he was once a Ref

[Ref-X]

I had an interesting experience this weekend. I showed up to Officiate a JV county tournament game and I find out that one of the coaches is a former Varsity official. This
man is a very good official and was very helpful to me to me when I first started out as a cadet. So we exchange pleasantries. He asked me how I have been and how my season was going. I ask about him coaching and how he liked it. Then I walk over to great the other coach and the first think he tells me is “I feel like I’m at a disadvantage”, “you guys are all referee buddies”. So I try to assure him that the other coach having been an official will have no barring on calls in this game. As soon as the game started this former ref. made it quiet clear that he is now a coach. There aren’t many coaches I have heard yelling at officials like this man was. Then he started quoting rules interpretations. I was thinking wow he is now one of THEN. My partner and I called a good game. It was a close game down to the end and the players decided the outcome. The fouls where even 10-10 at the half, and 11-12 at the end of the game. There was an element to this game that totally new for me, but I had fun with it.

[cmckenna]

You could have always reminded him that he helped train you.

[JugglingReferee]

Yup, then you'd hear lots of "Good call, ref!"

"Oh, that was my star players' 5th? You were in perfect position to see the contact."

[bgtg19]

We also have in our area a basketball coach who is a former, well-respected official who frequently screams at, and impugns, officials. I don't get it. I not only don't get why this coach can act this way having been "on the other side," but I don't get why so many (too many) officials give him such leeway to behave that way.

For what it is worth, we also have a number of former or current officials who are coaching who are a delight to call the game in front of. I guess it just shows that people are people and some people can behave like a$$es no matter what their training.

I'll leave it to others to figure out what it must be like to "great" a coach or to make something "quiet clear" (actions speak louder than words, perhaps?)....

[Snake~eyes]

I wouldn't give him any special treatment, I would shut him up just like any other coach.

[mick]

Originally posted by Ref-X
As soon as the game started this former ref. made it quiet clear that he is now a coach. There aren’t many coaches I have heard yelling at officials like this man was.

Try to 'steel' it into your mind that as a ref, that coach was strongly influenced by coaches yelling, and that you are above that.
mick

[Dribble]

In one of the associations I work for, if you don't act as a professional during your other basketball-related duties (i.e. coaching being the prime example), then they have the right to proceed with disciplinary action. I think they have a terrific system in place for these officials who think they can get away with "working the refs" just because they're part of the system.

But while the game is going on, if your colleague who is coaching is acting like a jerk, then do your job...warn and T like you normally would.

From personal experience, I know that it's tough to act like a bad guy in front of your peers, but if you stand up to crap, then you'll be much more respected for it and you'll leave the game better knowing you called the game the right way. Also, the next time you see that person as a coach, he/she will know they can't get away with their behavior again so it sets you up for a more positive experience.

[Ref-X]

Thanks for all your great replies guys.
What was interesting about this game is I felt like I really had to walk a tight rope. On one hand I wanted to show a former mentor that I had become a good official and on the other hand I needed to show the other coach that no favoritism would be given to the former Ref. I think I was really focusing on it early in the first quarter. After that I settled down and worked the game like I would any other. When I walked out of that gym I felt good about the job I did.

[ditttoo]

Know the situation well. One of my CURRENT ref buddies is a JH coach and I recently got "the stare" during a time out followed by a loud quip of "guess we'll talk about in-bounding the ball violations at our meeting this week". He got his point across to everyone in the gym. I went over to get them out of the huddle and quietly informed him that if he pulled "referee" on me again we would also discuss Technical fouls during the meeting. Got a quick apology, smile and a chuckle. He loses by 4 (first loss of the year) and tells me he "got caught up in the game".

I was a bit impressed that he didn't continue on with "an attitude" but checked himself with just a gentle reminder.

As refs, we keep wishing that "coaches would learn the rules" and "see things from our point of view" yet when they do (former refs) we hold that against them, too. If I know I have a former or current ref on the bench that night, I'm a bit more "aware" of the situation but will not allow any "referee" stuff coming from the bench; especially when the ref reference is made to the whole gym. If the coach/ref wants to talk - I listen. If the behavior is such that the purpose is to embarras or draw unnecessary attention especially using the "I'm a ref card", then first I talk and then he/she sits following the T.

[SmokeEater]

So as it turns out your game was influenced by the "referee buddies" syndrome. All be it for the better.

Well done.