Last night, during player intros, I reminded Team B about the coaching box location because they had the players seated in such a way that the coach was no where near the coaching box. During the first quarter, me and one of my partners noticed the coach was standing at halfcourt coaching his team(granted the floor was not a big floor or gym for that matter). After a pretty clean first quarter, me and my partner got together and discussed where he had been standing--I decided to go over before the second quarter started and remind him, IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER, that if he wants to stand and coach just do it in the coaching box. He replies rather agitated: "Is that all you guys have to worry about? I haven't said a word to guys all night!" (This was true) I was taken back by this reply and agreed with him that he had not said a word, but that I did not want it to reach a point where he was at half court yelling at us and not his team. During the entire second quarter, as a result, if he felt we missed a call he would comment that if we would worry about the game as we did the coaching box we would do a better job. Coming out of the locker room after halftime, I told him that I did not mind him standing two or three steps out of the box if he was COACHING. If he wanted to argue a call, I told him to be in the box. He had calmed down a little and agreeded. Any suggestions? or Comments? I was waiting on the other coach to ask me if he could stand at halfcourt!!

We usually give a lot of leeway. But if he starts flapping at calls while out of the box, we direct him back into it, firmly. After that it's up to him what happens.

If he's coaching and not saying anything towards my direction I let him go pretty much anywhere he wants. But if he goes out of his way to scream about a call or whatever. "Stay in your box, coach." If he continues Stop Sign. Again, Whack and you don't have to worry about him in his box anymore--unless he wants ejected. Happy Holidays all!!!!!!

T Jones

I would never had told him that.

What else did he talk you into? :(

He didn't talk us into anything. He gave me the impression that the coaching box pretty much meant nothing in terms of the game. I wanted to have an understanding now not a misunderstanding later. He pretty muched ignored the coaching box to begin with and will probably do it again the next game, but I wanted to nip it early in the season and avoid any undue heat on other fellow officials.

..."OK coach, have it your way" and walk away.

Next time he moves away from the box nail his @ss to the wall.

He's a jerk and deserves whatever he gets.

I'm trying to figure out what exactly it is you nipped in the bud. You didn't enforce the coaching box. You let him get away with disrespectful comments for the next quarter. You told him he could be out of the box to coach. And you essentially told him he could argue calls as long as he was in the box. What exactly did you rescue fellow officials from?

Too much verbage and you turned a non-issue into a problem.

First why start the game if the benches don't begin at the 28' line? You did not see it during warm ups? Have game management fix the benches so that the first chair, closest to the table, is in the box. If the lines of the box aren't down, they need to put them down with tape. It's simple, if the benches are not in the correct place and the box is not there, the coach has to sit.

Did you need to address it like you did? Would an, " I NEED you in your box coach, " on the way by have been better?

At the point he's talking about your calls being hurt because you are too concerned about where he's standing is when he gets the stop sign and a, "That's enough coach."



[Edited by blindzebra on Dec 23rd, 2004 at 04:41 PM]

Very true, I guess I didn't accomplish much. Dan_Ref has the best solution. Maybe this coach will at least start in the coaching box next game? Who knows? What is your philosophy?

Not sure I would have worried about it, but if you're going to address it, you need to enforce it. Learning experience.

I surely would not have made it a point to remind him of something that he already knows. The coach gave an honest comment when he offered that he hadn't said boo to the officials. Why stir the pot?

I usually afford both coaches a fair amount of latitude to stand and coach until they start to chirp about non-coaching issues. Once that happens, any extended courtesy is no longer warranted.

In our conference we enforce the coaching box rule. Just because the coach is in the box doesn't justify questioning/arguing calls.

It appears there was a discussion -- Did you let him coach or officiate the game or both?

When the coaches are at half court, I get them back in their boxes using the old, "Unfortunately coach, I know you're coaching, but our scorers and timers can't see through you so would you please go back to your coaching box?? Thank you."


Works every time :p

Thanks for the advice. I'll try that next time. I guess sometimes as an official, we can go out of our way to be "diplomatic" and, as a result, turn out to bear the brunt of many different situations. Like some of you guys said, stick to your guns and enforce the rules and be done with it. Unfortunately, I have developed a style that likes to communicate with the coaches during the game. This can be good and bad when we have a call that does not go his/her way. My theory has always been this: I will let a coach "chew me" to an extent if I feel I missed a call because I should be "chewed" for missing it to begin with. I put a lot of pressure on myself to calla "perfect" game every night. However, if I feel I made a correct call, then I will not tolerate the "chewing."

There's a difference between venting and chewing. If a coach wants to vent his frustration about a particular call by making some comments, or by asking questions, fine, if he's chewing on me, we've got a problem. Coaches have stressful jobs during games especially and if they want to vent frustration sometimes, fine. But if the venting is persistent and if it gets personal and becomes "chewing" that's when I begin to have a problem with it. The level of communication should always remain professional on both ends, as soon as it stops being that is when officials have to assert our authority.