Coach's question

[rainmaker]

Coach, you're not going to win much, if anything during the game. I completely understand your frustration, and I sympathize, but the reality is, there's not much you can gain. In order to help that particular official (the errant one) improve overall, you might mention to the better partner, at some neutral point in the game if that exists, that it could be beneficial for said better partner to later discuss the 3 second rules with the less experienced one. Or if you see refs consistently misapplying or misunderstanding one particular rule, a word to the assignor or the association could be helpful, again in the long run.

[RoyalsCoach]

I wasn't looking for rulings. I was just pointing out situations were I new the correct rule but the officials did not. It was kind of interesting that even here I got incorrect interpretations. By the way this was girls frosh/soph but are the same officials that do the varsity game following.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by RoyalsCoach

I wasn't looking for rulings. I was just pointing out situations were I new the correct rule but the officials did not. It was kind of interesting that even here I got incorrect interpretations. By the way this was girls frosh/soph but are the same officials that do the varsity game following.

Well that depends on where you live. And to be frank it might even depend on the gender of your games. In Illinois it is very common across the state to give less experienced officials girl's varsity games. I know officials that cannot get a sophomore boy's game, but can work a lot of girl's varsity games. So there could be many dynamics to why you have had officials that do not know the rules. I can tell you as a primarily varsity official, when I work a lower level game, I rarely work with another varsity official. I just had someone joke with me on Saturday that me and another official worked together (who also works varsity primarily and is a 20 year official) was "talked into" working a freshman boy's games at the last minute. So just working a varsity game in itself does not mean you have arrived or the most knowledgeable officials around. Hell, I know college officials that do not know many rules. What does that say?

Peace

[Ref in PA]

"I come to this site almost daily and have really learned alot. Unlike like most coaches I love to study the rules and feel pretty confident in my knowledge. My question involves incorrect application of the rules. How do I handle these during a game and after the game? Is there any hope during the game? During a game can I get another official to give the incorrect official additional information ( correct rule) and have the call changed? This happens all of the time on balls tipped out of bounds. One official helps another. After the game should I just let it drop and have the official continue to use an incorrect rule or should I approach the official?"

Many have responded to the specific situations but have not addressed you specific questions in the opening paragraph.

"How do I handle these during a game and after the game? Is there any hope during the game?"

There is almost no chance of getting a call reversed by an official during the game when the error is pointed out by a coach. Even as one official to another on a crew there is no guarantee an official will reverse a rule interpretation. Sometimes those questions are resolved in the locker room by consulting the rule book after a bet has been made. So, my answer to you is that you are stuck with the call until the end of the game, just as you are stuck with the refs until the end of the game.

My suggestion is that you contact the assignor and make sure you have your facts straight. I recently saw a game where Team B was down 3 points with under a minute to play. A1 inbounded the ball after a made basket by B. B1 deflected the ball, which hit the bottom of the backboard and fell down beside the basket. B1 picked up the ball and scored a layup. The lead ref at the far end of the floor blew the play dead, disallowed the basket and claimed the ball was oob. When B coach asked for an explanation of what was going on, she was given a "T". I was close enough to feel I had a good view of all the action really could not see/hear anything out of the ordinary done by Coach B. She knew I was a ref in the crowd and asked me what could be done. My answer to her is my answer to you.

Your only recourse at this point is to contact the assignor, send game film, and hopefully further instruction will be given to those refs.