I have two questions. I was doing a rec. game and a player had a pair of shorts with a zipper on them? What do you do?
Do you make him leave and change? To me that seems a bit dangerous for him to have an exposed zipper.

Second, a coach comes to my partner and me before tha game and says that he has this play where his players line up at the opposite end of the floor at the start of the second half. If his team is in bounding, he just passes it in and gets an easy basket. He did the play today and before I gave his team the ball I pointed the direction that we were going. What do you do when a coach comes over to you and tells you that before the game? What should I say or do? Obviously his play is deceptive and telling us is like asking us not to say anything about it, so he can gain an advantage. How do you handle this?

I had a coach pull this stunt after half-time last year. They were already behind by 35 and lost by 50. I think they should have won just becuase they pulled it off. You should have seen the other coach jump up and down!!!

How exposed can a zipper be? This is a rec game. Are you really going to not let the kid play? Leave the zipper alone. It would seem obvious that his family probably can afford to spend money on basketball shorts. Let it be.

Quote:

Second, a coach comes to my partner and me before tha game and says that he has this play where his players line up at the opposite end of the floor at the start of the second half. If his team is in bounding, he just passes it in and gets an easy basket. He did the play today and before I gave his team the ball I pointed the direction that we were going. What do you do when a coach comes over to you and tells you that before the game? What should I say or do? Obviously his play is deceptive and telling us is like asking us not to say anything about it, so he can gain an advantage. How do you handle this?

Your partner should be at lead on the proper end of the floor. I would point and yell loudly which way we are going. I would do this whether I knew about the play or not.I wouldn't allow the coach to make me party to his deception.

I don't see this as deception. If the players choose to think about something else besides where the rules lead, that is their problem. Where is the coach in all this? Why isn't he telling his players where to line up? Our job is to ensure a fair game within the rules. How does this ploy in any way go against the rules? What is unsportsmanlike about taking legal advantage of the other team's thoughtlessness?

The deception comes in when the coach knowingly sends three of his players to the wrong end of the floor, in the hope of deceiving the other team's players. It's not illegal but certainly doesn't demonstrate good sportsmanship. This is a rec league game. This coach's attitude is typical of many that coach the rec league teams. The win at all costs attitude is prevalent and is more important to many than teaching youngsters good sportsmanship and how to play the game.

In a rec league game, if a defensive team goes to the wrong end of the floor to start a half, I, for one, will always blow my whistle and tell them to go to the other end.

I would be interested to know the age of these players.

I actually had this one Friday night at a HS V game.
As A1 walks over to start the half he tells me that
they have a play on, it might not look like it but he does
know which way his team's going. I told him I've yet to
see this one work at this level but good luck. I blew
the whistle, bounced him the ball & we were off. Of course
B didn't fall for it.

This actually worked at a JV girls game I did yesterday! I was amused (but of course didn't let it show).

This happened to me at a middle school rec. game. My question is what should you do if the coach comes to speak to you about it before the game? Do you stop him and just tell him that you do not want to hear it?

"Coach, I need to make you aware that I always make sure both teams understand which way we're going before I put the ball in play."

That should put a stop to his nonsense.

Buck,
If there is confusion on which way to go, it is our duty to clarify the matter.

<b><i><u> Item #217 Officials Manual </b></i></u>.
Once we give color, direction, spot, and a blow on the Fox, we give the ball to the thrower and let 'em do what they do.

Eventhough, the coach said something to us, that still does not affect our mechanic.

mick

Last night, we had the post-halftime mental breakdown happen in the game before us. 8th grade travel league boys game. The ref actually was yelling at the defensive team because they were at the wrong end (they were already down by 25). Neither coach complained. We all got a good laugh over it.

If the zipper is an issue put some tape over it. I think someone else said it but it is only rec league, you could see worse than that.

I don't know why, but I keep goin back to this question....

Why would a team or coach feel the need to tell us a trick play is on? As long as we line up right, and they follow the rules where is the problem? "unsportsman" or not, we just have to call the game by the rules.

I agree with Mick and BktBallRef. Its our duty the make sure the players know the direction we are going. I would not give the team the ball if the other team is at the wrong end. And i would tell the coach what i just stated above.

Zippers are like shoe laces. Would you allow a player to be on the court with laces untied??? Zip up the shoes and play.

Did the coach break any rules?? If not, play on.
PS
As much as you want to say something to the screaming coach (who just got outcoached), DON'T.

Ah, Don. The zipper was on the kid's shorts, not his shoes. :)

The deception comes in when the coach knowingly sends three of his players to the wrong end of the floor, in the hope of deceiving the other team's players.

It is no more "deceptive" than a player head faking one way and going another. If you indicate the direction of the ball to start the half, players may stand on the court anywhere they please. Are you going to start coaching and telling players where they must stand?

As to a coach telling you about this before the game starts, just tell him you are not interested in his strategy but are looking forward to seeing a coach actually employ some, for a change. ;)

Mark, I would differ with you on that, but I guess you probably know that already. Key words: rec game. These kids are out having fun playing ball, and probably walk on the court only halfway aware of what is happening. It's hard to get them to understand how to play defense, let alone get them to change ends of the floor when they are confused. Just get them all started playing at the right basket after halftime, then all basketball-oriented deception is fair game. I'm not a big fan of these trick plays, and yes, I do consider them unsporting (though not a T in case you are wondering).

To Funny. Unsportsman like conduct. Yes No Yes No Yes

Our job as others have pionted out is to take care of our mechanics. We always mechanically and or verbally show/say whose ball it is and which direction the ball is going. Whatever happens after that, is or isn't called based on the little rule book that we all read (should read).

This maybe the best learning tool for those youngsters, should it ever happen to the same team twice? Faking is part of the game, every coach and every player must have brain function and what to do in FAKING situations. Don't we all (if we coach and ref) teach kids.. Don't leave your feet when the ball handler fakes or goes up. Fake right go left... Fake play, work, don't work? If your brain doesn't function, don't coach, don't play. Once tricked, you should be telling yourself, "that will never happen to me again".

I understand what you're saying, and my answer would be this: as I've stated before, I am on the board of our local rec league and have more tenure on that board than anyone else. If this happened in a game in which I was officiating and the opposing coach complained, I would tell him that making his kids aware of what was going on was his job, not mine. I have also coached both kids and adults in rec leagues. When coaching, I always felt I wanted the refs to ref and to leave us coaches to succeed or fail on our own.

BTW - our rec league starts at 3rd grade and there is no coach at that level shrewd enough to think of this.