Pre-game meeting with coaches/captains

[JoeTheRef]

Originally Posted by Scrapper1

Check the threads at the bottom of the page. I didn't look through all of them, but this one was pretty good.

Captains Meeting

I know that thread was over 4 years ago, and I'm not sure if the below quote was in the rulebook at that time, but rule 2-4 Art. 5 specifically states that we should address uniform and sportsmanship to the coaches prior to the game, so the pre-game is usually a good place to do this. I'm assuming that this has always been in the book, because I've beeen saying it for at least 5 years now, and heard before then.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Stripes unless it is something from your state or the rulebook that requires some kind of statement on sportsmanship or behavior, say nothing. Before my state made us do all this "sportsmanship" talks, I would say nothing about the rules or the way the game would be called at all. It is not your job to give a rules clinic or explain what the game will be like. That pregame meeting should be about a minute and you move on.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by JoeTheRef

I know that thread was over 4 years ago, and I'm not sure if the below quote was in the rulebook at that time, but rule 2-4 Art. 5 specifically states that we should address uniform and sportsmanship to the coaches prior to the game, so the pre-game is usually a good place to do this. I'm assuming that this has always been in the book, because I've beeen saying it for at least 5 years now, and heard before then.

Some states might have had guidelines that the rulebook did not at that time. Our state had us talking about these sportsmanship and other pre-game procedures before the NF made any directive. In some cases we had things we did a year or two before the NF adopted the rule or policy. I believe at the time of this thread there were no such NF rules that applied to what you say or not say in the pre-game meeting. My state also had a person on the NF Committee and it was clear that many things discussed filtered from discussions the NF Committee was having. So what you were doing has little if not anything to do with what the rules said.

Peace

[blindmanwalking]

I emphasize good sportsmanship and tell the captains they are to keep their teams under control. I tell the coaches to observe the box, be clear on timeout requests, and ask if their players are properly equipped and ready to play. Short and sweet.

[BillyMac]

After intoductions and handshakes (I actually got a chest bump this season), I say, "Coaches, please be sure that your players are properly equipped and that they know how to wear their uniforms properly". Then I say, "Coaches and captains, my partner, Mr. Smith, and I will be emphasising proper sportmanship tonight".

Depending on my mood, I now go to one of two options:
Option #1: "We all (pointing to everybody in the group) have something in common, we all love the game of basketball. Please show respect for the game that we all love by respecting your opponents, your coaches, and the officials"
Option #2: Please note that my partner, Mr. Smith, and I are the only ones in this gym tonight who don't care who wins. Everyone else in this gym, the players, coaches, fans (I point to the crowd), and cheerleaders, want one of the teams to win. Mr. Smith and I don't care who wins. Please keep that in mind tonight as we make calls in this game".

I then ask my partner, the umpire, if he or she wants to add anything. Sometimes, in a girls game, to lighten the moment, I remind the captains that "if you're going to dunk, please don't hang on the rim, because we'll call a technical foul".

Notice that I don't ask for a "spokesman" captain. This was new for me this season. I'll talk to any player, captain or noncaptain, if they address me respectfully. Twenty-five years ago, there were captains or cocaptains. Now, there are tricaptains, quadcaptains, or once this season, quintcaptains. I've had colleagues ask if the "spokesman" captain was starting. This meeting was getting to be too complicated. With the coaches joining the meeting, the group got to be too large, especially with the loud music playing, so now I try to get the meeting over with as soon as possible.

[canuckrefguy]

Captains - very little because (a) they won't remember it and (b) likely won't be telling it to their teammates, either.

Coaches - very little other than making sure subs get to the table and players are out of TO's on time.

[26 Year Gap]

One kid is notorious for taking out his mouthguard & getting his handshake hand all slobbery. I do fist bumps for those games.

[johnny1784]

I do fist bumps with or without their hands being slobbery.