refs were bad for a reason!!!!!!!

[wizard]

Originally posted by stosh
As a coach (4-5 grade girls) who is also an official, I know that my first responsibility as a coach is to teach.

"Getting on the officials" is not even on the list.

I sit on the bench (usually holding my three year old on my lap) and encourage the girls from both teams. When the official makes a call, I tell my player what they did wrong; "don't reach", "move your feet", "go straight up", "no happy feet, start your dribble sooner", etc. Not all of the calls are calls I would make as an official, but they are all learning opportunities.

I have had parents who come in with an attitude of "blaming everyone else" go away thanking me for teaching the girls the proper way to play. The score means nothing if the girls don't learn and play better every game, and good sportsmanship is very high on my list.

There is enough "angst" at the higher level games between coaches and officals. We don't need it 4-5-6 grade level, and as coaches we are the ones who can stop it.

I'm in the same boat as stosh, official and coach of 5th grade girls. Although I'm usually standing the whole game, I'm only coaching the girls. I don't enjoy every call. No one does. But let's move on. I've got a team to coach.

Someone who is both an official AND a coach should have an appreciation of what level of officials you may or may not get for elementary school age kids. One day, you may have two top-notch officials who the night before both doing a big varsity games. And the next game, you've got two newbies who are still trying to learn. Or someone who's been around awhile and just wants to do cyo games and does a so-so job.

Coach your team. Help the girls play hard. Deal with things you have control over.