Quote:
Originally Posted by JRutledge
I do not call them by their first name, so do not call me by mine. It is a respect thing for me. We are not equals.
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I'll totally use a first name with a player, if I know it. If it's a senior captain I've watched for 4 years, and I need his help ("Hey, Sam, talk to 23 for me, he's close to a T and he's not listening to me") this is going to be WAY more effective. Building relationships with players that can be helpful to both of us is one of my favorite things about being a varsity basketball official.
There's no particularly strong tradition of verbal forms of address in basketball. In soccer, amateur players are expected to call the Referee "Sir"; failing to do so IS a sign of disrespect, but only because it's a "failure to act in the expected mode of respect." That's just not a thing in basketball, at least not here in Washington. "Come on, Ref" in the wrong tone and with some flailing arms is far more disrespectful than "Hey Nathan, why's that a travel?" in my book.
If a player pays enough attention to know my first name, well, more power to 'em. I introduce myself by it every game.