Notes from yesterday's OHSAA Rules Interpreter meeting

[Larks]

Hey Ohio Guys.....

The following was passed along from our rules interp. Posted here for your reading pleasure.

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Just a few items I feel should be forwarded to basketball officials as a result of an OHSAA Rules Interpreter meeting I attended yesterday in Columbus.

The OHSAA has emphatically endorsed an aggressive approach to rules enforcement by officials.

The OHSAA has a high expectation for officials to:

Make calls
Enforce the "coaching box"
Enforce the pre-game warm-up rules for both teams and individuals
Enforce the uniform rule as it pertains to sporting behavior
Enforce the rules pertaining to "taunting"

These items will be addressed in further detail at the local association meetings, but be aware that OHSAA is stressing these "sportsmanlike behavior" items.

Along that line, OHSAA will be implementing procedures to have officiating observers at games throughout the state in order to assure that calls are made as warranted.

[Nevadaref]

Good for them. Now I could only get my state to do the same.

[jritchie]

we have had a coaching box rule forever and no one in the state makes them use it...it's ridiculous! afraid they might get a low rating if they make them stay in it!!!

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Oh yes, it is just wonderful that the OhioHSAA has made such a statement. One must remember that the coaches choose the officials, and the first time an official enforces the rules against an out of control coach, he will not be officiating in that school's league the next year and the OhioHSAA will tell the official that the school has the right to scratch any official it chooses.

MTD, Sr.

[Nevadaref]

Seems like your problem lies in the fact that the coaches can choose and scratch officials, not with the state office taking a stand on the coaching box.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally posted by Nevadaref
Seems like your problem lies in the fact that the coaches can choose and scratch officials, not with the state office taking a stand on the coaching box.

Mark was just pointing out the hypocrisy of the state office in this particular situation. On one hand they're telling officials to enforce a particular rule, and then on the other hand they put a system in place that will punish the official if he does follow that particular state directive. That's just plain hypocrisy on the part of OhioHSAA.

I would imagine that each individual officials' association in the state will tell their own officials exactly how they should handle the box, according to local politics. Tough way to do it, but it is what it is.

[ChuckElias]

I'm probably going to take some flak for this, but put me in the camp of "If he's coaching, I'm not going to notice whether he's in the box or not." Notice that I didn't say "I don't care" if he's in the box. I just don't notice. I have too many other things to worry about to keep track of whether he's in the box or 5 feet out of it.

And I just disagree with those who says "It's a huge advantage to be out of the box". It might be a little advantage, but unless you're on the other side of midcourt, it's really not an advantage.

If the coach comes out on the floor, or if the coach is at midcourt (or past), or if the coach is on the endline -- then get him back in the box. "Call the obvious". Otherwise, leave it alone. It's just not that big a deal. All these state proclamations year after year just seem really silly to me.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally posted by ChuckElias
I'm probably going to take some flak for this, but put me in the camp of "If he's coaching, I'm not going to notice whether he's in the box or not." Notice that I didn't say "I don't care" if he's in the box. I just don't notice. I have too many other things to worry about to keep track of whether he's in the box or 5 feet out of it.

And I just disagree with those who says "It's a huge advantage to be out of the box". It might be a little advantage, but unless you're on the other side of midcourt, it's really not an advantage.

If the coach comes out on the floor, or if the coach is at midcourt (or past), or if the coach is on the endline -- then get him back in the box. "Call the obvious". Otherwise, leave it alone. It's just not that big a deal. All these state proclamations year after year just seem really silly to me.

Didn't you notice that MTD referred to having to enforce the rules against "out-of-control" coaches? That's where the hypocrisy lies imo. If it's just a coach wandering a little while he's coaching....well...I'm just guessing but I don't really think that's a major problem in Ohio either. It's having to worry about being blackballed if you enforce not allowing coaches to leave the box to yap at you.

The issue isn't really the box, I don't think. The issue is coaches in Ohio possessing the ability and possibility to maybe intimidate some officials through the use of "scratches".

Maybe MTD can clarify.

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by ChuckElias
I'm probably going to take some flak for this, but put me in the camp of "If he's coaching, I'm not going to notice whether he's in the box or not." Notice that I didn't say "I don't care" if he's in the box. I just don't notice. I have too many other things to worry about to keep track of whether he's in the box or 5 feet out of it.

And I just disagree with those who says "It's a huge advantage to be out of the box". It might be a little advantage, but unless you're on the other side of midcourt, it's really not an advantage.

If the coach comes out on the floor, or if the coach is at midcourt (or past), or if the coach is on the endline -- then get him back in the box. "Call the obvious". Otherwise, leave it alone. It's just not that big a deal. All these state proclamations year after year just seem really silly to me.

That's terrible! Any other rules you ignore???

(BTW, I agree with you completely.)

[zebraman]

Originally posted by ChuckElias
I'm probably going to take some flak for this, but put me in the camp of "If he's coaching, I'm not going to notice whether he's in the box or not." Notice that I didn't say "I don't care" if he's in the box. I just don't notice. I have too many other things to worry about to keep track of whether he's in the box or 5 feet out of it.

And I just disagree with those who says "It's a huge advantage to be out of the box". It might be a little advantage, but unless you're on the other side of midcourt, it's really not an advantage.

If the coach comes out on the floor, or if the coach is at midcourt (or past), or if the coach is on the endline -- then get him back in the box. "Call the obvious". Otherwise, leave it alone. It's just not that big a deal. All these state proclamations year after year just seem really silly to me.

I used to feel the same way, mainly because all the "veteran refs" when I started used to give me the old "if they aren't yelling at me, I don't care where they are" speech in pregame. Then I went to a state tournament for the very first time and didn't notice a coach who was wandering about 5 feet out of his box. The coaching box has huge emphasis in the state of Washington and all the state observers docked me for letting the coach wander a bit.

Ever since then, I make sure I'm just as aware of where the coaches are as I am of things like the clock, the shot clock etc. If a coach steps out of the box by even 3 feet, I just give him a smile and a subtle wave back in to the box. They just smile, look down and take three steps back into the box. I have done well at state tournaments ever since and always get positive comments about coaching box awareness from the observers. I have also noticed that coaches behave better overall when the box is managed. Monitoring the box is not really any extra work since we all look at the bench area on every dead ball for subs anyway.

It starts in the pregame coaches conference. If you mention the coaching box then, they immediately know that you will be monitoring it and they won't generally challenge you on it during the game.

It really helps keep coaches under control and that also affects the bench players and the fans too. When the coach knows he/she is monitored, it really does make them much better behaved and helps the overall sportsmanship of the entire gym. A wandering coach seems to get the players and fans more irritated and a coach staying within his/her confines seems to have a calming effect instead.

If you monitor the box subtly (knowing looks, smiles, subtle arm motions to move back in), you will very rarely need to give a technical foul. You can keep it from getting to that point 99% of the time.

Z

[rmr1119]

Originally posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.
Oh yes, it is just wonderful that the OhioHSAA has made such a statement. One must remember that the coaches choose the officials, and the first time an official enforces the rules against an out of control coach, he will not be officiating in that school's league the next year and the OhioHSAA will tell the official that the school has the right to scratch any official it chooses.

MTD, Sr.

Mark, not that I'm in the habit of defending the OHSAA, but let us Ohio Officials not forget there is a new sheriff in Cbus. Dan Ross used to be an official and is a class act. Also, many leagues, at least in Central OH, use Assignors who are or were officials. Therefore, at least we have a third party to discuss any game situations that are a bit over the top.

One suggestion I'd make, be the first to call your respective assignor immediately after a game where an incident happens. Before you leave the game site, make sure and talk over the whole situation with your partners and WRITE it down. Thank goodness, I've not had anything like this occur in any game I have officiated, and I hope it never does, but it's always best to be prepared right?

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally posted by rmr1119

Mark, not that I'm in the habit of defending the OHSAA, but let us Ohio Officials not forget there is a new sheriff in Cbus. Dan Ross used to be an official and is a class act. Also, many leagues, at least in Central OH, use Assignors who are or were officials. Therefore, at least we have a third party to discuss any game situations that are a bit over the top.

One suggestion I'd make, be the first to call your respective assignor immediately after a game where an incident happens. Before you leave the game site, make sure and talk over the whole situation with your partners and WRITE it down. Thank goodness, I've not had anything like this occur in any game I have officiated, and I hope it never does, but it's always best to be prepared right?

rmr:

I wanted to send you an email through your Profile, but you do not allow emails. From your profile, it appears that you are a 1995 graduate of OSU. Please send me your email address at DeNucciBASKETBALL at Hotmail dot com. And we can discuss the OhioHSAA situation in more detail. Thanks.

MTD, Sr.

[rmr1119]

Mark T. - "You have mail."