1-3 and 5 I'm not even hearing, but I'd probably address #4 as I'm not going to have the coach counting for me. Truth is, I'm not going to have that in a varsity game, although Tuesday night one coach started counting on a 5 second closely guarded and my partner nipped that one pretty quickly.

What I'd like to say, though, is "Coach, I notice you struggling. The one after 3 is 4."

What did he do to Nip it? Just FMI, I get counters who don't actually understand the rule.

Just adding, don't put up with much crap at all in a 5th or 6th grade league. The players in general are not good enough to enforce the rules as written. The coaches should be concerned with making their players better, not giving you a hard time.

FMI ?

For My Information

At this level, I would tell the coaches to cool it right off the bat, even before the game. This isn't the NBA.

Tell them you are all they've got and if you hear any crap from them they can ref the game themselves. They should be setting an example of sportsmanship for the kids and not worrying about calls.

Do you get paid for this? If not, tell them you'll coach their team and they can take the abuse.

Sorry, my annual rec league stint is about to start.;)

I think that what's happening nowadays is that there is little sportsmanship involved from the coach and it filters down to players. They see coaches like Bobby Knight and they think that they are the example of the attentive/alert coach or strategic coach. I used to say a lot more (I coach as well) but after my first experience refereeing an alumni league game from my old high school, I had a different respect for referees. I think a lot of people who criticize refs, have never donned a whistle...

Jimgolf

"Do you get paid for this? If not, tell them you'll coach their team and they can take the abuse."

Hi Jimgolf,
We get paid $10 a game and sometimes I feel like paying someone else the $10 to take my place. We are shorthanded and if I don't do it, we'd only have one ref and I don't want him/her to have to call the game alone...

I used to say that rec league fees ($10-$20 a game) buys my whistle, but not my game management. I was half-kidding.

What the heck do you mean by #3??? You don't actually give hiim the impression that you're making sure that you are calling the fouls evenly, do you? That's the LAST place I'd look.

How about, "Coach I got to about 4 but your counting out loud confused me and I had to start over."

Coach, is a smarta$$ response what you want to hear when you are working the officials during your game? Somehow I doubt it.

Reluctantref, what was your position before you started reffing? If you were a coach or a parent, then I nominate you for hero of the year. To voluntarily step into this position, just for the good of the game, is positively saintly.

Also, if you were a coach or parent, then I think your action should be a little different than if you were a ref from the local association who's trying to help out your compatriots. If you were a coach or a parent, I think you and your ref partner need to meet with the coaches before each game and just say that the refs for this game are trying to make the game better, and trying to help the kids learn a little basketball. You don't deserve to be yelled at, and you won't tolerate it. It also sets a bad example for the kids. You've been studying the rules, and you're doing the best you can and they should leave you alone to do your job. Remind them that the four of you are working together, not as opponents, and if you do continue to be at least civil, the kids will grow and mature a lot faster, and their basketball will get better.

Also, e-mail me and I'll send you some other helpful stuff privately.

THERELUCTANTREF, arguing (in the topic of this thread) is never OK with me. But the <B>WAY</B> the coach says any of these is as important as <B>WHAT</B> the coach says. I agree with most everyone when it comes to ignoring these types of comments. If at all possible...ignore all of these. There have also been a few posts that point out that you can acknowledge what the coach is saying. I totally agree...this can take a lot of his / her frustration away. As stated by others, a simple phrase like, "Ok coach, I'll watch for it.", and many others can really help.

On the other hand, I can see how any of the above phrases might result in an automatic "T" under the right circumstances. Imagine, again, the coach is saying any one of the above phrases to you. But this time you are opposite the table and he / she is yelling it across the court while waving their arms in the air. That might warrant a more punitive response from me (yes, I'm talking about a T)...even if no warning had been given yet.

I think you and Rut both identified that dealing with coaches is very subjective. I think you just have to develop a "feel" for when it's OK to talk to the coach, when it's time to stop talking, and when it's time to call the infraction and issue the T. And the only way I know to developp this "feel" is to just keep working more and more games. Good luck.

RPirtle