How to talk to Officials

[mcqque]

Hello,
I coach travel AAA girls basketball and would like to know what to say to the officials in a game that will not piss of the officialbut get to the point. Also what are some of the things coachs say that unset officials that I should keep away from.

Thanks mike

[Dan_ref]

If you do not know the official treat him as you would any stranger you deal with.

If you do know him then treat him as you think he might expect to be treated.

There is no hard & fast rule as to what can & cannot be said.

In general, a smile goes a long, long way.

Enjoy your season.

[CYO Butch]

What kind of point are you trying to make? If the point is that you think a call was blown, you probably don't need to/shouldn't even worry about trying to make it, at least not in direct conversation with the official. The call isn't going to get changed no matter what you say or how you say it, so a single "Common ref, how can you call that a hand check?" (or whatever) should MORE than suffice. If you have a legitimate question/concern about a rule interpretation, ask a question during a time out. Even the worst official you will come across knows more about the rules than 95% of us coaches, so don't assume you can tell them what to do.

In my experience, AAU officiating can be pretty strained. The teams generally are paying some big bucks to be there, and the officials are aware of it. The officials also don't usually have very strong game mangement to back them up when coaches get out of hand, and I've seen some pretty bad situations arise. The bottom line, though, is I've never seen any coach get better treatment after p*ssing off the officials.

As for hot buttons, anything directed personnally at the official is BAD, as is profanity. Constant whining doesn't work. "Call it both ways" is a non-starter. "Come on, he went over the back there" might cause them to chuckle inside but won't buy you any credibility. "How come we've got 12 fouls and they only have 3?" is another comment to avoid. Basically, anything that questions their integrity will at the very least get them mad, and may well get you T'd immediately.

[footlocker]

Recommendation. Not because I'm an official but because I have coached and have been a parent of two players.

Say very little to the officials. Concentrate on coaching your team. You will be in a better standing with the refs and more respected. You will also be able to better focus on what is happening in the game.

Truly, the best advise is: don't worry about us, worry about your team. You will be a more successful coach and be teaching much more valuable principles to your players.

Good luck coach.

[jcarter]

Im my opinion, its all about respect! show me some respect and ill show you some respect.

If you question a rule interprutation that i may have made I have no problem speaking to a coach about it as long as it is done repectfully and it is not done during a live ball or holding up the game. Whether i know the coach or dont know the coach i expect the same amount of respect from either one.

I understand that in the excitment of a game with the adrenaline flowing that some times things will be said by a coach like he was over his back, or that was a hack or things to that nature as long as they dont happen frequently.

I believe the worst thing to say to any official is anything that may be interpreted as a slam to the integrity of that official. stay away from any comments that could be judged in that manner.

[tharbert]

Communicate with the referees very sparingly. The rules are not open to debate and we don't have time for anything but a quick discussion once or twice during a game. Anything more than that and we really should get both coaches together to avoid favoritism. If you wish to tell the referees how you feel about a call, it's better to keep that to yourself. If you need clarification, please ask per Dan-ref's rules of etiquette.

And please don't ask us to "call it the same both ways." Most of the time, those guys are out there bustin' butt. The last thing they want to hear is that you think they're cheating.

If you are fortunate to have three man crews, you may have a little more access to a referee. Again, use it sparingly for best effect.

[ChuckElias]

Coach, if you have a genuine question about a rule situation or about what the last call was or about who the last foul was on -- then, by all means, ask politely, as others have said. Any good official will take 20 seconds to explain what s/he saw on a given play.

If you have a comment or are trying to make a point, then please don't be offended, but you're better off just keeping it to yourself. Your comment is likely to be ignored, at best. Even if you think you're helping by pointing out that "22's bumping my cutters on every play", the official is not likely to pay much attention. You'll get a nod and then the official will forget whatever you just said. That's not intended as an insult; it's just a fact. There's too much stuff going on for us to worry about everything a coach wants called.

JMO, but I think somebody already gave you the best advice: forget about the officials and coach your team. On the rare occasions when I've given a T to a coach, it's amazing how they go back to coaching once they realize that they're done working me for the night. And the team usually plays better when that happens.

Best of luck with your team, Coach.

[blindzebra]

It is like Jeopardy,always in a form of a question.If you are making statements at me or my partner(s)you will get ignored,warned,or whacked with a T.

That was good advice about coaching your team and don't worry about us.A coach that has been yapping all game,may have a legitimate gripe,but it will be lost in all the,"That's 3 seconds!","They're over the back!","Call it both ways!" nonsense.

When a coach that has been coaching his team and has not said a word to you since the coaches meeting says something,it sticks.

[tharbert]

Ditto on Chuck's observation about the players response to a coach's attitude. If you chirp at the refs, the players pick up on that and tend to disagree with every whistle. If you stay focused on the players, they stay focused on you and play their game. What I find amazing is that, many times, a coach doesn't see the effects of their behavior and we have to deal with it.

[DJ]

These comments from coaches will cause me concern when I hear them from a coach:

1. Three seconds, foul, traveling, three seconds, foul, traveling.

2. Counting fouls

3. They are ____ us everytime down the court.

The more a coach complains the less credibility he has. I will listen to occasional comments from coaches but constant banter I will address early and if a coach doesn't take care of his problem I will do what I have to and take care of it for him. If I don't take care of it early it is becoming more of my fault and not just the coaches. I will not tolerate a play by play of my referreeing. If I have to talk to a coach I will tell him that I will work with him if he works with me. It it not a one way street. If a coach doesn't say much when he does make a comment you can bet I will listen and will be checking it out the next time down the floor. Constant chatter tells me that he is biased and he will quickly lose his credibility. Generally the coaches in our area are very good to work with and if you are going to have trouble it will be with a younger coach who is still trying to find himself in a very difficult profession.

[cmathews]

I agree completely with what has already been said and addressed, I will add one comment of my own.

Coach "Aw come on you gotta call something"

This one 99% of the time results in an immediate call "T"

It is more the way it is said than the actual wording, but usually with me it ends in the manner above

Good Luck coach and above all remember it is a game

[CYO Butch]

Originally posted by cmathews
I agree completely with what has already been said and addressed, I will add one comment of my own.

Coach "Aw come on you gotta call something"

This one 99% of the time results in an immediate call "T"

It is more the way it is said than the actual wording, but usually with me it ends in the manner above

Good Luck coach and above all remember it is a game

How on earth can that be said is such a way that it's a "T" 99% of the time? You are one quick hombre.

[Edited by CYO Butch on Feb 3rd, 2004 at 12:51 PM]

[rockyroad]

I'll add a couple of thoughts...1)Understand that officials don't give a rat's a$$ who wins the game - we are there to manage the game. So making comments about the job we are doing serves no purpose...2)An unofficial "rule" most officials follow is that "a legitimate question deserves a legitimate response" - so if you have something you don't understand or agree with, ask it as a legitimate question...3)realize the things that upset officials are the same types of comments that upset you when coming from your team parents and directed towards you - challenging your authority, integrity, authority, and/or honesty...doesn't sit well with you, won't sit well with us...4)yelling never works, so don't do it...and lastly, my pet peeve is trying to show officials up - esp. when a ref makes a call against a player and the coach yells "Hey 54, that was a nice box-out/block/steal" or whatever was just called...

[cmathews]

Originally posted by CYO Butch

How on earth can that be said is such a way that it's a "T" 99% of the time? You are one quick hombre.

[Edited by CYO Butch on Feb 3rd, 2004 at 12:51 PM]

LOL actually I have a pretty thick skin. Usually "you gotta make a call" or whatever form it takes is preceded by how come that wasn't this or you didn't see that lada lada lada, and I have usually said "coach I have heard enough" at which point I have heard "you gotta call something" so thus endeth the coaches box....To be honest there is only one coach that uses that one on me, and he is 3 for 3 to the best of my recollection...Nice guy usually, but there are times that we just don't agree on officiating philosophy....

Our last exchange went this way, after a no call that he rightfully had a beef with...after the no call as I head down court hey says (not loud enough for everyone to hear) Jes** Ch***. So we go down the court then back to his end I am trail table side, I hear you gotta call that down here. I just go about my business, while he keeps chirping, I hear enough that I say coach I let ya get away with the language now I have heard enough.

Coach "well I'm just tellin ya"
Me "coach don't "tell" me anything"
Coach "well you gotta make a call"
Me tweeeet "T"

what a way to start the season in the first 8th grade girls game of the year LOL

[ref18]

Originally posted by CYO Butch

How on earth can that be said is such a way that it's a "T" 99% of the time? You are one quick hombre.

[Edited by CYO Butch on Feb 3rd, 2004 at 12:51 PM]

Only 99% of the time??? Why not do what i do in this situation, coach wants me to make a call, i'll make a call, but i don't think he/she will like my call.