Courtesy comment to coach
 

Hello all,

We had a GV game on Saturday that had a girl putting her head down and steam rolling her way in the lane. She was completely out of control. The first couple times there was no illegal contact believe it or not. As a courtesy, I told the coach that a player out driving the lane out of control is probably not going to get the benefit of the doubt with our crew.

She argued about stuff on the other end like coaches will do. But then she told that player as she was subbing out, to watch out they are looking to call a foul on you.

I know you cannot quote silence but I was trying to work with the coach just like when you talk to them about some sketchy screens.

What did you think? About her comments and our tactics?

Pfan

You can't misquote silence.

I wouldn't of brought it uo.

Sometimes you have to let a coach know that you do not appreciate the comment or their behavior. So yes you cannot quote silence, but if you say nothing and you call a foul on that girl, then they get to totally shape the narrative. This is high school sports and I think sometimes people forget this in the end.

Peace

Re-read the OP. A player drives through the lane out of control.

So I'm either going to (1) call nothing if nothing happens, (2) call a PC foul if a PC foul happens, or (3) call a travel if a travel happens.

I don't see this as a place where preventive officiating does a darned bit of good.

I guess it depends on what other things have been going on in the game or if the coach has a history. But simply ignoring the comment is not my first thought in that kind of situation. Especially when the coach is trying to suggest the officials have something against their player. To me that is inappropriate.

Peace

I've made this mistake and dealt with the same thing you heard this season. I have said on here a few times I'm trying to be better about communication with coaches. This season I've probably been much nicer to coaches than any time in the past because their recs help get us to the state tourney. I've run into this situation where I just say too much this year, so I'm learning not to say anything to them unless they ask me about it. If he/she had said "hey, she's been called for charging on that drive a few times this year/game, what would you have?" I would respond. I'm not going to go out of my way to explain a call that might happen later without them asking a genuine question. I can appreciate your reasoning for doing so, but lots of great advice on here has taught me not to break into jail like that.

I get warning players on 3 seconds when it doesn't matter ... or other preventative stuff.

I don't get a warning on the actions described here. "Coach .. your player plowed through an area where no players were without travelling ... had there been someone in the way with legal guarding position, it would have been a foul." Doesn't that apply to ALL movement by players?

Agreed. I can appreciate the sentiment of preventative officiating, but I don't think it needs to be applied here. To me preventative officiating is giving warning when some ticky-tack contact or going 3.5 seconds in the lane actually occurs, and it's something you can pass on, and give warning/advice from there.

I would hold off.

I appreciate what your intent is here, but warning you may have to call something when there hasn't been anything to call yet is a problem on this type of action. As soon as she gets called for a travel or PC and the coach wants to know why or appears upset by all means jump in and explain what your seeing.

Your not preventing with this advice you are anticipating and to the coach it appeared like you were planning . . .

Patience. She will either stop it or give you a real reason to need to talk to her coach.

The comment doesn't happen if the official stays silent in the first place -- that's my point.

Well that is what coaches do. They take any comment and often saying nothing as a personal affront. I have said nothing to coaches only to have that taken as if "He does not want to talk to me." You have more trust in coaches than I do I see.

Peace

I think I care less. :)

You had no business bringing it up. "Out of control" is fan-speak, so that was definitely a phrase that should not have been part of any conversation with a coach.

In hindsight, probably not a good idea to bring it up with the coach. Just call the charges or travels as they drive the lane.

Do you ever ask the coaches to clean up different parts of their team's game (rebounding, screening, etc.), or just call the fouls?