Good Old Boy Network
 

This post actually isn't about the politics within my association, as the title suggests. I'm very happy in my association. But I have one small issue that I'd like to raise, which I've brought up in previous posts. For some background, I'm probably our youngest official (24) that regularly gets varsity games. I'm no rookie, though--this is my fifth year of officiating.

I feel that our refs allow coaches to talk entirely too much during games. Part of the reason behind this, I think, is that it's a smaller town (with a major public university) where most of the coaches have been at their schools for 10, 20, even 30 years. Everybody knows everybody. In pregame I often bring up potential problem coaches. More than once, a partner has said, "Yeah, that's how they are during games. They've been doing it their whole careers. I know them though, they're okay people." Great. They're okay people. Does that mean we shouldn't address their behavior during the game?

Case in point: Last night, GV game. V coach, who's been there for 15 years, is known for being a little whiny. I bring this up in pregame, and my partners are also aware of this. At the break between the first and second quarters, he comes out to midcourt to dispute a call with one of my partners. I really only see it out of my peripherals as I'm down on the low block near the other bench, but I can't believe my partner didn't address it. I don't blame him for not whacking him, but as far as I know he didn't even give a warning. I asked him about it at halftime and my partner answered with "I probably should have done something, but that's just how he is."

This is only one of many incidents of a partner allowing ignorant coach behavior to slide in an area where I would have done something. It's probably too late to do anything about it this season, but what's a reasonable way to bring this up to the association, if anything, without rocking the boat?

I think your association needs to agree on some black-and-white boundaries which, while perhaps not verbatim in the rule book, are customary automatics in the vast majority of areas. Such as:

1. Coming more then a step or two out onto the floor, or significantly down the sideline out of the box, to argue (such as in your case).

2. Loudly directing disapproval of an official over a long distance instead of asking him/her to come over because the coach has a question.

3. Going berserk, even if the official believes he/she may not have made the best call of their career (a little rope is ok, but going nuts isn't).

Etc., etc.

Once your association agrees on a set of precepts, send a letter to the ADs saying that you're resetting expectations in an effort to get sportsmanship back on track.

Happens where I am in upstate NY. When partners say that during a pregame I respond with "not in today's game he wont be." I have no problem addressing my partner's lack of dealing with coaches fairly and objectively at half time. It's a cop out, and if you feel that way it's time to hang it up.

RedAndWhiteRef:
How often do people in your association go deep into the playoffs? I ask because officials in this state who don't TCoB tend not to see very many post-season games.

I'm honestly not sure. We did have one guy get a state semi game last season, but he's one of our best. Our association doesn't really do a great job of recognizing those who get big assignments like that.

Honestly, if you are otherwise happy and are getting a good schedule this is not something I would seek to address with the whole association.

Your the youngest one getting regular V games and you are talking, at least in the OP, about coaches behavior dealing with your partners, not you.

Establish what behavior you will accept from coaches and communications that work for you. Let your partners deal with a bunch of crap from their drinking buddies if thats what they want to do and its not making games a headache or unmanageable.

If its something you feel strongly you need to address, selectively find a few officials you can talk to who may have some sway and suggest what you think needs to be done. And listen.