Outside of the "sportsmanship" type of talk and keeping shirts tucked, what other areas and/or 'canned lines' do you use in your pre-game captain meetings?

At this point in the season about the only thing I say to the captains is "good luck".

Captains, you know if you have a hothead, take care of him.
Coaches, you klnow what the State of _______ expects from you.

Smile and have fun, put the ball in the bucket so your coaches can smile and have fun. (this always gets an agreement from the coaches)

Captains, I've got two things for you:
1. Let's have fun
2. Nobody gets hurt

Any questions?

Good luck....

I tell the captains and coaches that if they want to ask us a question, we'll be more than happy to answer it, but we will not be listening to complaints.

Captains
 

I learned along time ago that the captains don't worry about what we try to say about rules, etc.
I use this time to get them on "my side" so to speak. I try to repeat each of their names(as much as possible) so later on if I need them to help me out.
I always say something like, "You're up here for a reason(names) . . .you're leaders(names) . . .if we need you(names) please help us out . . .our names are . . .good luck"
Sometimes if it is a rivalry or a "big game" then I try to use a little brevity to lessen the tension. Self depricating humor is always fun, "As you can see we don't miss too many meals, let's hurry up and get this over."
I have even told a "Yo mama" joke on one of my partners. Of course that was an extreme situation where everyone knew everyone.

Girl's Games
 

Had a partner tell the girls no hanging on the rim. This almost always gets a chuckle from everyone involved.

"Sportsmanship is a big key. Treat everyone out here with respect and we'll all do fine. The rest is basketball and I don't need to talk about that, do I?"
Sometimes I add, "You know who your hot heads are. Take care of them so I don't have to."

All of the above.

1) tell visitors to familiarize themselves with floor markings.

2) point out scoreboard, possession arrow will be kept on the table (or scoreboard too if agreed with table)

3) team fouls kept on table, scoreboard, etc

4) remove jewlery and non manufacturers logos

5) subs wait till beckoned to enter court

6) retrieve the ball OOB

7) tell your coach to signal TO length

Why do you tell the captains these things? You should tell the coaches #7 in your coaches meeting if you feel the need to say it at all.

I've heard, for lighter ends of meeting -

for Girls: "anybody on your team dunking?"

for the Boys: "where are the cheerleaders going after the game?"

And we do. These items rattle off in less than 30 seconds. I see no harm in telling kids/players where game status (#2 #3) information is.

Its most valuable in lower levels where scoreboard may have Poss Arrow and scorekeeper not going to use it, etc.

I always have fun when I do JV Girls games. I tell the captain's that they are in charge of thier team, thier bench, and thier coach. So, if I need you to settle coach down for me, I'll ask. It hasn't worked yet this year but maybe tonight.

Ouch...dangerous territory. Never in a million years...even if I was just trying to be funny.

I say "Don't miss any shots," and as they're grinning, one of my partners says, "and we won't miss any shots." :)

I tell the players to look around the gym, notice all the fans. Those fans are there to watch them, not us (officials). Your coach has chosen you to be captain for a reason. Be a leader, keep your teammates in control at all times. Don't make us (officials) have to get involved, then the crowd watches us, and, remember, they're not here to watch us.

A great line I heard one of my partners use during the championship game of a holiday tournament was this:
"All of the fans here tonight expect good sportsmanship. However, we, the referees don't expect good sportsmanship tonight. WE DEMAND IT!!!"

I also loved a line another partner used for the coaches (one of the coaches is known for his whining). It went:
"Coaches, you've heard it all year, sportsmanship, time-outs, coaches boxes. Coaches boxes are clearly marked. Use them for what they're there for. I encourage you to coach as hard as you possibly can. JUST DON'T HELP US!!!"

That was very nice of you to say that.

It was also very nice of your partner to say that too.

It was really nice what you and you're partner did.

How nice.

:D
ROTFLMAO

I wish I had the kind of personality and charisma some guys have to be able to joke out there and everyone just thinks you're funny when you're trying to be. I just don't have that kind of personality. Every time I've tried to be funny, I just fall on my face. Not literally - now that might be funny. I just keep it short and sweet and get the captains, who aren't listening anyway, back to their warm-ups. The captains meeting is my least favorite part of the job.

Except for your confusion between you're and your this was a nicely composed sentiment.

side baskets
 

In a gym where there are side baskets, we point them out and tell them that if the ball touches the side baskets it's going to be out of bounds...but then again if we are shooting at the side baskets we have bigger problems than it being out of bounds....about half the time it gets a laugh...and half the time it gets a look of horror.....LOL.. I have also told captains that my partner doesn't have very good hands so you might want to walk the ball over to him rather than throw it...usually a laugh, but no one to date has walked the ball over to them...

oh yeah, and we throw in the sportsmanship, shirts, jewelry.....all that stuff...

Except for your confusion between you're and your this was a nicely composed sentiment.
[/B][/QUOTE]Up you're's!

Re: Captains
 

...curious as to how "a little brevity" lessens the tension?

Up you're's! [/B][/QUOTE]

Hey!

That aint nice!

I try to incorporate something about the teams into my pre-game. I noticed at one of the varsity boys games a sign on their lockerroom door "NO EXCUSES". So I basically built that theme into my pre-game - "No Excuses and that includes not blaming the officials for losing a game......

The official I worked with tonight said, "guys you are going to miss more shots tonight, than I am going to miss calls. Don't get on me for missing any and I won't get on you." I thought that was pretty good!

Ihave had partners turn that around a bit.

"We won't make any baskets so please don't make any calls."

I work intramurals here at college and we don't allow dunking, its a technical foul and ejection. As part of our captains meetings we tell each team this.

When I do women's games I always say "There is no dunking or touching the rim. I know when the game gets going you want to take it to the hole and jam it down, but control youselves."

I always gets a laugh and lightens the mood seeing most of the girls are barely over 5'3" or so.

At the end of a very brief captain's meeting (good sportsmanship, etc), my partner closed with the "You guys dont miss any shots and we wont miss any calls. Good luck."

I loved it. I thought it set a great tone. He had a smile on his face and the players dug it. Maybe not right for every situation, but I filed that one away and plan to pull it out next season.

Clark

Captains meeting is a ritual dictated by rule.

It can be worthwhile, or at officials discretion, become a waste of time.

I do enjoy a moment to "chat" with the kids, shake their hands, say hello, and establish that me and partner are credible, informed, serious but human. Being with the kids is why I do this anyway.

Officials authority in the environment of the basketball floor (it is a game) is best introduced at captains meeting firm with a smile.

Normally my line would be to coaches:
Myself and my partner are both approachable,
feel free to Address us but, don't Undress us.

"The fans are here to watch you play basketball, not watch us call a bunch of fouls. Play straight up and everything else will take care of itself."

I tell them to be problem solvers and not problem makers.

here is one...
 

I was taught this one by a veteran official in my association with the military. I ask if they want to hear a joke...if they reply yes:

Q. Why do officials officiate?
A. Because they can't play

Q. Why do players play?
A. Because they can't officiate

Q. Why do coaches coach?
A. Because they can neither play nor officiate

I think it establishes roles while also easing tensions...IMHO;)

I always mention the coaches box and the requirement for the coaches to remain in the box. We discussed a situation that happened about two years ago in a football game where an official ran over a coach who was out on the field coaching. Seems the official changed direction and ran into the coach. The coach was injured and sued the referee. Our association stressed last season to make sure you tell the coaches to stay in their box so if you ever run one over who is out on the court you can be sure he was told by the referee to remain in his coaches box. Just a little extra ammunition if you ever need it in litigation.

always say two things...whistle blows play stops...no subs on the court until we bring you in...

I just say, "Sportsmanship is our goal, as captains take care of your teams, if a teammate is getting out of line you handle it.

"Have fun!"

With apologies to Johnny Cochran..."If the coach is full of sh!t, you must acquit."

I introduce myself and my partners, make sure the captains shake hands all around, tell them sportmanship is all I expect of them and their teammates, and ask if there are any questions. Takes about 30 seconds.

A member of our association who has the personality to get away with the following does an intro about halfway through the season where he'll look at the captains and point them toward their counterparts, direct them toward his partners, give a questioning expression to the captains with hands upraised, and when there are no questions, which there never are, clap his hands once and back away. The players are more attentive to this silent pre-game than any other pregame I've ever witnessed. Cracks me up everytime I "hear" it.

If I'm running the captains meeting at half court, I always tell the girls not to hang on the rim when they dunk. It always cuts the tension and gets a laugh.

As I said in another thread:

• Repect the Game
• Respect Your Opponent
• Respect the Officials
• Have Fun

I like the proactive part about the hotheads. I may add that to my speil.

JR had the funniest post in this thread and his wasn't about a captains meeting.

Why do we think there is tension?

...except for that guy sitting way up there with the cup of coffee and clip board reading the paper. And woe unto any of you who make us look bad in front of him.

:D

LOLOLOLOLDr.PepperLOLOLOLOLOL
The "Dr. Pepper" part is what ran out of my nose when I couldn't stop laughing.

"No on may participate in this game with any jewelry on"

"Any body piercings I can't see, I don't want to know about."

We were doing a 9th grade game/2 man. My partner introduced himself and then nodded to me as he said, "you probably recognize my partner from television." All four captains looked at me with questioning looks, trying to figure who this famous ref was. Then, he added, "Americas Most Wanted." It was great. :D