How to talk to Officials

[Randal]

Start with two basic premises: (1) in almost all circumstances, the refs knows the rules as well or better than you do; and (2) in almost all circumstances, the refs have a better view and angle on the play than you do.

Then it follows that your conversations with the refs should, for the most part, be limited to asking questions when you do not understand what happened. And, asking for a time out.

There is never, ever, anything gained by yelling at the refs or argueing with them after a call. But, there is a lot to lose. At a minimum, your players will lose their focus.

If the refs blew the call (and they do regularly), they almost surely know it, and pointing it out does not help. If you merely disagree with the ref, live with it -- argueing with them will not change their opinion.

By-the-by, one of the best things that you can do to improve the interactions between your team and the refs is to make certain that your players really know the rules of the game -- most do not, and this is the coaches fault. For example, consider giving your players an old NHFS written exam.

[CYO Butch]

Originally posted by Randal
...

By-the-by, one of the best things that you can do to improve the interactions between your team and the refs is to make certain that your players really know the rules of the game -- most do not, and this is the coaches fault. For example, consider giving your players an old NHFS written exam.

This is excellent advice. I regularly have a little rule knowledge quiz at the end of my practices, usually based on some interesting thread I read here. I will demonstrate a behavior (or a number of them), then ask my players to say whether they were legal or not. I cover both violations and fouls. They enjoy it, and it makes them better players as well.

[mplagrow]

I am an AD in a grade school, I ref, and occasionally I help coach. I make no effort to effect the way a ref handles the game. It's not why I'm there as a coach. I have however, had times where I've had questions on what was called. For example, I had a player who picked up three fouls in the first quarter. Two looked like clean blocks. I politely talked to the ref at half time. I asked him if he could explain to me what he was seeing on the blocks so that I could tell my player what to do differently. He explained that there was contact on the follow through (we couldn't see from our angle). He appreciated that I wasn't questioning his judgment but my vantage point, and he explained his call. Notice I wasn't asking him to change the way he reffed either.

[JRutledge]

Just coach your team. When you start coaching the officials, not a good thing. When coaches worry about their team, it makes me respect your complaints when you complain. But when ever call is questioned and every play has a comment about the officiate, not only will most officials tune you out, but then they might start looking for reasons to get you. And we are human beings, we will and can get you.

Peace

And we are human beings, we will and can get you.

Is that really necessary? This kind of statement is what makes it tough for me to give officials respect because they feel they deserve it. I realize they have a tough job, but comments like this, I feel are unecessary.

[mplagrow]

In defense of JRut, he has been on the forum actively spouting wisdom for a while. I can see where you could take the quote 'we can and will get you' defensively. However, let me be the first to say that after reading many of JRut's posts and responses, he is not the kind of guy looking to start trouble or abuse authority. He's simply making the observation that as humans, any official can be tempted to use the authority inappropriately when baited. Do I have that right, Jrut?

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by mplagrow
In defense of JRut, he has been on the forum actively spouting wisdom for a while. I can see where you could take the quote 'we can and will get you' defensively. However, let me be the first to say that after reading many of JRut's posts and responses, he is not the kind of guy looking to start trouble or abuse authority. He's simply making the observation that as humans, any official can be tempted to use the authority inappropriately when baited. Do I have that right, Jrut?

My statements had nothing to do with abusing power or making up things. But when you step slightly out of that coaching box and you have been complaining from play one about traveling and we are in the fourth quarter, I know many officials that will not give that coach any slack. Same goes for players, when you complain about everything, that benefit of the doubt goes out the window. Because there are always calls that an official is not 100% sure about, but we might pass on it or allow the play to continue. When you draw attention to yourself, it makes your case less credible. I am one that will just ignore you and not say anything the rest of the game, if I feel a coach is just being stupid. And usually the coaches get the message. But other officials will just stick you and think nothing of it.

I would compare the situation to a boss/employee relationship. If you curse out your boss, he or she might not fire you, but they will not speak up for you when the promotion comes or the raise is discussed. Officials are human beings and I have been around enough officials that at halftime or at timeouts discuss their intentions the next time that coach opens their mouths.

Peace

I must say I give Jrut credit for trying to explain himself, but I feel he just adds to the problem of the official is on top of the world, and everyone else is below him or her. I hear a lot on this board and from reading this post that you should treat an official the way you expect to be treated, this I agree with. But I can not put Jrut on the pedestal that he requires. Jrut it sounds like you make a lot of assumptions, remember what happens when you assume things, it makes an *** out of you and me if I believe it.

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by BBallCoach
But I can not put Jrut on the pedestal that he requires. Jrut it sounds like you make a lot of assumptions, remember what happens when you assume things, it makes an *** out of you and me if I believe it.

I am only on the pedestal that the rulebook allows. And it is the official, not the coach that decides what behavior in a game that is to be tolerated. It it is against the rules to question the judgment and authority of an official. But most officials choose to be nice and allow that to some extent or turn the other cheek. So if you want to be an jerk, just understand that some will pull the trigger quicker than others. If you want to roll that dice, just do not be surprised when you crap out.

Two-thirds of the season is gone and I have not given one technical in any game at any level. But I have watched many games and seen officials just raise their voice and the coach got T'd up. So it is apparant to me that everyone is not going to give you the rope that I and others might. So, run you mouth all game long. But I know many officials that will not hesitate to shut it.

Peace

[SMEngmann]

The main thing that annoys me is the lack of rule knowledge from the coaches, even at the HS level. Hearing constant, "over the back" and "reach" and "call it both ways" from coaches does not endear me to them at all. Same with the yell for the phantom travel. One time I was at an 8th grade game waiting to coach my baseball team. Some of the players recognized me as a ref and asked about travelling. I asked them who knew what the rule for travelling is? Every one had different answers involving the number of steps.

Hostile coaches lead to hostile players and hostile fans and the quickest way to an ugly game is to allow angry and incessant criticism from a coach who doesn't know the rules of the game. I will not tolerate constant whining, profanity or any sort of personal comment or gesture directed at me by a coach, nor will I allow counting in any way, particularly of calls I "missed." If a coach is a blowhard and clearly doesn't know what he's yelling about, he will more than likely have a shorter leash than the guy who's more tactful and intelligent.

[rainmaker]

I'm checking in kinda late on this thread, but I want to make just one observation. The very best coaches of the very best teams, coach their players only. I had a game with an unbelievably good 8th grade team where I never heard the coach say one word against the refs, and we weren't that great. Here's one interaction I heard between him and one of his players:

She: Coach, I'm getting hacked!
Coach: Then you're not running fast enough. Get away from that defender!
She: But why isn't the ref calling it?
Coach: Because you're doing something wrong.
She: ME!?!?
Coach: If what you're doing isn't getting the result you want, do something different. It's that simple.

First of all, this is very good coaching, and he got results. Second of all, I was totally on his side for the rest of the game. I didn't call it unfairly, although they'd have won by 30 points or more no matter what I did. But I definitely didn't have to tighten up to prove a point or something. The coach and I were on the same team, trying to give the girls a good game. I liked that feeling!

[tomegun]

Be respectful like you would to any other adult and expect the same of your players and their parents.

Know your verbal and physical boundries and stay within them. Coach your team. No, really coach your team by looking at what is going on. If the fouls are lopsided ask yourself "is the talent, height, defensive characteristics, physical ability and aggresion the same?" If everything isn't equal between two teams how can the fouls be equal. Understand what the officials are trying to do. I was once told "four minutes into the game you should have it by the short and curlys." You can't complain about a disparity in fouls until the end of the game and then only if the teams are equal in every area. That is probably never going to happen!

Finally, make adjustments. Isn't this a big part of coaching anyway? I will let you in on what is said many times "they will have to adjust to the way we are calling." That means what is going to be called is going to be called. You can add to that by putting a T in the mix but why? I don't want to do it but sometimes I'm forced to.
I had two very well behaved coaches in a game last night. One coach didn't say anything to us and his players didn't either. I think that has something to do with them trying to win a sportsmanship award. That isn't such a bad thing since the another product of that goal is well behaved kids. The other coach got upset twice. One was when my partner called basket interference. The other was when I sent one of his players, a starter, to the bench to take off a white T-shirt since their unforms were blue. Now this happened in the second quarter. I was in a giving mood so I told him in the firt two minutes of the game to take it off when he goes to the bench. Well, I should have sent him to the bench right then but I didn't. He played all of the first quarter and they went to the bench. He started the second quarter and a sub came in for him. He came back into the game a couple of minutes later. I sent him back. I explained all of this to the coach and he said "it amazes me what you guys come up with." Huh? I didn't write the rule book but it is in black and white. If I took the time to explain all of this and it has been a rule for a long time why do you have a problem with me? By February you should have all of this worked out. Well, I didn't hear from him anymore and he didn't have anything to complain about.

[tomegun]

Originally posted by rainmaker
I was totally on his side for the rest of the game. ............ The coach and I were on the same team, trying to give the girls a good game. I liked that feeling!

??????????

[Mregor]

Chirping, calling violations and fouls from the bench, does no good. I remember back in my very first HS game, girls JV. I called a travel on a visiting player. There was a TO either right after or shortly after and the visiting coach came up to me and said, "you know, I think she fooled all of us because that really looked like a travel, but if you really think about it, I don't think it was". That was my first experience with a coach and it has been all down hill ever since. There are ways to make your point without putting someone on the defensive.

Mregor

[Adam]

Originally posted by BBallCoach
I must say I give Jrut credit for trying to explain himself, but I feel he just adds to the problem of the official is on top of the world, and everyone else is below him or her. I hear a lot on this board and from reading this post that you should treat an official the way you expect to be treated, this I agree with. But I can not put Jrut on the pedestal that he requires. Jrut it sounds like you make a lot of assumptions, remember what happens when you assume things, it makes an *** out of you and me if I believe it.

Coach give it up. Your post here is a complete non-sequiter from Rut's post. He didn't say anything about a pedastal. He only pointed out the obvious, and I think your issues are getting in the way of your vision.
I don't recall a single post from you that wasn't complaining about some mythical offense you took by something an official said on this board. You were offended by Dan's jocularity (that's "sense of humor" for those of you in Rio Linda), and you're offended by Rut's pointed advice.

An analogy, Coach.
You're becoming that coach who is complaining from the tipoff about phantom fouls and vague violations. I hear you yelling during a throw-in, "he traveled." I hear you screaming when your player loses a rebound, "Over the back!" I hear you hollar, "call it both ways!" when we call a hand check on your point guard. I hear you yell, "Reach in!" when your forward has the ball stolen. I hear you keeping score by reading the foul chart.

Now, when you have a legitimate question about why I didn't call a back court violation (I may have even kicked the call), I don't hear you. All I hear when I see your lips moving is, "3 seconds!"