I did a girls varsity game on Friday night. The visiting team controlled the toss and drove for the basket. I was the lead official. A1 took a shot right in front of me and B1 pushed her. I called the foul but did not see if the ball went in. I asked my partners and both said it did not go in. I reported the foul and said "two shots". The visiting coach was asking why we were shooting two since the ball went in. After the first shot the HOME coach asked the same question. I wanted to trust my partners but since BOTH coaches said something I just had to make sure. After A1 made the second free throw I asked my partners again and they said they were absolutely sure she missed the shot. I did explain to them why I was checking again. Anyway, Team A coach calls time-out and very politely askes me about it. I told her I was not watching the shot but I called over one of my partners and she asked him. He told her that the shot did not go in. There was no argument at all just a nod of the head and on we go with the game.

A few minutes later I am the C in front of the visiting bench and from behind me I hear the coach say, "I'm sorry I got on you before and questioned your crew about the missed shot". I was amazed. All I could respond with was "coach, no problem". I did not know what else to say. No problems the rest of the night. The visitors won by about 25. Besides being very polite the coach is very good and her players play very good, disciplined, team basketball.

That's a problem we never discuss -- how to respond when a coach apologizes!! Not something we need to know very often!

Yep, there are respectful coaches out there. It's just that the obnoxious, noisy ones demand all the attention! Think of all the coaches that DIDN'T yell and holler and make a spectacle. Think of all the games where you didn't even have to consider giving a T. See! Those coaches deserve some props!

Friday night I worled a boys varsity game where NEITHER coached whined or complained to EITHER official about anything. The only time they talked ot us at all was to ask for a time out.

I had one of those games on Saturday. The losing coach was on his team about lazy defense in the first qtr when his 0-11 team fell behind 28-12, but not on us. His team only lost by 19, so it was one of those moral victories for him.

Thirty years ago I was coaching JH boys and we were the visitors. One of my kids was fouled, the shot went in. The officials (both HS varsity players) didn't see the ball go in. They asked the scorekeeper (a JH kid) and he said no. My players said I turned about 3 shades of red and I almost got a T, I was so incensed. That's what happens when you put the administration of a game into the hands of kids. We won the game anyway.