As I have worked with different partners, I've seen a growing trend. More and more officials are going to the head coach and saying, "If you have any questions, concerns, want to discuss anything, etc... my name is ____ and I will be willing to listen and talk with you." My last partner did this and at one point during the game, he spent a full minute talking with a coach while the players and myself waited at the free throw line to shoot the back end of a one and one. The discussion had nothing to do with the play that put the player on the line, he wanted to discuss something that happened a few minutes earlier.

During the captian/coaches meeting, I introduce myself and if I'm the R introduce my partner. I then go one with the meeting. Never do I say I will talk, listen, or whatever. I've had no problems with coaches this season. In fact,
I'm surprised by what little they have to say. I know I don't please them all the time. I'm not the best official out there, though I try to be.

I want to know what you do and how it works for you.

I say : "Hello Coach, My name is Ron, Here's your coaching box, (expecially for the visiting Team), and let me know right away if you want a 30 second timeout so we can let the other team know right away. Have fun tonight!"

We follow the "aloha" rule. Tell them hello and goodbye.

Suggesting / introducing debate and conversation as the game unfolds is not in your best interest.

When I'm the R and talking to the coaches, I go, identify who the head coach is, tell him/her how I expect him to be the only one standing, the only one that may address the officials if done so in a respectful manner, how he's the only one that can call time outs from the bench and to give us a clear indication of a 30 or 60 second time out. Then I ask him if his team is properly equipped, and if he's got any questions. Then I invite him to the captains conference, and move onto the other teams coach, or back to my warmup position.

If I am the R, when I'm checking the book I take it over to both coaches to check and I say "Hello coach, does this look right to you?"..."Ok coach thanks." Then I sign the book and tell my other two members of my crew that I'm ready for the captins. Coaches come over as well. I do my pregame. Then I go back with my crew to our warm-up spots. After each teams line ups are announced our crew goes over to the coach shakes his/her hand and we tell them good luck. And that is the last time I come into direct contact with either coach.

[Edited by tjones1 on Dec 24th, 2004 at 12:38 PM]

It's been my experience that coaches understand you better if you speak to them only in words of one syllable or less.

From my experience the coaches have more on their mind than conversation prior to the game.

Why so concerned about the coaching box? The lines are there and they know what the lines are for.

I was introduced to this idea a couple of months ago. I figured I'd give it a try and see how it went. I was working at the same place most nights (a place with eight floors that runs leagues year-round). In other words, I had a controlled environment in which to experiment.

I noticed that games in which I approached the coaches this way usually went better. They get a lot of younger HS officials there, and officials without adequate training. The atmosphere is a lot less formal, so you rarely have captains' meetings or meet the coaches, even for HS teams.

I think it surprised these coaches to hear that I would be willing to talk to them. At the very least, I rarely had a coach get on me about a call. My partner, on the other hand, would often catch crap for calls from the very same coaches. Perhaps I need to start taking my partners over there with me when I introduce myself. :)

The jury is still out for me in high school games. There I do it in the captains/coaches meeting. The only "bad" experience I've had with it is that I had some "familiarity" issues with one coach that I had had three times in three weeks. And I think I was trying too hard to be obliging in that case. I'm going to keep doing it in HS games and see how it goes.

Exactly what I am thinking when I meet coaches or captains in the pre-game.

I try never to cover things that they already know, they have other things to think about. I usually cover crew members names, legally equipped, good luck, that's about it.
If coaches boxes or lines, or anything else is weird about the court, they may ask a question, and I will answer.

JMHO, but they don't need to be reminded about much of anything since they probably have had a bunch of games already and know the drill.

Barb

Because it's emphasized in our state (Ron also works in Washington). If you don't mention it, many coaches might think you don't care what they do or how far they roam (which with some officials is correct). By mentioning it, you are telling them that you are aware of it and that you will be watching for it. That's good preventative officiating.

Z

No it is not. Why not just enforce the rule? Mentioning it does nothing but raise undo attention to something that you might not be paying that close attention to. To me it is just like saying "We will address hand checking and play the game with your feet and not your hands." Now you put everyone on notice and when you do not call it as they see it, you just opened yourself up for another issue they can complain about.

Peace

"Hello Coach, (name), Good luck."

I don't mind if a coach asks questions or for a clarification during a natural break in play or while I am in front of him during play, but it should not delay the game nor take away my focus from the play.
In your case, your partner is being a fool and delaying the administration of the game. If the coach needs that much of an explanation, he should be charged with a time-out and then can use that time to discuss it.

Nope, I don't see it that way.

I see it as telling a coach that you are going to be more worried about the coaching box than the rest of the rules in the book.

Do you tell the players about hacking, pushing, blocking, etc? Does that mean you aren't watching for it?

If the coach is out of the box, give a quiet word to get him back in the box. Then take care of business, if necessary.

I know that some states have points of emphasis, but I don't feel it's necessary for coaches to be told about them before each game.

In the areas I lived, saying something like this before a game would paint you as being over-officious and having your mind and your eyes off the court watching for a coach having his toe out of the box.

--Rich