New Season Resolution

[Pantherdreams]

Easiest and most effective in my experience for communication has been the following (keeping in mind we are talking about most reasonable proffessional adults not your howler babies):

1) Preventative steps - If I can see a coach is trying to talk or get an official communicate I get to them as soon as I reasonably can to see what it is up. I may even check in after timeouts or breaks to see if there is anything they need clarification on or need to talk about. If they know that I will seek them out to talk then don't have to go shouting to get my attention they know they will get a chance to get me if there is something important.

2) "Coach I hear what you are saying, we will talk about it/look for it."

3) "Do you have a question? I can give you my best answer to a question but I can't stand here and debate . . ."

4) Create very clear standards of expected behaviour. Once you've been given you say if you don't move on, or if you are too demonstrative and adverserial or if you are clearly out of control we will take care of buisness. If they know that you will talk to them and that you will answer questions and work as a crew so long as they stay within the expectations things tend to work out.

I don't throw a lot of T's but I think it is primarily because we officiate in a small region so coaches know us all and what our standards are, they also know if they talk and question at appropriate times/ways we will reciprocate.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Pantherdreams

Easiest and most effective in my experience for communication has been the following (keeping in mind we are talking about most reasonable proffessional adults not your howler babies):

1) Preventative steps - If I can see a coach is trying to talk or get an official communicate I get to them as soon as I reasonably can to see what it is up. I may even check in after timeouts or breaks to see if there is anything they need clarification on or need to talk about. If they know that I will seek them out to talk then don't have to go shouting to get my attention they know they will get a chance to get me if there is something important.
....

I'm not seeking out a coach after a time-out or intermission. By that time they've moved on.

[UNIgiantslayers]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

I'm not seeking out a coach after a time-out or intermission. By that time they've moved on.

That was my thought as well. I've always been told it's a bad idea to go explaining before they have a question or to seek them out.

[Scuba_ref]

Use "Please" and "Thank you". Admit it when you totally kick a call. You have the power to have the final act (as in issuing a T or ejecting a coach) it's okay to let them have the final word every now and again.

[Pantherdreams]

Originally Posted by UNIgiantslayers

That was my thought as well. I've always been told it's a bad idea to go explaining before they have a question or to seek them out.

I'm going to disagree because IME that train of thought is connected to the idea that the only time coaches want to talk is when they have a specific complaint or incident that are reacting to.

When I seek coaches out (to be clear I'm talking generally about the varsity level coaches) there is often nothing and when there is they generally have things they want me to watch or have questions about.

ie: "Could you keep an eye out for 6 grabbing jersey's on screens?"
" My kids are telling me that the screens are moving what are you seeing?"
" I don't think 12 is getting the ball out of their hand before their pivot foot comes up. We can't guard her if she travels on every take off."
" There seems to be a lot of clutching at cutters."

So these aren't specific complaints or reactions to one incident but it gives them time to voice those to me. Then they don't have to yell that screen is moving or she travelled everytime they think it happens or they want me to know what they are seeing. They know I know and that I'm looking for it. If they need followup I can see the play or action they are looking for an on the fly by or next opportunity make clarification.