Coaches Behavior

[SD Referee]

Originally Posted by AremRed

It's been more fan behavior for me. I've thrown out several fans this year, 2 in HS contests. In all cases they were making direct, personal comments to me and the ref crew. And somehow refs I talk to still think I shouldn't have done it cuz they didn't use profanity, they only made comments like "you're terrible", "you're cheating our girls", and "you should be ashamed of yourself". Sorry fan, I don't get paid enough to listen to that. In both cases I threw out the worst offender and no one said a word after that. Yet somehow I'm the bad guy.

For saying those things? You either need to grow a thicker skin or trim your elephant ears.

There's always an idiot in the crowd saying "that's terrible", among other things. Why give them the satisfaction by letting them know you not only hear them, but it also bothers you and throw them out. They are making themselves look like idiots and the rest of the crowd recognizes it too.

Usually I will just smile/laugh so that the idiot can see me. It really makes them mad because there is nothing they can do about it.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by SD Referee

For saying those things? You either need to grow a thicker skin or trim your elephant ears.

Just awful that an official would make these recommendations.

I assign for 24 schools at the varsity level. I would back any official who had an idiot removed for any reason. Maybe if more people got thrown out, the behavior at these events would improve.

"Thicker skin" and "elephant ears" are phrases normally thrown out by coaches, not officials.

Originally Posted by SC Official

A lot of times when I hear officials tell fellow officials they need “thicker skin,” it’s code for “I don’t handle business when I need to and I let too much bad behavior go.”

Bingo.

[Smitty]

Originally Posted by Rich

Just awful that an official would make these recommendations.

I assign for 24 schools at the varsity level. I would back any official who had an idiot removed for any reason. Maybe if more people got thrown out, the behavior at these events would improve.

"Thicker skin" and "elephant ears" are phrases normally thrown out by coaches, not officials.

Normally I agree with you on most things, but this I just can't. Fans are not our problem most of the time. The phrases he had a problem with are white noise. They shouldn't bother us to the point of letting it affect our attention. We should be able to ignore these things.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Smitty

Normally I agree with you on most things, but this I just can't. Fans are not our problem most of the time. The phrases he had a problem with are white noise. They shouldn't bother us to the point of letting it affect our attention. We should be able to ignore these things.

I am not saying that the official should be over the top and ranting and raving -- but there's nothing that a quiet word with a cooperative game manager can't fix. On our (the schools') end, I'm trying best I can to get schools to be proactive with behavior and keep crap off the officials, who just want a positive experience and want to work.

I officiated at a school last week and the student section was just out of control. There 3 staff members, paid to be crowd control, did nothing but stand in the corner, glazed eyed. I let it go as I recognized that there's a systemic problem there and I wasn't going to fix it, but it made me unhappy, nonetheless.

For me, fan noise usually correlates to coach behavior. (My example above -- not. The coach was a gentleman all night.) I can ignore most of it, but when fans get personal or start in on members of the other team (student sections making fun of opposing players, for example), then it shouldn't just be ignored.

[Smitty]

Originally Posted by Rich

I am not saying that the official should be over the top and ranting and raving -- but there's nothing that a quiet word with a cooperative game manager can't fix.

For me, fan noise usually correlates to coach behavior. I can ignore most of it, but when fans get personal or start in on members of the other team (student sections making fun of opposing players, for example), then it shouldn't just be ignored.

I agree completely with shutting down the student section making fun of an opposing player. I will jump on that. But the generic things AremRed mentioned are standard phrases that I don't deem as "personal" - they are just generic opinions that fans say when they don't understand why calls are made or not made. Typical fan behavior - maybe he just didn't describe it to the level it rose to where it became toss-worthy.

[LRZ]

Standards of what is deemed acceptable behavior will differ. I have no problem with what AremRed did. Not often, but on occasion, I have had to remind fans of the codes of conduct schools must adhere to in the leagues I work.

[frezer11]

Originally Posted by LRZ

Standards of what is deemed acceptable behavior will differ. I have no problem with what AremRed did. Not often, but on occasion, I have had to remind fans of the codes of conduct schools must adhere to in the leagues I work.

Context also matters. If that's a packed house, those comments might not make a difference, or even be heard. If its one idiot in a gym of 10 fans, then I'm not putting up with that very long.

[RefsNCoaches]

There is a Saturday youth league I am a part of and have been for 18 years ( coached in it several years ago and also served on their board for about 6 years when I lived on that side of town). I work their JRHS and HS league games. The HS league is basically the intramural league for 9th, 10th, 11th graders. I don't have any issues with coaches in this league cause I know all of them from my time being involved and the league is well run in terms of what they expect from their coaches and players....but there's always one kid...every year!

First weekend of games, last Saturday...HS league, kid comes out from a timeout and jumps up and grabs the rim with one hand..he doesn't hang on it... just kinda grabbed it and came back down. So, I figure I'll give him benefit of the doubt and I simply tell him to stay off the rims during time outs. This knucklehead replies under his breath, but loud enough for me to hear it "You need to shut the F up"....Rang him up...then he had the balls to say "This is BS"...so he got tossed and won't be playing this week either.

Coach asked me after I reported what did he say...I told him and he said, thanks and just shook his head.

Fans are gonna be fans...I don't care if it's V, JV, Frosh, JH, Travel ball, AAU or rec...they are 95% idiots that don't know the rules.

[SD Referee]

Originally Posted by Rich

I am not saying that the official should be over the top and ranting and raving -- but there's nothing that a quiet word with a cooperative game manager can't fix. On our (the schools') end, I'm trying best I can to get schools to be proactive with behavior and keep crap off the officials, who just want a positive experience and want to work.

I officiated at a school last week and the student section was just out of control. There 3 staff members, paid to be crowd control, did nothing but stand in the corner, glazed eyed. I let it go as I recognized that there's a systemic problem there and I wasn't going to fix it, but it made me unhappy, nonetheless.

For me, fan noise usually correlates to coach behavior. (My example above -- not. The coach was a gentleman all night.) I can ignore most of it, but when fans get personal or start in on members of the other team (student sections making fun of opposing players, for example), then it shouldn't just be ignored.

Now that is a great way to state your opinion and I agree with you.

The OP did not put it the way you put it. He made it sound like he was the one removing fans for saying things that quite frankly weren't that bad.

Your point is more spot on.

[SD Referee]

Originally Posted by Smitty

Normally I agree with you on most things, but this I just can't. Fans are not our problem most of the time. The phrases he had a problem with are white noise. They shouldn't bother us to the point of letting it affect our attention. We should be able to ignore these things.

Bingo.