Useful Phrases

[drothamel]

Some of the best advice I have gotten about addressing coach comments/questions I heard from former NBA ref Nolan Fine. He suggested addressing the coaches with questions. Things like, "How did you see it, coach?" One of the best I have used is "What do you mean by that?" when a coach is commenting about an uneven foul count. The question usually forces a coach to stop for a second and allows you the chance to respond differently. A coaches first comment or question can be very confrontational in tone, if you can get him or her to rephrase, it can lead to a better dialogue. Plus, responding with a question usually buys you some time. I have found that a good answer is usually "I understand." or, "I see where you are coming from." It acknowledges the concern, but doesn't commit to anything.

Bottom line-- most coaches want, and deserve, some type of response, since no one wants to be ignored. The trick is in knowing the appropriate response.