Coaches who are also Officials

[CJP]

Originally Posted by ChuckS

Just wondering if my experience with coaches who are also officials is typical.

Just finished my 2nd year. In my 2nd Varsity game, one head coach had been my partner for 4 MS travel games. Before the game he told me that his girls are aggressive, and when they drive the lane and there is contact, he wants the foul called. First half he got into a long discussion about a block/charge call with my partner, which prompted my partner to tell me at halftime that he couldn’t believe the coach was also an official. Close game at halftime, his team gets blown out in the 2nd half. Winning team passing the ball along the perimeter, killing the clock, (4 minutes to go, 30 point margin) and the coach yells at me for missing a travel. I admit sometimes I struggle with identifying the pivot foot, I am certainly working on it. (after game partner said it was close, but a travel). After the game, coach finds us in the hall, and begins yelling at me that I am a JV official, that I missed 4 travels, and he is going to send the video to the assignor. I did not engage him. Both my partner and the AD try to calm the coach down. That night I emailed a full explanation to my assignor.

2 weeks later, I went to watch his team in their first round State playoff game. Same type of game, tied at halftime, his team loses by 28. Three-man crew, all experienced guys. He was complaining all game. During a 3rd quarter time-out, he told his team “Don’t worry girls, it’s 8 against 5 out there”. With about 4 minutes to go, he gets in an official’s face and screams “You’re Horrible!”, twice. That earned him a T. Saddest part was his team clapping for him as he returned to the bench.

Then last week I did a 6th grade girls travel game – one coach was a partner from 2 months ago. I was L, in good position to see no contact on a missed lay-up. Shooter goes down hard – not injured, but stays down for a while. Coach screaming for a foul (from 50 feet away) “If my player is on the floor, there HAS to be a foul”. (As an official, how can she possibly think that?) Girls that age are on the floor all the time, of their own doing.

So….typical, or atypical?

While officiating independent basketball (travel ball) I have had a few negative interactions with NFHS certified officials who were coaching their kid's team. The level of competition ranged from middle school to varsity. In each instance it only happened once and ended when I had enough from them and reminded them that they are certified officials and should act like it. The next time we shared the floor they were polite and treated me with respect. I would say they were below average officials. Of course this was independent basketball and it is easy for people to lose their minds here so maybe they would have acted differently at a sanctioned game.

The only time I officiated a sanctioned high school game were a coach was a NFHS certified official was a great game. They guy was a great official and it his coaching skills, regarding interaction with us, reflected that.

So based off of my limited personal experience, I think good officials will be good coaches, regarding interaction with the game officials. Bad (relative term) officials can be a pain and would not think twice about what they thought of me or my level of officiating.