Head coach late arrival to game
 

At the beginning of an AAU tournament game, Team A had only one coach on their bench. With approximately 6 minutes remaining, another adult, coach #2 sat down at Team A's bench. Coach #2 rose off his seat in a demonstrative manner with hands in the air to protest a no-call. A game official gave coach #2 a Bench Technical for violating head coach-box and challenging a referee. Coach #2 insisted that he is the head coach but the official informed him he was not on the bench at the start of the game nor was he in the book as the head coach and there was no communication from coach #1 that coach #2 has become the head coach.

Does anyone know where to find clarification or ruling in our NFHS books or NCAA online?

Please state your opinion and location of your findings.

There's the justification right there for calling a "T", head coach or not. You don't need anything else. Unsporting behavior.

Take it a step further and remove the behavior out of the situation.

What is the appropriate action when the head coach arrives late?

I believe there's also something that states that if the HC is not seated in a seat in the coaching box at the start of the game, he has no coaching box privileges. Somewhere in Rule 10-5. Don't have my book for exact reference. So even if he WAS the HC, he has no box, and therefore, no right to rise other then to applaud outstanding play on the floor.

Too bad he wasn't there at the start. Sounds like he could've got his T early and then a 2nd one so he could go to the snack bar if he did not get there till 6 minutes left and got a T.

The head coach is the coach who verifies that his players are properly equipped prior to the game.

The head coach sits within the coaching box.

The head coach is allowed to stand within the coaching box during the game and coach.

Once the assistant coach acted as the head coach in the above three items, he is the head coach for that game. Nothing else matters. When this guy arrives later, he's just an assistant coach. As such, his a$$ needs to be parked on the bench and his mouth shut.

Great call by the official!

I would advise that you verify which set of rules you are using. Some AAU events use NCAA rules, some use NFHS.


BTW...

10.5.1 SITUATION E: The coach of Team B sits on the opposite end of the bench from where the optional coaching box is located. The coach rises only when permitted by rule. RULING: Legal. The coach is not required to use the optional coaching box even though it has been adopted by the state association. However, if the coach begins the game by sitting somewhere other than where the box is located, he/she may not use the box privileges any time during the game. The coach must begin the game in a position within the box if he/she wishes to stand when permitted under the optional coaching-box provisions. (10-5 Note 1)

Nevada got the rule reference that shows that it doesn't matter whether this guy truly is the head coach or not. Also, as Jurassic pointed out - the action probably deserves a T no matter what.

That said, I've heard this BS before. Once ejected the varsity head coach from a freshman game. When he started going on about how he was the head "of the whole program," I wanted to respond "Good - then you'll know the way out."

I would love to read Old School's take on this play. :D

MTD, Sr.

We already got that when we had a long discussion about me calling a T on an AAU AC for jumping up and yelling "That's not a travel!"

So, allow me to clear my throat and give it a go....

"It ain't about me. It ain't about me. It ain't about me."

Or, you could call the T on the coach, and follow up with, "Don't shoot the messenger, coach, but I ain't drinking your kool-aide tonight."

Or, you give him the OS Stare of Imminent Free Throws (tm).

What he said! :D

The only problem the OP made was he told the coach he got a T because he's not the HC and he can't stand. Why not just tell them the truth. You got the T for Unsportsmanlike Conduct. Now, neither one of you can stand. Doesn't matter anymore from this prospective. You invited more trouble by suggesting he got the T because he's not the HC. I can't tell you how many HS varsity games I worked where the HC wasn't there for the pre-game discussion, sent the AC. Happens all the time. However, only one guy is going to stand, and only one guy is going to be questioning my calls, and that guy is the guy I talked to at the start, until you tell me different.

Yes you can. Go ahead. Tell us how many.

I'm guessing none.

Nobody is going to be questioning my calls! They may ask me questions about a call. They may or may not get an answer. BUT dang straight they will always be respectful if they want the same back.