i have worked high school 3 man for 6 years and will call my first season of college ball this year and i know the game is constantly changing at every level...i worked AAU camp this summer and we did use the TABLE SIDE SWITCH, and it has it's goods and bads.. Those of you that have been using it for a while at the college level, is it much more of a hassle to have to be right in the coaches ear after a bang bang play that they didn't like or is it easier to explain to him what you saw and go on??? i know high school games this summer, i didn't like it very well..way to much talking going on by the coaches, they wanted everything explained to them, but when we went opposite the table, they new if they wanted us to hear what they are saying they would have to yell it out and it could possibly cause them getting stuck if they said to much...i kind of liked the idea of getting away from them... So from a college referee stand point, is it better to be table side??

I think you have to separate the college game from the HS game. College coaches tend to be more professional and know more of the officials as professionals. They are not ranting and raving about 3 seconds and other suspect violations and fouls. College coaches complain about the big stuff. It was easy when I worked college game because they might say something, but they were not screaming.

In the HS game, the coaches rant and rave much more. Especially the lower level coaches. I have heard several varsity coaches roll their eyes to the behavior of their JV and Freshman coaches. I worked the table side mechanic this summer and I loved it. Many of the lower level coaches were acting as the head coaches and they did not say much of anything. You would call a foul and they would leave you alone after a brief conversation.

I will also have to say that I have been around the block and those officials that have been around the block as well might not have much of a problem with this mechanic. Of course it is new and many will find a problem at first. But once coaches realize that the calling official will come to their side of the court, I think they will stop yelling at the other officials to get an explanation. It worked much better than anticipated.

Peace

well said, thanks

I really don't have a problem talking to coaches so when I heard of the change, I welcomed it. Although, many didn't like it. My experiences from this summer were extrememly positive. I'm not saying every coach agreed with me, just that they realized they could ask a question and get an answer. It seems that their first question/answer of the game would set the presidence for the game. Why yell if you can have a "short" reasonable conversation? It's important that they don't expect an explaination on EVERY call. If time permits, slow down you speech and lower your voice, if you are lucky, you can lull them to sleep.

I've said this before, but since you asked. . .

Going tableside is a great idea at the pro level and the D1 college level It is an ok idea at the sub-D1 college level, and it's a horrible idea for HS and below. Why?

B/c at the pro and D1 levels, every game is videotaped and if a coach goes off on an official who has to switch right in front of him/her, that coach can be held accountable (via fine or suspension) by his/her conference or league, etc. There will be video proof of the outburst and action for the official to submit to the powers-that-be.

Below that level, videotaping is spotty and that means that there is significantly less accountability for a coach that behaves inappropriately in a heated situation. All there is in many situations is the word of the coach versus the word of the official.

Either you have great hearing, or those are some LOUD eyeballs! ;)

Extremely loud if you ask me.

i agree with you chuck
 

i believe it would be great for higher level officiating, but for high school i just think you are asking for trouble...

That is not a problem at all.
 

I have to disagree with whether it is appropriate for HS. I first thought it was a bad idea. But as a football official, we can be in front of an entire bench of coaches and players and trainers for several minutes and it is not a problem. Why can HS coaches control themselves in that environment and not on a basketball court? As a football wing official, you are constantly in the face of the coach and you rarely see ejections in that sport or even many flags. I do not think you take any less abuse in football, sometimes I think you take more. I agree that it might be an adjustment at first, but coaches will get the message. I would rather have a queit word with a coach than him yelling all over the court about a call that could take a simple explaination. I also think the presense of the official standing in front of the coach stops a lot of comments. I have found that coaches are afraid that the officials will react negatively to them and T them up. So they just shut up or let it go.

Peace

i see your point, but
 

football is in an open field where fans don't hear no of it, basketball is in a smaller area and the fans are right on top of everything and feed off of everything the coaches do or say... i can see both ways being positive and negative, i guess it's just something we'll have to deal with and get used to...should be fun!!!! especially with some of the h.s. coaches we have. :)

What do fans have to do with how we deal with the coaches?

You would be surprised what the fans can and cannot hear during football games. Sometimes it is easier to hear conversations in that open field than in a loud, confined place.

Trust me, everyone will get used to it and will act accordingly. I can see some official’s night liking it at first, but I know I will love the fact that when my partner calls something I will not be the one explaining his call. That will not happen nearly as much from now on because of this mechanic.

I am telling you, I had many of the same concerns at first. When I worked in summer leagues and camps and the lower level coaches acting in the head position for the varsity teams said little or nothing, I was converted. Of course that is just a sample and may not be representative of every situation, but it was clear they did not feel compelled to scream all the time. I think also it will depend on the ability of the officials to communicate and deal with conflict directly.

"Now we are going to say who can really officiate" are the words said by a D1 Officials that I know when I informed him of this change. I think all this talk about what rule you know and what to call is going to mean little if you cannot explain it to a coach that is about what you called. ;)

Peace

i wouldn't know anything about what goes on with the refs at football games...i have to take care of all the jr. high basketball games during football season..

i agree totally with the part about not having to explain someone else's call...that is one of the great things about the change.....because we all know we have worked with some officials that make up stuff to call so they can blow the whistle, and then they leave you in front of the coach asking, "what in the hell was that" and you don't have a clue what to tell him...
and i liked it this summer during the aau tourney, but it will make all of us have to be better communicators out their on the floor with the coaches...some refs don't like to talk at all to the coaches and this change will make them change that attitude real fast.... i'm sure i will like it better with more games and as the coaches get used to it on the high school level..

At all my camps, it was even stated during our meetings that at least for a while, coaches will be on good behavior because they've never really had to communicate with someone so close to them and they don't really know what your tolerance level is. ALL my experiences with it this year have been great.

With that said, just to work on communication, one of our local assignors who also assigns alot of rec ball has suggested that we rotate tableside in 2 man rec ball. Should help us get extra experience with the communicating, especially with the "future D1 coaches" rec coaches.

so i guess if you are rotating table side in 2-man, spot of violation doesn't matter to any of the teams...that would be difficult wouldn't it?????

People/Communication Skills Will Be the Key
 

My bet is that those of us with really good people skills (which is all about communication) will get along just fine going table side. Those of us who don't have good people skills (or who have a chip on our shoulders or who exhibit the Barney Fife syndrome) will struggle somewhat.

Re: People/Communication Skills Will Be the Key
 

I did say when this change was made, Ts will go up. Because I know a lot of "Barney Fife" type officials that will do not communicating and just pull the trigger. In a way that will make the coaches more apprehensive to speak or do more thinking before they run their mouths. It will take an adjustment period, but everyone should get used to it.

Peace

Most coaches just want to be heard. Some have a point and some are looking to work you, but it is a major part of dealing with coaches.

If they have a question about a call, who is better equipped to answer it, a partner or the calling official? I for one have no problem being near the bench. It can defuse things before they have a chance to get worse.

I really don't see going tableside as causing any "new" problems. If you're working a 2-official crew, you're going to have to switch and end up in front of the coach quite a bit. In 3-man, most coaches can remember the plays they think you screwed up, and they'll talk to you about it after a rotation or a switch that leaves you right in front of their bench.

Not usually working with coaches, I can only say what I saw this summer in camp. I thought it helped with explaining things to the coaches and calming them down, and I don't think I had any more T's than I would have had I gone opposite after a foul.

To each his (her) own, though.

I like the new mechanic of staying table side in high school basketball, for two reasons. First one being, I am so use to it from using this mechanic during my college season.
However, the second and more main reason is I am right there if the coach has a question and I do not have to try to have a conversation with the coach clear across the other side of the floor, or tell the coach I talk to you the next time I get to your side of the floor.
I think it is easier with this mechanic for everyone whether coach or official, because it is cutting down on long distance coversations between coaches and officials.

Fouled out player
 

i agree it's easier to explain your own call when you go table, how does this work with a bang-bang call thatis a 5th foul on their star player, and you have to stay table side...going opposite got us away from that coach, now we have to stay there, does your partner come and let the coach know it's the 5th or what is the best way to handle that one???????????

Re: Fouled out player
 

There is a specific procedure in the official's manual for handling the 5th foul which gets you away from the coach.

Z

i hoped there was a procedure
 

but the first time i used this was this summer and nothing was said about it...i just haven't seen a manual on it yet, that is why i was asking

You have options.
 

They have allowed for the non-calling official to go to the other side if they feel like it. So there are some options. But I am going to do nothing different just because there is a 5th foul. I will tell the coach myself and move on. Why run away just for this time?

Peace

i guess
 

that would make it easier to tell the coach first..start the 30 second timer, then walk away and go tell the player..that is one way to get away, if he don't follow you wanting an explanation!! :)

Re: You have options.
 

It's not running away. If the coach is heated and you know that he will vent on the official that called it, the FED gives you the option of having your partner do the notification. Just another tool if you think it would help.

Z

Z, it is called an opinion.
 

Relax, it is an opinion. I do not expect everyone to agree. I feel it is running away (always have btw) when you call the foul you want another official to answer for your actions. Of course it can be a tool, but not a very good one. The reason this change was made in the first place is because officials would always run in the other direction when there was a conflict. The mechanic helped with this. I do not give a damn if a coach does not like my call. I just know I am the better person to tell the coach what happen when I make such a critical call. Not a partner that did not see the play or might not be sure of what actually happen.

Peace

The manual does allow the calling official who called a bang bang 5th foul on a player the option to stay table side or go opposite the table depending on the situation that develops after the call is made.

Re: Z, it is called an opinion.
 

I'm relaxed just fine. You have your opinion and guess what, I get one too. Last year my young partner was getting grief from a coach for a call. Shortly thereafter, he called a 5th foul on one of the coaches players. I just walked over and told my partner, "I got it" and sent him away from the coach. I notified the coach and then told the player and had the timer start the 30-second timer. It's a good tool to use when you need it and I'm quite certain the coach would have used the 30-seconds to create a conflict had my partner done the procedure.

Z

Not all officials use the same tools for success.
 

Z,

I was not the person taking an issue with your point of view or anyone's point of view. I just stated that it is silly in my mind to run away from a coach when you have been going to that coach all game long. There are always exceptions to the rule and the mechanics allow that. But if I call a foul or when I talk to partners, I will suggest they go table side like they have all game long. I am sure some will disagree, but that is what I am going to do when I find myself in that situation.


Good for you. If that was me, I would have told you how I feel in the pregame and I am telling the coach. He does not want to speak to you. He wants to speak to me (in the situation you describe). The 5th foul is really not much different than any other foul. If you are confident in your calls, you can face a coach head on. If he is upset, so what. This table side was approved to improve communication. Going away does not improve that communication.

Peace