Calling coaches by name.
 

I just got my Officials Quarterly magazine in yesterday,and it had a very interesting article in it entitled( Whats in a Name?) on page 4. I do call coaches by name if I know both of them well, but if you only know one of them I don't feel comfortable just calling the one I know by name. I want the other coach to feel comfortable with me on the floor when he is on the road. I guess what I am trying to say is if he hears me calling the coach I know by name all night he might think he is going to get the shaft. I think the article is coming from a baseball/softball umpire, but it still fits in this topic. Do most of you guys address the coach as coach or by his name? I personally like to communicate by name if possible. Thanks in advance.

I always get both coaches names in pregame, but I rarely use them. I generally only use first names if we get into a situation where emotions might be escalating and they are really looking for something, I've found that if I can say "Jim I honestly didn't have it", it tends to remind them that we are human and seems to calm them down a little faster than "Coach I didn't have it"....most games though "Coach" will suffice and you are right it doesn't make one side wonder why you called her "Sue" and called me "coach", when you might not even realize that you are doing it...

Richard Siegel, the article's author, is a member here (I've only seen him post on the baseball side), so he might be interested in this thread.

I personally don't like to use a coach's name during a game. It's similar to addressing a judge as "Your honor": this is done only in the courtroom, when the judge is on the bench (otherwise, you can call the judge "judge"). This tradition creates a certain distance between the judge and the people in court, and that distance is good for the impartiality of the proceedings.

In the same way, when I'm wearing the stripes it's important that I be perceived as impartial. I like the impersonal distance created by using "coach," even if I happen to know the coach's name. It emphasizes our roles in the contest rather than our personal relationship (whatever that might be).

I know both coaches names prior to the game. I am careful not to use it too much during the game though.

I don't like the coaches or even players to call me ref, stripes, or even sir. I tell the captain's our names and tell them to feel free to call us by them (no one ever has).

If you are saying, "Brian, I didn't see that", all night, Brian is the one getting the shaft..... :)

Ha well done! I'd rather he tell Brian that than me if my name is Pete!

Or Brian is a whiner.

Peace

:D

I call them all "coach."

Ditto.

I also don't see the coaches but maybe 2x a year,:) , so it's not like I develop relationships with them.......

Same here. Only in the pregame may I use their names...and only if I know the names of both coaches....and only the last names. "Good evening Coach Smith. Good evening Coach Johnson". After that, it's just "coach".

The author stated that the idea came from professional umpires, who typically work in series of 3 /4 games where this type of relationship would come naturally. He expanded on the idea that for this to work for him on the HS level, it took a conscious effort to develop that relationship even for that game only, but in his opinion was worth the effort towards effective game management. YMMMV.

I've been doing high school ball long enough now that I know most of the coaches both on and off the court. If I'm working a game with two coaches that I know and that know each other, it just seems silly to me to pretend that we don't all know each other.

If, on the other hand, one of the teams is from out of the area, I'll call them both "coach".

In my college games, I don't know most of them off the court, and most of my games have at least one coach from out of the area. So I almost always just stick with "coach".

I've found "Darlin'" works well.

...not that there's anything wrong with that...:p

"Princess" works nicely too. :D

IMO the use of names is a quality game management and communication tool.
I have used their names since I started officiating. I've had success with it. I've also had numerous people tell me that I shouldn't. However, there is one person who shaped my philosophy on this and another recent speaker who confirmed my belief.
The original was soccer referee Bob Evans. He was an international level referee. His advice is to learn the names of as many players on the field as possible during the match and use them. He also let the players call him by name as long as proper respect was accorded.
After meeting him and listening to a couple of his talks early in my officiating days, I took it upon myself to do the same. It has worked very well for me. I have been seen as a players' referee. I let the players call me by my first name too. Many do. Even a team from Vegas in this year's state tournament did it. I memorized the captains' names at the coin toss (and also most of the roster before the game) and told them mine and that they could call me by my first name on the field. They responded very well to it and it broke the ice with a team that I had never seen before. I think that it made them feel a lot more comfortable playing 500 miles from home against a local opponent.

The confirmation came just a couple of weeks ago when one of the NBA group supervisors came to my HS association and gave a presentation. He also recommended using the first names of the players and coaches. He stated that it helped the line of communcation as well as responding skills. He also noted that the asst coaches of today are tomorrow's head coaches. Something else to consider as we have some folks on this forum and in my local assn who don't believe in communicating with asst coaches.

For those who have never tried it or are a bit uncomfortable with it, I would ask that you give it a shot for a couple of months and see what it does for your game. If it brings you success, keep it. If not, then let it go.

There are two local schools [I live in a very rural area] and I know the coaches of all the teams well enough to call them by their first names. One school is 2 divisions higher than the other. So, the only time they face each other is in pre-season scrimmages. And that is the only time I refer to them by their first names. There are a handful of other coaches I know well enough to address them by the first name, but unless I know them both well, I always call them 'coach'.

Many (or most) coaches are paranoid. Even though I know most of the HS coaches, there is some turnover. I'm afraid that I would call one of them by their name and not remember the other one. If you don't think they notice stuff like that, you are wrong. Many of them are constantly looking for a reason to justify their paranoia towards officials.

At the college level, I sometimes have never met a coach before. I don't trust my ability to remember that coaches name all the time. So one thing that I know will work for me every single time is to just call them all "coach." :)

You make a good point. If someone is not good with names, then this isn't going to be a good tool for that person and they should stick with the basics. However, if you are good with names, then this has been known to generate a positive response.

I use the coaches first names in all 3 sports I work at any level from Little League/Youth up through college. I learn their names (either I get the names from players or look them up on the Internet before heading to the games). I encourage the coaches to use my first name to get my attention, but many are not shy about calling me by name.

I couldn't imagine doing it any other way. I consider it a lack of respect to call a coach "Coach" -- it's almost like I haven't bothered to learn/remember his name.

1) I've got other things to worry about than stew over why you called me "coach" and the other coach "Mike" during the course of a game. You must have a lot of paranoid coaches in your area, I don't see it.

2) It will NOT be noticed/dwelled on/remembered during the heat of a contest if you called me by my name or called me "coach".

3) I know about 90% of the officials that do our home games by at least first name. The best officiated games are when I have to look in the book after the game to remember who called them.

I always call the coaches "coach" as not to show any favoritism - no matter how long I have known them. This mostly comes into play in my REC Leagues where I have coached, know the same folks coach annually, and see the teams more than just a few times a yr - as was stated here previously. I haven't reffed long enough at the HS level yet to consider this.

But, having coached and reffed many of the kids in REC for so many yrs, I do find it advantageous to use the first names with the players I know....i.e. "Sean, don't hold" or "Watch the hand check Aaron" or "Get out of there Kevin."

Good discussion. I'll see how I use this in the future.

Before and after the game I will used the name of the coach if I know it. During the game they are "Coach." That is it.

Interesting discussion. I use their first names at times, but basketball is so fast for the most part, I don't process and use names all the time. I also work baseball and football. Especially in baseball, I find it easier to remember and use a coach's first name, in fact, my crew pretty much requires it in baseball. I find the coach/official relationship interesting in how it varies from sport to sport.

Two additional thoughts:
1. Many kids don't respond to their number being called. "Hey, 12, blah blah blah." May just get ignored. A lot of these kids change numbers each year or aren't that focused on what number they are wearing. Some teams even have different numbers for home and away jerseys. A quick, "Kevin, calm down," or "Ok, Mike, I'll make sure to watch for that." Really connects with the kids.

2. Every coach in this area knows that I know their names. Most of the players even know it now too. They've remarked on it before games. Prior to the girls state final in soccer I heard, "It's so cool. He knows all of our names." One team thought it was fun to challenge me before a game in warmups to rattle off their names. It was worth a good laugh when I did it. I even had two girls who graduated two years ago at a local school come back for a game, see me there and come and ask me if I still knew their names. Not only did I, but I also told them what numbers they used to wear! So, I'm good at it.
What's my point?
The point is that it makes for a great contrast when I don't use their names. If I turn around and sternly say, "COACH, that's enough." The shock value is quite high and they know not to press the issue any more. Just another example of how this can be used to help control a situation.

If I know both coaches names well I will use both their first names. They tend to call us by name so I do not see the big deal. If I only know one of the coach’s names, then I call them both by coach. Most of the time I am not talking that much with the coaches anyway, so it is not much of a concern.

Peace

I always call coaches "Late To Dinner". ;)

We discussed the article on the softball board recently as well:

http://forum.officiating.com/showthread.php?t=39702

I don't work hoops anymore, but here is my response:

I read the article and have some mixed feelings about the authors points.

I will call a coach by first name, but only if I have a relationship with both coaches involved in the contest. I'm damn sure not going to introduce myself to a coach I don't know with a "Good afternoon, Coach. My name is Andy", and go over to the other coach that I do know with a "Hey, Joe! How are ya?, Good to see you!"

I don't mind being called by name on the field, I guess that is just a personal preference.

As I have started doing more college level ball the last few years, I have noticed that the college coaches seem to like calling the umpires by name. I think they do it for just the reasons the author of the article suggests; they think is establishes a more personal relationship and your calls will go their way more often.
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I tend to refer to the players more by name than the coaches, as I have been around long enough now to have seen a lot of them since they were in grade school. There are some coaches that I know well, and have known them since I coached. I might refer to them by name in a quiet conversation in front of the bench, but if I have to say something in passing, where I know the other coach can hear, I'll refer to them only as coach.

I agree with Rut, I don't really talk to the coach enough for it to be that big of a deal. But I know their names anyway...coach. :D

Kinda like the name of my military boss, "Chief."

To me, if it's simple yes and no answers during play, I'll usually use sir or ma'am.

If I'm addressing some borderline sportsmanship issues, it's "coach" all the way. Then again, I'm still new to the area and don't know all the coaches well enough for names yet.

Names
 

You are a salesman as a referee. You are serving the coaches, players, and schools. Knowing their names shows respect, especially if they do not know you. It shows them you've taken the time to know who they are and about their team, and passion for the game. Makes them feel big. With the internet, you should be able to find out the coaches names if you don't know them.

The Google is your friend. I can find any varsity coach's name within 2 minutes.

It's not always accurate though as I found out on Tuesday. I'm sure glad my partner grabbed a program on the way in like we always do.

On your mark, .......get set, ........GO!! (09:56 est.)

:)

Aren't all coaches named "Coach"?

Yep. Even had a coach at the coach/captain's meeting last week introduce himself to the opposing coach as "Coach Melville"

Was his team called the whales? That would have been cool. Especially if the team captain was named Ahab.

http://www.achievement.org/library/b...byDickor_0.jpg

They had a kid named Moby. But they didn't speak very highly of him ;)

Only if your name is "Ref."

I have to laugh at mj's post, though. It's happened to us, too, and while I have the names pretty well in my head when we leave for the school, I always get a program walking in and double check. Of course, the program is mainly if I need to file a "someone was more naught than nice" report with the state office.

Using their first name presents familiarity and comfort. Addressing them as coach, Mr. "Smith", or "sir" extends "respect."
I'm not judging one side or the other here, just disagreeing with your assessment.

If it's a female coach, do you ask if you should address her as "Miss" or "Mrs." or do you go with the PC "Ms."? Maybe we should ask Juulie.

Of course, we could just cover all bases and address the coach as "Hey you." Works for me.

"Princess."

I'll usually introduce myself by my first name...if I know you(have had your games before) and can remember your name, that's what I'm going with but generally it's just coach cause if I don't know the other guy I don't want it to seem like I'm buddies with him...

No - that's what I have them call me - but only when I'm wearing my fishnets. :eek:

Works for me!

I've had "Ms. Ref" "Ma'am" "Miss" "Miss Ref" and even (yes, Snaqs, from a coach!) "Darlin'". I prefer "Ref" myself, but only express that preference if asked. Anything said politely is fine. Although I did squelch the "Darlin'" thing in a hurry. ("I'll call you Coach, you call me Ref. Got it?")

If you know the coach's name go ahead and use it. I have found that "Coach" always works well for me, even with people I know.

I was working with a lady earlier this year and we were talking about T'ing coaches/players. She felt like she had put up with too much in previous years. She illustrated that assertion with a story about working a rec game where one of the men playing insisted on calling her "princess." Later that night she wished she had T'd him for it, and vowed that if it happened again, she would. The next day she was working a HS game. She was walking out of the gym at halftime and hears, "Hey, Princess." She turns and looks and there is the guy. Just a fan. Not a thing she can do about it. :D

In situations where I know one coach, and not the other, I make DAMN sure I learn the other coach's name, and use it. Because I know that I will slip and use the name of the coach I DO know, and then it may cause problems. Ever since I started using first names of players and coaches, the games seem to go easier. If the coach has a question, I use his first name, and I think it makes him relax a little bit more, because its familiar to him. I think there is a psychological side to it, and can help defuse situations quite easily, but thats just IMO

Nonsense, have game management eject him. :D