Talking to Players & Coaches

[LepTalBldgs]

There's a thread below where Mick says that some ref's will say "Sorry coach, I kicked it".

This year I'll be working mostly frosh/soph and JV games with a limited number of small school varsity. What are your opinions on how to handle the following:

1. Do you say "Sorry I kicked it" or "that wasn't my best call", or "I may have missed that one" to a coach?

2. When my partner calls a questionable foul and we line up to shoot, I've had players slide over to me as T and say, "Hey, you saw that wasn't a foul, right?". I usually respond, either "My partner and I have been a pretty good team so far tonight" or "I was watching a different area on the floor and didn't see it". What do you say?

3. If my partner calls something in my primary I've had a player say "That was your area", or "He wasn't supposed to call that". I have said "He may have seen something I didn't". Is there anything else to say?

Thanks for your help

[LSams]

I will admit to a coach if I missed one. Juulie made a great comment in another thread that you can't do this too many times in the same game to the same coach, or you will lose all credibility.

I will never, ever, tell a player, or coach that my partner missed one. Even if everyone in the gym knows it was wrong -- I'll stand by my crew. Now when we get to the locker room, we may have a conversation that starts with "what did you see on that play?" And then talk about factors that could have helped get it right; positioning, hustle, more patient whistle, trusting partner, letting the whole play develop, etc.

When a player asks me about a partners call, my response is most generally to announce the penalty or disposition of the ball, "Two shots" or "white underneath." There may be an appropriate response for a very occassional situation, but it would be very rare -- in my opinion.

[TriggerMN]

It sounds like you are doing an excellent job of backing up your partner, whether or not you agree with him. Doing lower level games can be hard sometimes, especially when the quality of some officials is not what some people are used to. In the long run, assignors will have much more respect for you if you back up your partner, than if you repeatedly correct their calls.

If you REALLY miss one bad, and it's obvious to everyone including yourself, it's entirely up to you whether or not you want to tell the coach you kicked it. Most coaches will respect you for admitting that you're not perfect, but you really have to read each coach. If the coach is being a "howler monkey," forget trying to reason with him. If he's merely asking you without creating a scene, let him know you're trying as hard as you can, but you made a mistake.

I had a situation last year where in the last 30 seconds of a 2-point varsity game, my partner made a horrible call, misinterpreting a rule. The coach jumped up and started yelling. I told the coach I would go over the play with my partner, to whom I quickly explained the rule and his error. However, he refused to budge on his call, so I told the coach I had done everything within the rules I could and had offered my opinion to my partner, but ultimately he blew the whistle and felt confident in his call; I was powerless to overrule him. It ended up deciding the game.

A couple of weeks later, the losing coach saw me in a different gym, and made it a point to walk up to me and thank me for doing what I could, even though the call went against him.

[ChuckElias]

Originally posted by LepTalBldgs
1. Do you say "Sorry I kicked it"

Nope.

or "that wasn't my best call",

Better, but not one I use personally.

or "I may have missed that one"

This is probably the best of the three, in my opinion. I will generally tell a coach what I saw, and if he disagrees, then I say, "If that's the way it happened, Coach, then I missed it." It doesn't admit that you're wrong, but you are recognizing that it may have been questionable.

2. When my partner calls a questionable foul and we line up to shoot, I've had players slide over to me as T and say, "Hey, you saw that wasn't a foul, right?". What do you say?

If I got a decent look at it, and I think it was a decent call, I will generally say, "I had the same call". If I didn't have a good look, or if I don't think it was a decent call, I'll say, "I didn't see it, but you can ask my partner. S/he won't mind telling you what s/he saw." I don't think that's selling out my partner, but it doesn't make me stick up for a questionable call.

3. If my partner calls something in my primary I've had a player say "That was your area", or "He wasn't supposed to call that". I have said "He may have seen something I didn't". Is there anything else to say?

I think that's all you can say. If you didn't see it, then you have to assume (hope) that your partner did see it. So just say that. I think all the comments in the thread are pretty good. Remember that at lower level games, you're going to be working with lower level refs or newer refs. Try to work it out after the game, and not during the game. Sounds like you're doing pretty well.

[Damian]

I've been cornered after a game by a coach after everyone had left. I won't ever budge on supporting my partner-ever. If you make that clear to the coach, you won't have any additional problems.

This may not help in the current situation, but it will in the long term.

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by LepTalBldgs


1. Do you say "Sorry I kicked it" or "that wasn't my best call", or "I may have missed that one" to a coach?

Depends on the coach. If I know the coach and he/she is a reasonable person, I might do so. But if they are the type of coach that complains about "3 seconds" and "that is traveling" all day and night, I see no benefit in admitting a mistake to those guys. I would rather admit a mistake to a coach that picks his spots and complains when a call might a tough one or could go one way or another.

Originally posted by LepTalBldgs

2. When my partner calls a questionable foul and we line up to shoot, I've had players slide over to me as T and say, "Hey, you saw that wasn't a foul, right?". I usually respond, either "My partner and I have been a pretty good team so far tonight" or "I was watching a different area on the floor and didn't see it". What do you say?

All I will say is, "he was right there," or "he had a better look at the play than I did. If I am doing my job, that is all I can say anyway, especially when doing 3 Person Mechanics. And if we had a call that might be in a dual area, I will say, "I had the same thing too." Usually they get the point and leave it alone. But I will only allow a player to do this one, maybe two times. After that, I will make it clear that I am not going to have him coming to me after every call.

Originally posted by LepTalBldgs

3. If my partner calls something in my primary I've had a player say "That was your area", or "He wasn't supposed to call that". I have said "He may have seen something I didn't". Is there anything else to say?

Usually when they say that, they are really wrong. Most of my games are 3 Person and I will have a coach complain something was in my area, when it was not at all. So I will either tell them how it was not my area, or explain why he has that call. For example if the ball was on the Center's side and went to the basket, many times the coaches think the Lead should make the call. If they comment about that, I have no problem telling them that, "I am not looking there, that is his call all the way." Usually that stops they, "he cannot call that" conversation.

Peace

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by LepTalBldgs
There's a thread below where Mick says that some ref's will say "Sorry coach, I kicked it".

This year I'll be working mostly frosh/soph and JV games with a limited number of small school varsity. What are your opinions on how to handle the following:

1. Do you say "Sorry I kicked it" or "that wasn't my best call", or "I may have missed that one" to a coach?

If you missed one then admit it & move on. Don't miss too many though!

2. When my partner calls a questionable foul and we line up to shoot, I've had players slide over to me as T and say, "Hey, you saw that wasn't a foul, right?". I usually respond, either "My partner and I have been a pretty good team so far tonight" or "I was watching a different area on the floor and didn't see it". What do you say?

Either "I didn't see it" or "You're kidding me, right?"

3. If my partner calls something in my primary I've had a player say "That was your area", or "He wasn't supposed to call that". I have said "He may have seen something I didn't". Is there anything else to say?

Only 1 response to this: "You're kidding me, right?"

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by LepTalBldgs
3. If my partner calls something in my primary I've had a player say "That was your area", or "He wasn't supposed to call that". I have said "He may have seen something I didn't". Is there anything else to say?

"He was helping me out -- I was busy watching you!!" "...I was busy watching the low post" "I had to keep an eye on the shooter".