Captain's meeting
 

What do you guys go over with your captain's meeting. Mine changes depending on the level I'm working, but I usually go over:

Players being legally equipped
Coaches Box (if coaches are present)
Sportsmanship
Team Speaker
Any unusual court configurations (if applicable)

I want to add to mine, so just throwing this out to see what others do.

Coaches verify their players are legally equipped; players can't.

Be good, get to your teammates before I do, have fun.

Never understood "speaking captains." If a kid has a question or polite complaint, I'll listen.

Yeah, I guess I forgot to add that I only ask about the players being legally equipped if the coaches are present.

I agree, I'll speak to any kid...I guess I just do it because everyone else does.

This is Mr. ????, Ms. !!!!, and I'm Mr. BadNews.

Who are my speaking captains?

You take care of your players and you take care of your players.

White talk to White, Blue talk to Blue.

Keep your shirts tucked in or we'll have to send you to the sidelines.

If you have a question we'll try our best to answer but we need to keep the game moving.

Make sure no one has any rubber bands, earrings, or anything else their not supposed to be wearing.

Partners, do you have anything?

Have fun!!!

Captains And Coaches
 

I keep mine real simple:
1) Introductions and handshakes.
2) To coaches: Are players properly equipped ?
3) To coaches: Do your players know how to properly wear their uniforms ?
4) To all: We will emphasis good sportmanship tonight.
5) To all: Any questions ?
6) Any comments from umpire ?

Mine is short and sweet. I introduce my partners and myself to everyone and then . . .

To coaches:

Is everyone going to exibit good sportsmanship?
Are your players properly equipped and going to remain that way throughout the game?

To Players:

That means your shirts are tucked in and shorts are pulled up. This is your warning - we will sit you down. Good luck!

I should also say that I think the meeting is useless but it's required so we do it. I never ask for the speaking captains for the aforementioned reasons but most of my collegues do.

1. Coaches properly equip question.
2. Ask for speaking captains.
3. Sportsmanship talk (very brief).
4. Ask my partner if they have anything to add (usually no)
5. Guys have fun.

Meeting hardly takes a minute.

Peace

There is one captain/spokesperson. Rule 3-1. I circle that player's number in the book in case I need it after the tip.

Before the tip, you are supposed to notify each captain you are about to toss the ball. It's still in the Officials Manual. I've always done it as a way to acknowledge the captains, but I'm not sure how many people do. My regualr partner doesn't.

My pregame is simple:

--Introductions. Hi, I'm Rich.
--Captains are leaders, sportsmanship, come with any questions, have fun.

It's a quick meeting. We don't meet with coaches until 1:30 on the clock, except when I'm working in IL, where the coaches come to the captains' meeting.

varsity

1)we expect good sportsmanship and help with loose balls
2)let us know on timeouts 30 or full
3)any questions
4)NO -- great good luck

I hate to be cynical, but they rarely listen. I do, however, tell the captains we are playing ball on the second buzzer, so come out of the time outs when we come over there -- and to tell their coach that. I also add, especially with girls, to help us get the ball back into play by retrieving it.

I want it set up so if there's a problem or question that comes up from the coach during the game, I can respond that "I told your captains what we were going to do and to tell you." With that in mind, I'm always open to suggestions about what to "pre-empt" at this meeting. But I don't want to make it a state of the union address.

By the middle of the season I can just ask the captains what all the other refs have been telling them in the pre-game conference and they cover everything by themselves.

This season.....

SPORTSMANSHIP (always the lead off)
Uniforms (tuck em' in)
Time outs (We always remind coaches to break the huddle on the first horn so we're ready to go on the second)
Have Fun!

We meet the captains at 12 mins. and the coaches at 1:30.

On thing that we've added recently to the coaches greeting is "Coach, can you have a manager ready to take care of any wet spots on the floor if we run into that situation? It'll hope us keep the game moving."

I hate it when they toss me a towel. From a liability standpoint, I don't want to be responsible for getting moisture off the floor. I'm not going there.

Captains meeting without coaches at 8:00. (After the book and table are addressed at 12:00).

Introductions.

Boundry lines and obstructions (i.e. ground rules)

"Ladies or Gentlemen, yo have been selected as captains for your leadership ability. Please address your teammate's sportsmanship issues so we don't have to. If the ball rolls away during a deadball, please have one of your players get it as you're a lot younger than we are and that will keep the game moving.

Ladies (or Gentlemen), I have four rules to basketball. Respect the game. Respect your opponent. Respect the Officials and Have Fun. (If its a girls team I haven't had before, I'll also tell them to not hang on the rim when they dunk. Its usually good for a giggle) Good Luck."

Coaches Meeting at 3:00
(Each team separately)

Introductions.

"Coach, is your team properly equipped and ready to play?

Give me an immediate signal of what you want for a time out. If I don't get a signal, I will automatically give you a full.

The coach's box is marked, but if you're not talking to me, I'm not looking at you.

FInally, its a point of emphasis this year that the teams must be breaking their huddle on the second horn. When you hear the warning horn, please wrap it up so there aren't any delays or problems. Good Luck."

Not to be critical but guys, a lot of these things you're telling the captains is going in one ear and out the other. When you say something like, "Tell your teammates to...." you just as well be talking to the backboard. It's a waste of time. Short and sweet.

Talking to coaches is much more effective IMHO.