Techncial Fouls Handout ?????

[BillyMac]

I am on the training commitee of our local board. I have been working on a technical foul handout. The original outline came from the Tri-City (Washington State) web site, but I've made some changes to it so that it conforms with the way we are taught to do things on our local board. I've also made some changes that reflect things about techncial fouls that I've learned on this Forum.

Forum members, please look it over, and please suggest corrections, additions, and deletions. I would also ask our Forum "annoying spelling" and "annoying grammar" members to peruse the handout.

I hope that this doesn't spark too much debate. I know that some Forum members have very "short fuses" when it comes to technical fouls, and I know that other Forum members have "very long fuses". I've tried to avoid the terms "stop sign" and "automatic", because I know that these terms, in regard to technical fouls, really get some official's "blood boiling". I've tried to take a "middle of the road" approach:

Technical Fouls

Top Reasons To Not Give A Technical Foul
 You can address a coach before it becomes a problem. A quiet word can go a long way in preventing a technical foul.
 When coaches complain, ask yourself, is the call questionable, is the call wrong. If they have a legitimate gripe, then allow them some latitude.
 If you know a coach is upset then move away from him or her, even if it means that you and your partner are not switching or rotating properly.
 Warnings can be very effective in preventing situations from escalating. Don't tolerate a lot before giving a strong warning. Let your partner know about the warning.
 Lend a reasonable ear. Coaches like to be heard. If you ignore them then they become more frustrated and are more likely to lose control.
 If an assistant is out of line, then you can speak to the head coach and ask them to help you out.
 If a player is out of line then let the coach know. Tell them you've warned their player. That way if you do give a technical foul, then the coach isn't surprised. Most good coaches will speak to the player first.
 If you have had a rough day and know your fuse is short, keep that in mind before you do anything rash. Ask yourself, does the situation come under one of the top reasons to give a technical foul.

Top Reasons To Give A Technical Foul
There are many different factors to consider when deciding to give a technical foul. Generally, there are three areas of coach's behavior that need attention: when a coach makes it personal, when a coach draws attention to himself or herself, and when a coach's complaints are persistent. Some technical fouls are easy. They are black and white situations that leave little room for negotiation:
 Using profanity or language that is abusive, vulgar, or obscene.
 A coach questions your integrity.
 Inciting an undesirable crowd reaction.
 A coach is embarrassing an official.
 A coach or player has been warned and has not heeded the warning.
 Leaving the confines of the coaching box and complaining.
 A coach demonstrates displeasure with your partner and their back is turned.
Other technical fouls are not as black and white. In some situations, a warning may be appropriate before the technical foul is given:
 A coach or player continually demonstrates signals or asks for calls.
 If they have interfered with the game or your concentration, then they have usually gone too far.
 If giving a technical will help give structure back to the game and if it will have a calming effect on things.

Top Ways To Give A Technical Foul
 Calling a technical foul should be no different then calling any other foul. It is simply a rule that requires a penalty. Maintain a pleasant attitude, have poise and presence. Don’t personalize it. Don't embarrass the coach by being demonstrative.
 Take your time. Don’t over react. Always sound the whistle and stop the clock with a foul signal. Signal the technical foul. Never look at a coach when you give a technical foul. Proceed to the reporting area, report it to the table, and leave the area.
 Confer with your partner. If the technical foul is charged to the head coach or bench personnel, have your partner inform the coach of the loss of the coaching box.
 Explanations, if needed should be done by partner, to avoid the immediate second technical foul. Always explain technical fouls on players to coaches.
 Proceed with the administration of the penalty. After technical fouls, put the ball in play immediately. Because a coach has been penalized with a technical foul does not mean that the coach is allowed rebuttal time.
 Make them earn the second technical foul. Don't be reluctant to give the second technical foul if it is warranted.
 Do not discuss a technical foul or an ejection of a player or coach beyond the confines of the gymnasium. Doing so is very unethical. The penalty is enough.

[Mark Dexter]

In the fourth reason not to give a T, you misspelled "partner."

I like it - perhaps you could just add a note to the "how to give a T" section saying that you should pregame what will happen when a technical is assessed - who will administer the FT's and the throw-in, who will watch the players and benches, etc.

[BillyMac]

Thanks Mark Dexter:

 Technical foul procedures should be discussed as part of a good pregame conference.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Don't embarrass the coach by being demonstrative.

I'd eliminate this statement. You're taking all the fun out of it.

[JRutledge]

" Explanations, if needed should be done by partner, to avoid the immediate second technical foul. Always explain technical fouls on players to coaches."

I think this should be taken off or modified. For one you should not every "always" explain anything to a coach. If the coach is being belligerent they might not be the best person to explain anything. Also many times coaches do not need an explanation at all. They completely understand what their player is all about and do not want you to explain anything to them. I understand the sentiment of this post, I just do not agree with the wording of this point.

Peace

[BillyMac]

JRutledge: Thanks.

 Explanations, if needed should be done by partner to avoid the immediate second technical foul. If asked politely, explain technical fouls on players to coaches.

[Snake~eyes]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

JRutledge: Thanks.

 Explanations, if needed should be done by partner to avoid the immediate second technical foul. If asked politely, explain technical fouls on players to coaches.

I disagree with this statement also.

If the technical is against the player then why wouldn't the calling official give an explanation? What if my partner calls it but I don't know why, how can I explain? I do not think the calling official going to tell the coach (but only if he asks) is going to cause a follow up technical foul, no different then any other foul you call that a coach wants an explanation about.

If the technical is against the coach, then he shouldn't need an explanation. If he TRULY doesn't know why he got it (and isn't just being an ***), then it's highly unlikely I'm going to know why. I would not communicate with a coach after my partner T's him up, I rerfuse to make my partern look like the bad guy, and me the good guy. The only communication to the coach would be me telling him he has to sit, but other than that I will be standing as far away as possible.

[JRutledge]

Snake,

The technical is on the player, not the coach. I would agree I am not explaining much of anything on a coach T. But a player T with a reasonable coach might get some kind of explanation from me (if I called it) or maybe by me if I did not call it.

Peace

[SMEngmann]

I don't really like the idea of long checklists explaining when to give a T and when not to give a T. A lot of this comes with judgement and experience, but I know when I was coming up, these types of things were confusing.

I think the reason I don't like these lists is because I don't agree with the philosophy that officials should try to prevent technical fouls and try to avoid calling them (usually through warnings and the like). We are not out there to be a nice guy, we are there to run a game, and the nicer we are, often, the more liberties that are taken.

Additionally, officials are different people with different personalities and different attributes, but we all have to maintain control of a game. Our personalities, people skills, physical appearance, age, etc all play into what we have to do to run a game, and what works for one guy might not work for another. I think these checklists play into a one size fits all mentality that doesn't really work.

In my opinion, if you want to help your officials out, instill a general philosophy on when to call technical fouls, similar to what the NBA has done this year, which outlines clearly what conduct warrants a T, and what is acceptable conduct.

[NewNCref]

Originally Posted by SMEngmann

I think the reason I don't like these lists is because I don't agree with the philosophy that officials should try to prevent technical fouls and try to avoid calling them (usually through warnings and the like). We are not out there to be a nice guy, we are there to run a game, and the nicer we are, often, the more liberties that are taken.

Now, there are certainly some cases in which coaches abuse officials who won't T them up when push comes to shove, but I think a certain amount of warning should, in some cases, be given. For example, you get a whiney coach who wants to throw his hands up and give the traveling sign every time he think we missed one. I'm going to warn him, and if he continues, then he gets the T. I don't think it does anyone any good to T him up straight away. If you warn him and he stops, problem solved. He continues, you T him up, then maybe he stops. He doesn't learn, does it again, then T number 2 will have him sitting outside in the parking lot. The warning took 5 seconds, and could have stopped things from getting any more heated than necessary.

Originally Posted by SMEngmann

Additionally, officials are different people with different personalities and different attributes, but we all have to maintain control of a game. Our personalities, people skills, physical appearance, age, etc all play into what we have to do to run a game, and what works for one guy might not work for another. I think these checklists play into a one size fits all mentality that doesn't really work.

It seems like you're under the impression that this is going to go out as a, this is when and only when you should ever give a technical foul and these are the methods for doing it. But something tells me this is going to just be given as a guide to guys on what to think about when giving a T. The guys, no matter how hard any organization tries, are never going to do things EXACTLY like you tell them to. They're going to personalize them. With this, that's okay, with the definition of travel and illegal dribbles that some of my partners have had, it's a bad thing.

Originally Posted by SMEngmann

In my opinion, if you want to help your officials out, instill a general philosophy on when to call technical fouls, similar to what the NBA has done this year, which outlines clearly what conduct warrants a T, and what is acceptable conduct.

It seems to me that that's what this list is trying to do. Give an impression of the things that go into giving a technical foul, and what is and is not unacceptable behavior.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by SMEngmann

I don't really like the idea of long checklists explaining when to give a T and when not to give a T. A lot of this comes with judgement and experience, but I know when I was coming up, these types of things were confusing.

I think the reason I don't like these lists is because I don't agree with the philosophy that officials should try to prevent technical fouls and try to avoid calling them (usually through warnings and the like). We are not out there to be a nice guy, we are there to run a game, and the nicer we are, often, the more liberties that are taken.

Additionally, officials are different people with different personalities and different attributes, but we all have to maintain control of a game. Our personalities, people skills, physical appearance, age, etc all play into what we have to do to run a game, and what works for one guy might not work for another. I think these checklists play into a one size fits all mentality that doesn't really work.

In my opinion, if you want to help your officials out, instill a general philosophy on when to call technical fouls, similar to what the NBA has done this year, which outlines clearly what conduct warrants a T, and what is acceptable conduct.

I do not like these lists for some of the very same reasons you stated. I think we are all very different. I know as an official I am very different than when I first started. I used to have these hard and fast rules, now I do not anymore because I want to adapt to the situation I am faced with.

You also stated that officials should not prevent Ts. I feel we should and do whatever we can to warn and let it be known what might cross the line, when given a chance. But that shows how different our experience and who we might be around can affect those basic philosophies.

The bottom line is we are not robots. Personality is always going to play a role in our officiating. It certainly is that way in the NBA.

Peace

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by SMEngmann

I think the reason I don't like these lists is because I don't agree with the philosophy that officials should try to prevent technical fouls and try to avoid calling them (usually through warnings and the like). We are not out there to be a nice guy, we are there to run a game, and the nicer we are, often, the more liberties that are taken.

Additionally, officials are different people with different personalities and different attributes, but we all have to maintain control of a game. Our personalities, people skills, physical appearance, age, etc all play into what we have to do to run a game, and what works for one guy might not work for another. I think these checklists play into a one size fits all mentality that doesn't really work.

What he said.

Everybody sets their own tolerances and limits. As long as you are consistent and the players/coaches know what they can and cannot get away with, everything usually works out OK. If you can keep the game under control and keep the unsporting crap out of it also, you're doing your job.

[SmokeEater]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

What he said.

Everybody sets their own tolerances and limits. As long as you are consistent and the players/coaches know what they can and cannot get away with, everything usually works out OK. If you can keep the game under control and keep the unsporting crap out of it also, you're doing your job.

I personally feel that officials have to have a complete knowledge of what the rules say are considered a Technical foul. Then its like what Jurrasic and JRut said, experieince and personality will determine how the penalty is administered.

[budjones05]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

What he said.

Everybody sets their own tolerances and limits. As long as you are consistent and the players/coaches know what they can and cannot get away with, everything usually works out OK. If you can keep the game under control and keep the unsporting crap out of it also, you're doing your job.

I agree with JR on this. Teams will earn their first T. I only gave 3 in this past 5 years.