Trying to approve demeanor on the floor.

[tomegun]

I would say work more games which will raise your confidence and then you can relax. This used to be my problem, or an excuse to hold me back. Now I'm accused of being so smooth sometimes and told to be louder.

What is so funny? Yes, coaches want to ask us questions but I don't think they want to see officials smailing all of the time. I'm the first one to smile or laugh but most of the time duringa game, they are serious about winning. I don't think they want to see us look like we aren't serious.

Instead of smiling or laughing, I would suggest you just try to get across the point that you are still a human being even though you have on stripes. I think you emotions should be a roller coaster - sometimes nice, sometimes mean, and always fitting the situation.

[ChrisSportsFan]

Originally posted by tomegun
Yes, coaches want to ask us questions but I don't think they want to see officials smailing all of the time.

I don't know what that is but it sounds like it might hurt.

I had a game Saturday night and tried to put to practice some of the techniques my dad and you guys have given. Helped alot that it was a well played game and wasn't very intense early in the game. I was able to talk to a few players that tried to help make a few calls when the ball went OOB and said "Red". When it was obvious that it was white ball and I responded by saying "Nice try but it's still white's". Also a situation where the home team had a player that was very fired up, cheering for his teammates when he came into the game I commented to one of his teammates that he seemed to be a little fired up. And he responed with "That's good.". Those things all happened during the first half.

Second half the game got a little more intense and because of the fact that I had joked and talked with the players earlier helped and made it easier to talk with them to calm them down at intense parts of the game.

One other comment I was able to use was from my Dad and I had a couple of players tuck their shirts in and said to them after that that they make us be fashion police so help us out a little. Got a grin out of one of the players.

The one thing I noticed about being a little more relaxed and hopefully seeming a little more approachable seemed to make the game go a little bit smoother.

At least until my partner had to call an intentional foul and T the coach up twice with under a minute left in the game.

Thanks for the help.

[MichiganOfficial]

You sound like you know what you are doing, so most of all trust yourself. Coaches are just that coaches, so they will try everything that they can think of to sway you their way.
Its ok to talk to them, be calm, be confident, but most of all be short and to the point. This will build trust in you by the coaches. Professionalizm is of the upmost importance talk to the players and coaches but keep it focused on the game. This should help you in building your reputation as a solid official.