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Old Sun Jan 30, 2000, 12:14am
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sorry if you guys think these are stupid questions, but i am a rookie.

i never acknowledge the coach when he is yelling about my calls. am i right? or should i sometimes explain my calls?
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Old Sun Jan 30, 2000, 01:32am
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First, welcome to the wonderful (usually!) world of basketball officiating. As a student myself, (I've only been working for 3 years) I've have reaped numerous benefits from this avocation. As for this question, it is important to be approachable to the coaches, as it lets them know that even though you are in control, you understand their needs and purpose. Do you need to explain every call, of course not! But, if there is a rules question, let him have his say. As for you other posts, if the scoreboard doesn't keep track of team fouls, it's the scorekeeper's responsibility. If the board shows the fouls, then glance at it and communicate with the table after every foul. The screen you described seems to be legal, as there was no contact. But, if A2 was hindering B1's sight or movement, you could call an intentional foul. It sounds like you did the right thing though.
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Old Sun Jan 30, 2000, 01:57am
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quote:
Originally posted by ken roberts on 01-30-2000 10:10 AM
If you have a guy faceguarding so that he can't see when receiving a pass, go ahead and call a technical. (10-3-8d) Same thing if a guy comes from behind and plays, "Guess who?"

It sounded like you were saying that you could call an intentional foul for a guy committing a moving screen with contact.

I have never seen faceguarding in a game, let alone called it. Has anyone else?


Ken, I saw it in a small town freshmen girls game last year. The offensive player was not receiving a pass but was trying to get open for a pass when the defending girl tried to put both her hands in front of her face. My coofficial blew his whistle for a foul and I simply warned the girl and quickly explained the rule and have never seen it again since. Ralph.
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Old Sun Jan 30, 2000, 02:04am
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Game management is one of the primary areas in which i'm trying to improve. As Matt says, you need to remain approachable to coaches. Whenever there is an unusual ruling (e.g. correctable error, accidental whistle, etc.), you should be proactive and go over and explain the call to both coaches at once.

In other cases, a quick comment to a coach as you're running by can help settle him down (e.g. "Coach, he can't travel if he doesn't have the ball.").

If they're throwing a hissy fit, then by all means either ignore them, give them a stop sign accompanied by "Coach, that's enough", or issue a T.

One of the best things you can do to learn this game management is to watch lots of games, especially at the varsity level. You'll then learn what works and what doesn't work with a variety of different situations and with a variety of different coach personality types.

The screen you described seems to be legal, as there was no contact. But, if A2 was hindering B1's sight or movement, you could call an intentional foul.

Intentional foul? I would pay good money to see you sell that call successfully. Just call the common foul.
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Old Sun Jan 30, 2000, 06:01am
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Ken- faceguarding is, in my mind, a serious offense, as safety is a primary concern with certain situations regarding this rule. While I may have been excessive in considering it intentional, it definitely needs to be called and stopped.
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Old Sun Jan 30, 2000, 11:10am
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If you have a guy faceguarding so that he can't see when receiving a pass, go ahead and call a technical. (10-3-8d) Same thing if a guy comes from behind and plays, "Guess who?"

It sounded like you were saying that you could call an intentional foul for a guy committing a moving screen with contact.

I have never seen faceguarding in a game, let alone called it. Has anyone else?
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Old Sun Jan 30, 2000, 02:37pm
KDM KDM is offline
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quote:
Originally posted by minnesota ref on 01-29-2000 11:14 PM
sorry if you guys think these are stupid questions, but i am a rookie.

i never acknowledge the coach when he is yelling about my calls. am i right? or should i sometimes explain my calls?



If the coach is 'yelling' about your calls, don't ignore it. Address it. A warning MIGHT be appropriate, but continous 'yelling' at the official constitutes a technical foul.

Don't get in the habit of 'explaining' your calls unless its the explanation of a rule and both coaches are together.
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Old Sun Jan 30, 2000, 03:41pm
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For those of us fortunate to work 3-person, the trail official has a great opportunity to listen to the coach and be at least a sounding board.

This works especially well during free throws. You can move close to the coach and you can carry on a brief conversation without becoming confrontational.

Has anybody noticed but when the coaches ask questions they seem to yelling very loudly most of the time? The coach who is calm about it gets my attention a lot quicker.
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Old Mon Jan 31, 2000, 03:52am
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Talking

As a new referee you should listen to a coach, don't blow him off but don't stop the game and give a rule's clinic eather, if you feel he is asking you a question and not coaching you. You may have kicked a call there is nothing wrong in letting a coach know that you screwed one up. If you think he is trying to take you out of your game or influence your calls you will have to deal with the situation, "coach i am working hard on this game and we can talk later but now is not the time". We are all human and you will learn much from refereeing, when you learn the rules and read the manual on what a referee is, your personality will come out and all will be OK, but it takes time and lots of games under your belt. You know how to eat an Elephant don't you, yes one bite at a time.

Good luck.

------------------
Don
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Old Mon Jan 31, 2000, 10:41am
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quote:
Originally posted by Alaska Ref on 01-31-2000 02:52 AM
[D]on't give a rule's clinic . . .

[T]here is nothing wrong in letting a coach know that you screwed one up . . .


Two outstanding pieces of advice (and I was fortunate to receive both during my first couple of years).

I apologize now that this post is long, but . . .

Handling coaches is not an exact science and every official needs to develop there own style. What works for one may not work for another - and the situation may dictate your actions even further.

I compare it to learning to drive a stick shift - you can't explain it to someone, you need to get your own feel for it.

Examples from my own experience:

(1) JV boys game my second or third year - I'm trail opposite the table and a loose ball comes rolling toward half court. B1 dives for it, secures it and slides a good five or six feet. Coach A yells, "That's a walk!" I shake my head. A1 comes in (maybe for a held ball?) and slams into B1's back, I'll call a foul.

As I report, coach A is glaring at me and asks, loudly, Why didn't you call the walk?" I go over, lean in and quietly explain (so as not to embarrass him), "Coach as long as he doesn't roll over or get up, he's fine." He yells in my face, "You're wrong!"

Being in a good mood, I stand up and say, authoritatively, "Coach, if you're going to question my calls, learn the rules first. Now not another word." As I turn, I see my partner (also a close friend since before we became officials) start to smile. A split second later I hear, well, another word. So I spin, and deliver a calm Technical foul. I gave him an explanation and a chance. He didn't take either.

(2) The very first varsity game I ever did was as a replacement official for someone who didn't show up. My third year, I was assigned a good JV game (4A - PA's highest) and busted my butt. After the game, there's only one official, so out I walk to do the varisty game - and everyone in the stands (not to mention the coaches) knows I'm the "JV official."

Jump ball, home team's first trip down the floor, the ball goes down to their big man who goes up strong, is bumped a little (IMHO, not enough for a foul call), and misses the shot. As I come down the floor (trail, table side), the coach yells, "You've got to call that up here!" I ignore him.

Next trip down, ball down to their big man, who shuffles his feet, and I call travelling. As I come down the floor, the coach hollers, "I knew I should have asked for the other guy!" I still ignore him.

Next trip down, ball down to their big man, and (can you guess?) he rams his shoulder into the defender to make space, and I come out strong with a player control. Crowd goes ballistic.

After I report the foul, I'm about to cross to new lead, opposite the table, the coach kicks the bleachers (we have a bench rule in PA) and screams, "You're never working in this gym again!" I turn my head, never break stride, look him dead in the eye, shrug my shoulders and say, "No problem, there's forty other schools around here coach." He didn't say a word to me the rest of the game.

(3) Again my third year, doing a JV boys game between to big rivals. It's the last game of the season and it's also something called "Sibling Night," so what would normally be a big crowd anyway is supplemented with literally hundreds of screaming kids (yes, for the JV game).

Midway through the third quarter of a very close and very hard-fought game, I call a foul on the home team and move to report it (perhaps a little to close to the benches). The home coach says something as I'm about to report that I couldn't hear, so I said, "Hold on a second coach," and I report the foul. Then, thinking he was asking a question about my call (which was a hold on the low post opposite his bench - so he probably didn't get a good look at it), I took a step closer and leaned in and said, "I'm sorry coach, I didn't hear what you said." He snarls, "I said, 'that was a bulls*** call.' " I pause for moment and say, "Coach, since I didn't hear it the first time, I'll pretend I didn't hear it the second time." Caught off guard he smiled and nodded his head.

(4) I'm lead, working too close to the lane when the ball is in my primary below the foul line. As I slide out (late) to get a look at the play, the ball goes out of bounds and I make a call. As I'm about to administer the throw-in the coach is upset - but not rude. He says, "I think you blew that one." I back up to count for the throw-in and without turning my head, I said, "Coach, I didn't get a good look at that one, I was out of position. I promise it won't happen again." He replied, "Good enough for me."

The point of this incredibly long post? Don't be afraid to take care of business, but don't be afraid to develop your own style in handling coaches. Listen to everybody's advice and intergrate what you like and disregard what you don't.

Good luck!

tmm

[This message has been edited by Todd (Mike) Mullen (edited January 31, 2000).]
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