[JRutledge]

Understand this, it comes with time. You just do not allow a coach to question your integrity, get personal with you or call you out of your name. Other than that, you try your best to listen and not talk and when the coach is finished you say OK and walk away and move on. This can be hard to do, but it can be done. Also if they ask you a question explain it the best way you know how. That is why your rules knowledge and study are important. If you are a wing you are going to have to explain many calls that you did not see. The more knowledge you have, the more confident you will appear, the less the coach(in most cases) will stay off your back and your partners. It just takes time. But if you do others sports it might take you a shorter time. I do 4 all together and I use things from each sport and bring them to football. All it is is handling people and knowing what to say and what not to. That is all!!!

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Originally posted by mikesears:
One of the things I am struggling with this year (only my second year) is coach management. In four games I have done at the JV level, I have thrown 2 flags for unsportsmanlike conduct by a coach. Once I was R, and once I was LM. Below is the game situation and I wonder if I was justified.

Before you read, I am wondering if any of you have any suggestions for dealing with coaches who are questioning calls or demandings that something be watched.

JV game last night with 4 man crew. Up until the 4th quarter of a close game, the head coach of the losing team was demanding that calls be made all night. I am the wingman on his side and was very polite in hearing his concerns. One of the things he had been harping on all night was clipping.

The the 4th Quarter is winding down with 2:30 left to go. (On my side, I am having to deal with the coach who is losing). The team winning is forced to punt on 4th down. On the punt, I watched as R1 clipped K1 on the return (and it was a long return). Coach for R1 was livid about the call saying "the other play just fell down and my guy ran into his back. That't not clipping." The penalty was administered and R1 took over for their series. After that call, that coach was standing right behind me talking about the call during the timeout for change of possession, and during the next two plays. I finally said, "Coach, I don't want to hear any more buzzing in my ear about that call!". His reply was "I was talking to one of my players".

After his team fumbled the ball on third down and the other team picked it up for a touchdown, the winning team called a timeout before the extra point. When the coach walked out onto the field, I was discussing the situation above with the ref so I knew how much I should take from the coach with the Referee (probably should have waited until after the game). As he is waling to his team, he yells "I was talking to my players". As he is walking off the field he yells, "that's terrible!!!" That's when I flagged him for Unsportsmanlike Conduct. His response, "I still get one more before I'm gone."

My opinion is that the field is mine. Don't come onto the field and express your dissatisfaction with my officiating and I won't go over to the sideline and express dissatisfaction with your coaching.

As an official, was this a necessary flag? Where do you as officials draw the line?

How would you have handled the situation?

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