This didn't happen to me but to one of the guys I assigned to a MS game. The coach is a real pain but can coach when he so chooses. In the pregame meeting, the officials ask the coaches the basic questions: Is your team properly equipped? Will they remain properly equipped throughout the entire game? Will they show good sportsmanship throughout the entire game? Both coaches answer yes to these questions.

When the official asks "Will you display good sportsmanship throughout the entire game?", the coach replys "It depends on how you do tonight." When the question is repeated, he replies, "It matters what calls you make." It is only after the question is repeated a third time that he finally answers yes.

How should an official handle this situation? I appreciate all replies and help.

Why do you ask all those questions? I think that is the problem, not necessarily the way the coach responded. All I think you need to ask is, "Are your player's properly equip?" Then I would just say, "It is all about sportsmanship tonight any questions?" I would not ask them how they are going to be all night. That sounds like it opens you up for a response like that.

Peace

Teach the officials the art of understanding a wry wit.
mick

We're required to ask those questions.

If you're required to ask those questions, then in my opinion:

(a) Have you had problems with this coach before?
(b) Is it known that this coach is a hooligan?

If (a) or (b) is "Yes," then I'd WHACK him right at the beginning.

If they're both "No" then maybe he's trying (albeit very poorly) to be funny. Afterwards, I'd write a report to your officiating executive or the commission responsible for this game.

Treating officials like this, ie. playing silly games, does nothing to keep officials interested in officiating, or wanting to do middle school games.

Are you required to use that format? We just ask ttwo questions Are your players legally equipped for the whole game? and Are you teaching them good sportsmanship? I do it in a very cut-and-dried tone of voice, but make sure they answer appropriately. If a coach made any kind of answer other then yes, I may or may not T, but he'd have a very short leash for the whole game.

Who is requiring you to ask those silly questions at a middle school game?

Peace

Many state associations have specific requirements with regard to pregame conferences.

But then, you should already know that.

Tony,

My state requires a sportsmanship statement (they do not require specific words) but that is for high school games, not middle school games. Now the IESA might require some procedures, but that is not a statewide organization (does not apply to all middle schools). This is why I asked the question. Who makes the officials ask such silly questions? Our state has us ask a question about players being equip and make a sportsmanship statement. But they do not ask us to have a coach confirm if the players or teams are going to stay that way during the entire game. That question to me just brings that kind of comment.

Peace

Jeff -- The kind of person who would respond belligerently to these questions in an ms game shouldn't even be coaching. Period. That's why the ritual is in place to get those guys outta there. At least, that's my read.

Juulie,

I am not saying the coach was justified with his actions. But the nature of the questions in my opinion opens up this type of confrontation. Especially at the JH or middle school levels. It is not like you get the most mature coaches at that level.

Peace

Exactly. The questions weed them out.

Why do you need to weed out a coach? Of course he was a total jerk and I have no sympathy for this coach and what he got. I just think it is a bit much to ask those kinds of questions. Our job should be to try to squelch conflict, not exacerbate it.

Peace

I don't want guys like that working with kids this age. If they have a coach with a healthier attitude, they'll be more likely to learn healthy attitudes themselves. A coach who is this confrontational before the game even starts, and this anxious to blame the refs for whatever might go wrong should be working in a middle school.

Juulie,

I do not disagree with your attitude about a coach like this at all. My job as an official is not to decide who can coach and who cannot coach. My job is to call the game to the best of my judgment. My job is not to ask questions to make sure someone is competent to coach a bunch of kids. That is the job of the administration. These questions do not determine if a coach is competent to handle kids anyway. I just do not see the point. Maybe I am just flat out wrong, but this is the way I feel. I just do not see the point of asking questions that just seem more confrontational than helping us officiate a game.

Peace