Coaching Staff Decorum
 

So I've read plenty of threads where we can all agree that we aren't going to take any crap from coaches and at a scholastic contest we are going to ignore anything said from the stands.

I recently had a contest where the Varsity coaching staff sat in the bleachers and yelled obscenities at the JV/Fresh officials when the varsity coaching staff disagreed with their calls. You could obviously tell they were coaching staff and represented the school as they all wore matching shirts and were sitting just above the team bench so they could coach (yell at) players as well.

The things that were said I would consider an "Automatic" had the coach been on the court but I would have ignored if it were just the common fan in the stands. Needless to say though, it still definitely violated the NFHS sportsmanship policy.

I think it would be looking for trouble to T the bench in this instance, much like it would be trouble to tell game admin. that the varsity head coach has to leave the gym. I am interested to see what the peanut galleries opinions could be to help resolve a similar situation. :confused:

Maybe this is the start of the issue. I don't exactly have my antennas up looking for something, but I'm not going to let some knot head who paid $4, sit in the front row and abuse the crew all night.

If that happens to be the coach of the next game or the guy who walked in off the street, they are a spectator at that point. I'm going to get game management or at least let them know, in that look your mom gave you when you were 10, that I am not putting up with their sh%t.

You can always contact the State governing board and send correspondence to the school principal

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I will say this. When a coaching staff acts out before their games like a varsity contest, that is often something that gets around. Secondly if they do that in my presence, I will take that as note and maybe address it at first opportunity when it comes up in my game. Otherwise I would leave it alone before a game. I might contact my assignor as well to let them know this is something that is going on so that it can be addressed there. The only way I would contact the state (and I am talking specifically to our system) is if they did something influenced my particular game. Otherwise I would go through the chain of command to address this. But when my game starts, it is in their best interest to be on their best behavior.

Peace

Coaches who act like that in the stands would get zero leeway with me in the Varsity game.

As a very young first year HS official at 20 years of age, while reffing a boys freshmen game, I had a spectator standing just in front of the bleachers opposite table side berating me. I gave him the heave-ho. It turns out that he was the varsity coach. After the game, his tone changed completely and he pathetically apologized only when he realized it meant he would be suspended from coaching his game. Unfortunately, the varsity crew decided that it didn't need to be reported and let him coach. And I didn't know any better regarding how to report it. :(

griblets, let your assigner know, at the least. Around here, if something unusual occurs, most refs call the assigner to let him/her know. If you are on arbiter, you can also use the "report" function.

Here, sub-varsity and varsity typically don't play on the same nights. But if something like this did happen to me, I 100% agree with BNR.

However, if I notice that there are "assistants" behind the bench area who are doing a lot of coaching and b*tching trying to circumvent the bench personnel rules (especially if they join the timeout huddle), I will make clear to the head coach that it's not going to fly and they will be penalized as regular bench personnel, which potentially includes him losing his box.

Any fan yelling obscenities at at scholastic contest will be removed at my game no matter who they are. This is not the arena where that is even close to acceptable IMO.

Just because you're in the row behind the bench doesn't mean you aren't a coach, especially if you're coaching players on the bench, and joining the team huddle during timeouts. If this happens in my game, I'm giving the HC ONE chance to correct it, and then if it happens again, someone's getting whacked!

I agree - I am confused why everyone is saying they would talk to their assignor. Now in this case, I realize that VrefA may have not been officiating this game. If I was the official on the court though, you can't tolerate obscenities from a fan, that has to be addressed.

Had a varsity official show early and saw how the Varsity coach as a fan was treating us.

He told the VHC before his varsity game he didnt appreciate how he treated us fellow offcials and he was on a short leash. I love when Vets stand up for others.

When the VHC coaches from outside the team bench area I have been told to tell the HC that his coaching staff needs to sit on the bench.

Also been told use your site admin and have them go talk to the fan and let them know if they continue to distract the crew they will be asked to leave.

Worst one was the VHC son was playing my my Soph game and his son loved to run over his lousy opponent. ON the 2nd PC call he comes down out of the top of the stands jumps the bench and points at me.

Lets just say now I would simply ask site management to remove him and play the game.

These questions about what to do with these child like behaviors while sub varsity try to work are really good stuff. Wish more sub varsity were here to get some ideas...

I would be more impressed if that varsity official had talked to the varsity hc while he was abusing you. That's when it really needed to be addressed.



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There is (or should I say was, as he resigned after last season) a varsity girls coach in my association that was.. let's just say... not a very cordial guy when it came to officials. A bit of a whiner, and a lot of technical. Got kicked out of a few games in his time at this school.

Anyways, long story short, was working a girls JV game one time. Girls JV coach for this school (who is now the varsity coach, and well deserved) and I have always gotten along great. Saw the varsity coach sitting one row behind the bench during the JV game and figured it was going to be a long game. Throughout the first half, I heard the varsity coach doing some coaching, and some minor questioning of calls (Did he really call that a foul, I think that was a travel, things like that). Calmest I'd seen him in a while.

Second half, 2 man crew. I'm trail, partner is lead. Partner calls a foul that quite honestly, wasn't a foul, but as a good partner, I back my partners all the way even when I know they've kicked a call. As soon as the call is made, before I could even get 2 steps from where I was standing, varsity coach stands up and says loud enough for me, but not my partner to hear "And that's why he's a JV official." I stopped dead in my tracks, turned right to the coach, "Whack". JV coach just dropped his head and sat down, because he, unlike his varsity coach, knew the situation.

Needless to say, the varsity coach was ticked off. Told me "you can't do that, I'm a fan this game, not a coach, you can't T me, you and your partner are pathetic, etc etc." I admit I did something that I shouldn't have, when I told the JV coach, "How would you like to coach varsity tonight?" Then pointed at the varsity coach. "Whack, get out, your night is over."

Now that was a fun report to fill out and send into my state association. Varsity officials hadn't arrived yet, but when they did, I told them about it. They all seemed to think I handled it exactly the way I should have, except I probably didn't need to ask the JV coach how he felt about coaching varsity. But... they did get a kick out of it, as this particular crew had problems with this varsity coach in the past, so they did say it was a little bit of sweet justice.

What say you guys?

I appreciate that advice, but I figured that out shortly after my first year. Arbiter didn't exist when this happened over 20 years ago...heck, I didn't even have Internet access then! ;)

I normally arrive early enough to my games to catch most of the 1st half of the JV contest. If I see the varsity coach doing something like this, what are my options?

I mean, I can wait until halftime and tell the JV officials to tell the JV HC that the VHC can be removed from the gym and possibly not be able to attend his game. But what if his actions are so bad that I want to get it stopped before I can talk to the JV officials?

I would not do this at all. Give the JV officials advice in the locker room if you want and then let them live and die by what they decide to do. It's not your game yet and doesn't warrant you getting involved IMO.

Now, if you want to have a shorter leash for the varsity coach in your game, I would fully support that.

So, if they ask, you'd let them know they can have the VHC removed from the gym like any other "fan"? Otherwise, let them sink or swim?

BTW, I'd definitely have a shorter leash for that coach.

Assuming I'm on the JV game, if they're screaming obscenities, they're leaving the game. I wouldn't let Jimmy's dad do that, not when it's done in a way that it gets and keeps my attention.

Find a stoppage in play, talk to the AD, and let him/her know the coach needs to knock it off or leave.

Also file a report with your assigner AND directly with the state governing body.

If I'm part of the crew for the varsity crew and I'm watching this game, I'd ask the crew at half time why they aren't dealing with it and let the conversation flow from there. Coach gets zero tolerance from me.

Yes. I would ask them why they aren't dealing with it, advise that they do, and whatever happens, happens. I'm not going to "come to the rescue" when I don't have authority over the game at hand. At most, I might say something to the AD about the behavior, but I'm certainly not going to demand the offenders' removal from a game that I'm not calling.

And we all seem to be on the same page that the varsity coach would be on a very short leash during his game.

You don't. You have no standing other than as a spectator in the JV game.

Well that may be true, but it depends on what is expected of the varsity officials. Many assignors I work for allow the varsity officials to either mentor or point out things to the lower level or prelim official's games. So it might be he as I am empowered to say something to the younger officials. Of course that does not apply to just this situation, but I might mention something to the officials if I notice this or if I know the officials rather well. But if nothing else is said, I will note their behavior for our game and give a very small leash if that behavior continues. But again, all about the structure or the expectations of who you are working for.

Peace

If you are sitting there watching the game before yours, there is no reason why you can't at least contact game management and let them know if there's another "spectator" who's behavior is out of line. Even if it is the Varsity head coach. No need to let this go on just because the JV officials are either not noticing, not sure how, or too timid to take care of it themselves.

And I'd ESPECIALLY encourage this action if the Varsity coach in the stands thinks he can sit there and shout obscenities.

I'm talking about during the first half -- taking care of something himself.

Sure, mentor the officials at halftime in the locker room, etc. but during the JV game the varsity officials should not be getting involved in any official capacity.

Not my job. We don't like it when people try to do our jobs -- if you're so bothered, then go to the locker room early.

You'll get your shot with the varsity coach soon enough.

All I am saying is that depends on the procedures of your assignor. We often are brought into the locker room by GM and that might be the time to address that issue with them. Maybe even make them aware. I am not saying confront anyone. I just think you have the option. But if that is not what you do, that is fine. Just be aware that some assignors want you to make GM aware of a lot of situations you observe before your game. Or at the very least inform the assignor of those situations.

Peace

Guess Who's Not Coaching Tonight ...
 

Several years ago, during a junior varsity game, the varsity head coach was sitting on the junior varsity team bench shouting at the junior varsity officials. Eventually, one of the junior varsity officials ejected the varsity head coach, and gave an indirect technical foul to the junior varsity coach. The way things work here in Connecticut, because of the ejection, the varsity head coach couldn't coach until he sat out the next junior varsity game, so he couldn't coach his varsity team that night.

This was not a well liked coach among officials. When the situation was discussed at out next monthly meeting, the junior varsity official got a standing ovation.