Assistant coaches

[Coltdoggs]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

I know questions like this really aren't intended for responses applying to rec leagues, but I thought I'd just mention this. Despite all the sarcastic comments I usually make about how I treat coaches in our local kids rec league, the truth is that I appreciate all of them because they volunteer a great deal of their time to help our kids. I'm always ready to answer virtually any question they have (and it's almost always a rules question) as long as they are "nice" about it. Whether it's the HC or the AC is irrelevant. In fact, I know a lot of them personally from working the league with them over the years and I've found that the more questions I answer, the smoother the games go and the more attention we can pay to seeing to it that the kids have fun.

There - that's my one decent post for this year. I got it out of my system.

I feel the same way for my rec leagues...I attend the preseason coaches meeting to put my face before the league coaches so they can ask some questions. This has helped keep some of the in game yappin' to a minimum because they get my philosophy about youth sports and the league's philosophy on sportsmanship first hand. A lot of these guys don't seem to realize that if they don't get mouthy, the kids don't get mouthy and either do the parents. The coach really sets the tone for the team in this regard.

Asking questions is one thing...yelling at me about calls is a whole 'nother story!

[Mountaineer]

I don't talk to assistant coaches. I'm not rude about it but direct. I have great relationships with coaches and assistants - even some that joke wth me about not talking to them. If they come out and insist on talking - then I'm a little more rude and sometimes downright obnoxious. I have a buddy that I work with a great deal who is worse about it than I am - and we were working a game where the assistant was one of his buddies. One time down the floor, he leaned down and made a comment to his buddy who said - "Sorry, I can't talk to you - my buddy's a prick about letting us lowlife assistants talk to refs!"

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by Coltdoggs

This has helped keep some of the in game yappin' to a minimum because they get my philosophy about youth sports and the league's philosophy on sportsmanship first hand.

Whenever one of our kid's coaches asks me how he (or she) can tell if they've had a successful season, I tell them this. At the end of the season ask your players two questions. First, did you have fun. Second, do you want to come back and play again next year. If all the players answer yes to both questions, then you had a successful season.

That's all there is to it.

[Nevadaref]

Answer any civil question from anyone on the team.

ACs have a way of becoming HCs. JV coaches have a way of becoming V coaches.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by Coltdoggs

I feel the same way for my rec leagues...I attend the preseason coaches meeting to put my face before the league coaches so they can ask some questions. This has helped keep some of the in game yappin' to a minimum because they get my philosophy about youth sports and the league's philosophy on sportsmanship first hand. A lot of these guys don't seem to realize that if they don't get mouthy, the kids don't get mouthy and either do the parents. The coach really sets the tone for the team in this regard.

Asking questions is one thing...yelling at me about calls is a whole 'nother story!

Question along this line - I have been asked to speak to the REC League Coaches this week and I have accepted (same philosophy as discussed above). I intend to thank them for their volunteering, talk sportsmanship, review rule changes and POE's, and answer questions. Do others do this too? Shy away or avoid it? Just curious.

My biggest concern is most if not ALL of the other REC refs do it for fun and really don't know the rules. So, if I can't get a session with them, it puts them/me in a spot as now the coaches will tell them they're wrong. I have offered to hold a trng session for refs too - so far nothing from the league.

[jer166]

It might be a good idea to keep some sort of minutes of the meeting and make those available to the other officials. That way they know what was discussed and if there is something they don't know they at least have an opportunity to follow up with a question.

I think the biggest problem with rec league officials is not being consistent with their calls. Very seldom will the complexities discussed here come into play. So a very basic understanding of the rules is probably sufficient as long as there is consistency. Oh, and this is where that myth of traveling or illegal dribble keeps getting fueled on designated out of bounds spots. Fix that one if you can.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by jer166

It might be a good idea to keep some sort of minutes of the meeting and make those available to the other officials. That way they know what was discussed and if there is something they don't know they at least have an opportunity to follow up with a question.

I think the biggest problem with rec league officials is not being consistent with their calls. Very seldom will the complexities discussed here come into play. So a very basic understanding of the rules is probably sufficient as long as there is consistency. Oh, and this is where that myth of traveling or illegal dribble keeps getting fueled on designated out of bounds spots. Fix that one if you can.

I'd say focus on the myths with the rec league officials; such as traveling during a throwin, shooter retrieving his own airball, being first to touch the ball after being out of bounds, etc. These are the things coaches and fans are usually wrong about; and they're the things newer refs tend to get wrong as well.

I'd present it to them in terms of, "this is what we've given the coaches."

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

I'd say focus on the myths with the rec league officials; such as traveling during a throwin, shooter retrieving his own airball, being first to touch the ball after being out of bounds, etc. These are the things coaches and fans are usually wrong about; and they're the things newer refs tend to get wrong as well.

I'd present it to them in terms of, "this is what we've given the coaches."

Thanks Snaq. I'm also going to talk about my favorite pet peeves coaches always holler for - "over the back" and "moving screen."