Coaches Box Question

[zebraman]

Originally posted by Chess Ref
So Zebraman. care to expand on the skill set necessary to manage the coaching box. I am 2 yr ref. and we too have been told to crack down. As I look around the gyms been are making a token effort at best. So i would like to start to learn how to do this.

It just has to be a concerted effort and a priority from the beginning of the game. I remember when I first started reffing, I had no idea how much time was on the clock. I had my hands full with fouls and violations. As I got experience, I learned how to manage the clock to and be aware of the time left in each quarter and to check to make sure the clock started after dead balls etc.

The coaching box is no different. You just have to discipline yourself to look over there at every dead ball. You also have to notice with your peripheral vision when the coach is edging out of the box. It's like being aware of where the lead official is when you are C or T in a 3-person game. You just learn to be aware.

This works for me:
The first time the coach steps a couple feet past the edge of the box, you notice it. The next chance you get, you walk over and say, "coach, I really need you to help me out with the coaches box. It's a big point of emphasis this year and if you stay in the box we won't have to deal with it."

If you catch it early in the game, they immediately know that you will be watching and they make a big effort to stay in (it's funny to watch them look down at their feet when they know they are getting close). You can also use a hand motion (subtle sideways wave with the hand) from cross-court to move them back a couple steps too.

If you don't stay on top of it from the first second of the game, you make it real difficult on yourself. If he's been four or five feet out of the box for the entire first quarter, it's pretty hard to start managing the box in the second quarter because he's already "marked his territory."

If you mention it in the pregame coaches conference, they already have it in their minds that you will probably be watching.

Z