I worked a game last night and it was the first time I'd ever worked for either coach (both new to the area). As the R, I introduced myself when I took the book to the coaches, and again wished them well at the 1:00 mark. About midway through the third quarter, when the game was a 25 point difference, one of the coaches started calling me by my first name. Should my replies include his first name? Are we on a first name basis now?

If he uses your first name, feel free to use his.

I never call a coach anything other than "coach." We all know that coaches can be paranoid about officials. Why throw fuel on the fire by making one coach think that you and the other coach are grade school chums?

Z

This is my policy, it always works out ok for me. Have never had another coach have a problem with it.

If it works for you, that's all that matters.

I was listening to a D-1 official talk ("Ron" for the purpose of this post) about being professional at a camp I went to a couple summers ago. He talked about how paranoid coaches are because we (officials) are the only part of the game they can't prepare for. It drives them crazy.

He went to the visiting coach with his two partners for the pre-game conference and said, "hi coach" and kept it short and professional. His two partners were all smiles and got into some short banter with the visiting coach (who they had officiated before) and a little wit was exchanged and a couple laughs. "Ron" noticed the home coach watching them intently.

They go to the home coach and none of the three refs know him personally so it's short and professional and no clever wit.

Ron said that the home coach was all over his partners all night long and left him alone and Ron is convinced that it was because the home coach made a judgment about his two partners based on the 15 seconds they spent with the visiting coach. Ron had to T the home coach when he went over the top on one of his partners late in the game.

He had some other examples of how paranoid coaches can be about officials being biased and how we need to be completely professional at all times to not play into that perception.

Ever since then, I have made it my policy to address every coach as "coach" only.

If you think that's too much fine, but I appreciated his story and I have seen enough paranoia in coaches to want to do everything I can to avoid giving the perception of favoritism.

Z

Coach ...
 

We have several of our local coaches who attend out church and since I'm on staff at the church I see them alot.

Even in the halls at church, I always call them coach. i think it keeps the respect for each other even away from the park.

On the field, its best IMO to keep things non-personal.
We have a few coaches who like to do that, but I think its part of them thinking they might get a break by using our first name.

Thanks
David

Re: Coach ...
 

David -- what are you working? GRASS-ketball?!?

This is interesting because I worry about being too friendly with one coach. Last week, my partner and I go on the floor for a girls varsity game at the 15:00 mark. I was gonna go opposite the table but my partner says let's say hi to the coaches now. We go to the home coach and my partner and the coach start to talk. After 30 seconds I go see the people at the table. My partner sits and banters with the coach until the 6:00 minute mark. I thought this was completely unprofessional. Then we go to the visiting coach and say "Have a good game".

There was a game where I stood and talked to a coach "too long." As soon as I was done, I went to the other coach and said, "We were just discussing the legal and illegal jump stop. Do you have any rules questions?" It was a total lie, which I don't like, but I was in CMA mode. Next time a friendly banter started with a coach, I interrupted myself, by saying, "...and she just fell right down -- oh, gosh look at the time I've got to check the book." Next time, I think I'll just try to be a little more distant and formal with the attitude in the first place, and call it "preventive officiating."

I know of a few coaches who use first names and in their case its a ploy.They know if they yell Jeff I will look their way.I never use first names but if it works for others good.

If a coach calls me by my first name, I respond in kind. Of course, every coach has the same first name - "Beavis". I'll let you guess what the assistant coach's name is.

I don't mind if they use my first name. Had an out of region coach do that just after meeting me last week. However, for me they are always Coach.

Watching a district tournament a few years ago, an official made an impression on me by having smiling conversation and patting one coach on the shoulder, then looking down (no eye contact) when shaking the other coach's hand. BTW, I charted calls that game and this official's fouls were 10-3. Guess who's favor. (Overall team fouls for the game were even.)

We like to catch them together when possible to speak to both at the same time before the game.

While I am as friendly as the next guy, I do not like to be addressed by my first name during the game, no matter how long or how well I know the coach, and for that reason, I always address a coach by calling him coach.

Last night was a case in point. I was the U2. I had never seen the two schools. I did not know who the two coaches were. I had never officiated with the other two officials. The R knew the Visitor's Head Coach pretty well. From the first foul I called (which was against the Visitor's) it seemed that every foul that the Visitor's committed was in front of me. I cannot wait to see the tape of the game because it seemed that in the first half alone, that I called 70% or more of the fouls against the Visitor's. Before the end of the first quarter I was the object of the Head Coach V's affections and he thought that we should be on a first name basis, even if it meant calling to me when I was the C opposite the Table. It was Mark this and Mark that. The only time I responded to him was to ask "30 seconds or full, Coach?" Finally, with 7:18 left in the fourth quarter, at the 7:18 mark of the fourth quarter, I was the C directly in front of him. He asked me a question, and I gave him a short direct answer while keeping my back to him. Without going into detail, because I have to right my OhioHSAA Game Report this afternoon, two direct technical fouls were charged to him in very short order.

Even though we worked pretty well as a 3-man crew, the ejection just left a sour tasted in my mouth for the two hour drive home at 10pm at night.

I hope you'll share some details once your report is filed. Or drop me an email :)

I worked a game last night where both coaches thought they were being screwed. Visiting team very aggressive and picks up 10+ fouls in about 10 minutes of play. Home team had 3 fouls at the time they started shooting 2 for the double bonus. Partners were a bit tighter than I'm used to, but the V team should've adjusted earlier than they did. I think I called 2 of those 10 fouls and they were both no brainer calls.

At 7-2, he starts in with the disparity -- I tell him I'm not counting the fouls and he says that HE has to with a smile, which brought a smile to my face. Later in the half I call a foul from C with him right in my back -- an obvious foul where his player went for a steal at the top of the key and came across both of A's arms in the process. As I'm reporting he's asking me what his kids need to do.....and before I go over to C I reply, "Stop fouling." I didn't stick around to see whether he smiled that time.

The V team adjusts in the second half and blows out the H team. NOW the home team's coach is complaining that we're letting up on calling fouls on the V team because the coach was working us. I swear they go to some kind of school to learn this behavior.

a bit different-had a game Friday night at our local HS-usually won't do them as i know most of the kids on the team from coaching them in little league, pop warner etc.-
Ball goes out of bounds and in the corner of the gym--without thinking i said "Sean go get that ball for me"--the look from the closest opponent was pricelese--made sure i did not do that again

Overall good game though