After reading the post about pregame T's, it got me thinking about what everyone does for pregame duties after you come on the court to avoid these problems.

What do you say to coaches and when? What do you say to the captains when you talk to them and when? What do you do at the scorer's table, counting players, counting players in book and when do you do it?

15:00 – we’ll enter the court area
10:30 – R check book, table, ball
Find game administrator
Immediately afterwards – captain’s conference
Captain’s meeting
1:30 – we’ll say hello to coaches

15:00 enter court
10:00 review scoresbook
4:00 meets captain and coaches
1:00 standing by table waiting intros

But what do you say to the players and coaches? In the Varsity games I've done I've heard my partner talk about sportsmanship, clean game, boundaries, nothing unusual about the court, that type of thing. Does anyone say anything different?

Coaches:
1. Introductions
2. Ask the 2 questions (players properly equipped & good sportsmanship)
3. Any questions?
4. Good luck!

Captains:
1. Introductions
2. "We expect you to keep your shirts tucked, pants pulled up & display good sportsmanship."
3. Very briefly boundaries/obstructions only if there's something peculiar that warrants it - otherwise no.
4. Questions?
5. Good Luck!

I'm a firm believer in K.I.S.S. - it should never take more than 15-20 seconds for either conference.

Its funny you asked this.

I've never been a "talk about the rules, color of the boundaries, stuff hanging from the ceiling, who's the spokesman, etc." type of R. I usually make the pre-game captains meeting short and sweet...these guys are Varsity players and have heard it many times.

Having said that...
the other night I was the R, and decided I would change up the Captains meeting a bit. The game was a big cross town rivalry and I thought I might try something to lessen the tension. (For players and our 3 person crew)

After the customary handshakes and introductions (3 players from each team) I said, "OK gentlemen, my partners tell me you guys never listen to these pre-game meetings. I told them I think you do. So I'm going to let you fellows tell me what you think I'm going to say." (IT WAS GREAT! You should have seen the look on their faces...they actually looked like they came out of a hypnotic daze.)

...I continued..."So, who's going to be first." One of the Home team Captains said, "Shirts tucked in...you're going to tell us to keep our shirts tucked in." "OK", I said, "and what else?" Then a Visiting team Captain said, "Talk to you respectfully." Looking at my partners, I said, "Great!...see guys, they do listen. Proper dress and Sportsmanship issues, good job Captains." By now, one of my partners got caught up in the act and started giving out answers...it was hilarious. I then gave them my usual brief meeting....how all the people in the gym paid to see them, not us, so don't make us do anything "funky".

I told them to have fun, and the captains shook hands again.

One of my partners told the other partner, that was the longest pre-game meeting he had ever heard me give.
I probably won't do that very often this year...but, for some reason, it felt good that night to have 3-way communication. A dialog with the players, rather than me just blah, blah, blahing...kind of like now. ;)

RookieDude - That's great. I can just imagine the kid's reaction.

I'm not sure if its just regional or not, (and I don't want to dig through my file cabinet right now), but we are handed little yellow sportsmanship cards to read at the pregame - though I have yet to see someone break it out.

I worked with an guy a couple times last year that used to introduce his partner & himself with different names to the captains every game he did - said it kept his partners loose and smiling before a game. I am far too boring with mine: shake hands - sportsmanship - lines - questions - see ya - maybe I'll get some inspiration here.

Here’s what I do, It works for me and saved me a couple T’s to start the game.

Walk out at 15:00 mark count players and so on.

I go to the table at about the 12:00 mark. I check the book make sure I don’t have less then the counted number or players for both teams take a quick look at the numbers and glance up to make sure a couple match (I work games with some officials to will pickup the book and look at each number) and starters. If something is wrong or missing I’ll bring it to the coach. Then I talk with the table people. I do the intro deal and then tell them some things that will help make things to smooth and help us (the officials) too. Then I talk with the timer about helping us out with subs and holding the horn until we are ready and able to deal with subs. Then I ask if they have any questions. By then the clock is under 10:00 so the book I checked is now written in stone.

At the 5:00-4:00 mark my partner and I will go to our respective coaches and do the into thing again and ask for coaches and captions.

1:30 mark drop the jackets and get ready to work

For your captains conference, I would only comment on; sportsmanship, directions to start the game, team colors, and outer court boundaries.

You must conference the head coach's regarding sportsmanship, time out signals (if no signal they will be issued a full time-out), 2 sounds for horn (warning/ready-to-play), coach's box (this is your warning), and any other 2005-6 points emphasis or rule revisions that may be an issue.

I never wish the captains or head coach's to have good luck.

I make a comment, "have a good game".

My speech is usually rather short. I don't discuss boundaries and such. I tell them white speak to white and red speak to red, subs stay at the table until we call them on, shirts in. When we meet the coaches, I tell to tell me right away if 30/full, and coming out at the first horn for the timeout.

Why would you check the book at 10:00? How can you correct any problems with it. I go to the book immediately, this way if I do find an error I can correct it.