.”
Coach is commenting on something every time down the floor:
“Coach, I need you to pick your spots, we can’t have a comment on every single call that is being made.”
Coach has a good point and might be right.
“You’ve got a good point and might be right about that play.”
“You might be right, that’s one we’ll talk about at halftime/intermission/the next time out.”
“You might be right; I may not have had the best angle on that play.”
Coach is venting, make editorial comments:
“I hear what you’re saying”
“I hear what you’re saying, but we’re moving on.”
Coach just won’t let it go:
“I’ve heard enough and that’s your warning.”
Source: Topeka (Kansas) Officials Association
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In the opinion of a coach, these are the points that separate the good officials from the not-so-good ones.
Good officials should not avoid getting near a coach and get upset when a coach yells his question/comment out loud across the court. If you are within 10 ft of a coach and he is still yelling, he doesnt have a question, he probably deserves one "calm down" warning, then T him.
The relationship between coaches and officials becomes combative when officials/coaches feel that they are never wrong. Officials that feel they never miss a call (or can not admit to missing a call), coaches that feel that their player never fouls and only misses shots when he is fouled... All credibility is lost...
There are coaches that think their job is to "work the refs", and officials that don't/won't tell an overzealous coach to STFU and differentiate between a legit question about a call as opposed to "you just missed every single call on every single play of the game and I don't know how to coach so I just do play-by-play of every one of your missed calls".