handling coaches

[John Schaefferkoetter]

It is amazing of the various communications between the official and coach. I was taught to take care of business and to prove to the coach that you were in charge on the court. The simple mechanic was to give the coach one straight arm (warning), which your partner(s) would be aware of at this point. Then if anything else occurs unsportsmanlike, issue the "t". It was a very successful tactic as many school administrators, athletic directors, and the state office appreciated the "taking care of business" approach. Fortunately, many of my ex-partners have taken this with them to the D-I level and have been very successful with it.

Now that I'm out of officiating and evaluating for the state office, I don't see that approach anywhere. Even though I try to teach it, it seems that most officials are worried about making the head coach mad, and getting a bad rating after the game. The rating system in this state can determine which level of state tournament playoff game you may get.

How do you handle coaches that deserve the "t"?

[DrakeM]

"Now that I'm out of officiating and evaluating for the state office, I don't see that approach anywhere. Even though I try to teach it, it seems that most officials are worried about making the head coach mad, and getting a bad rating after the game. The rating system in this state can determine which level of state tournament playoff game you may get."


Until coaches ratings have NO SAY in whether or not a referee works playoffs, you will get this approach.
Let officials know that you will back them unless they are out of line. There are too many incidences of coaches blackballing officials who don't call the perfect game for them.
If coaches file ratings on officials after a game, make them wait AT LEAST 24 hours, or wait until they've watched the game tape to fill out a ratings form.
Too many times this gets done immediately after a game, and we all know how that's going to go!
Just my opinion.

[williebfree]

In my humble opinion, the universal stop sign should NOT be the first attempt to address the coach. I think there has to be a progression.

Some officials are able to manage coaches with the many "tools" of preventative officiating such as dead ball diplomacy, etc. I have "T'd" very few coaches.

Often times it only takes a simple reminder, early in the game, to set my level of expected behavior of the coach: "Coach, I view this gym as a classroom and your conduct should be that of a teacher."

This has worked well with most coaches. The one who did not "get it" got the "T" (I skipped A thru S )

[paulis]

This is from a conversation I had with a coach a week or so after issuring him a T in a previous game. I had T'd him without any warning and he wanted to know why i had not warned him. My reply was that it all depends. There are some things that a coach might do or say that warrant an immediate T (in my games). There are other things that might not. In the later cases, if I think talking to the coach might help, I might do that. If I think he/she might respond to a warning, I might warn lthem.

Personally, if a coach just is not sure if his behavior is going to get him T'd I have no problem with that. If he/she is unsure, they might use some restraint initially. I have no issue with a coach wondering whether or not he/she is at or over my breaking point.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally posted by paulis
This is from a conversation I had with a coach a week or so after issuring him a T in a previous game. I had T'd him without any warning and he wanted to know why i had not warned him. My reply was that it all depends.

Your reply should have been, "Why didn't you warn me before you acted like an idiot?"

[Bart Tyson]

I agree with paulis. Ideally, you say something to the coach, then the stop sign, then the T. Not all situations are ideal.

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by John Schaefferkoetter
It is amazing of the various communications between the official and coach. I was taught to take care of business and to prove to the coach that you were in charge on the court. The simple mechanic was to give the coach one straight arm (warning), which your partner(s) would be aware of at this point. Then if anything else occurs unsportsmanlike, issue the "t". It was a very successful tactic as many school administrators, athletic directors, and the state office appreciated the "taking care of business" approach. Fortunately, many of my ex-partners have taken this with them to the D-I level and have been very successful with it.

Now that I'm out of officiating and evaluating for the state office, I don't see that approach anywhere. Even though I try to teach it, it seems that most officials are worried about making the head coach mad, and getting a bad rating after the game. The rating system in this state can determine which level of state tournament playoff game you may get.

How do you handle coaches that deserve the "t"?

John,

I try to do everything in my power to prevent them from doing that. And many guys are taught that approach. Of course there are situations that we will not give warnings, but if a coach is complaining about everything, I was taught to quitely tell him that is his/her behavior will not be tolerated. Then you tell your crew the same and if he/she continues you T them. I personally do not see the "stop sign" that much anymore. Because at the camps that I am at, it is being taught to talk to coaches more. Of course not take their crap, but do not back down from every complaint either. And considering that 3 Person helps a lot, I do not see guys just giving Ts. There is usually an official next to a coach, so you do not see them yelling across the court like you see with two officials.

Peace

[Smoke]

Most coaches just want to vent, most of the time when I see a official use the stop sign and not talk to the offical the madder the coach gets. Most coaches just want to talk not argue with you

[Brad]

Originally posted by Mark Padgett
Your reply should have been, "Why didn't you warn me before you acted like an idiot?"

Good one Mark!

(Saving for later)

[zebraman]

John,

The stop sign is one tool that can be used to work with coaches. It is a good one, but not the only one. For me, the stop sign is my FINAL warning. Once I say, "that's enough coach" and give the stop sign, any further barking will earn a T.

I'm fortunate to work in an area where coaches have no input to ratings and we do not have a scratch list. Hearing that coaches have input and can even scratch a ref in other parts makes me feel very fortunate (actually, it makes me feel like we do it right and I feel sorry for refs in areas that have coach input).

Z

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by zebraman
John,

The stop sign is one tool that can be used to work with coaches. It is a good one, but not the only one. For me, the stop sign is my FINAL warning. Once I say, "that's enough coach" and give the stop sign, any further barking will earn a T.

I'm fortunate to work in an area where coaches have no input to ratings and we do not have a scratch list. Hearing that coaches have input and can even scratch a ref in other parts makes me feel very fortunate (actually, it makes me feel like we do it right and I feel sorry for refs in areas that have coach input).

Z

I think the preception that living in an area that has coaches ratings is overrated. I live in such a state, and really it makes almost no difference. The coaches know who the good officials are or the veterans they trust. And anytime we are rated, the losers are thrown out. And those are the ones that are pissed off most of the time anyway. And it is not like ratings are the biggest thing, ratings have more to do with playoffs. But you are compared with every other official, so in the end, they are going to see the same officials whether they like it or not. It takes more than one coach to make your ratings bad. Officials can rate others too so in the end you can offset many of the bad ratings. So in the end, no one really cares that much about them.

And the only scratch lists have to do with conferences. And not all conferences do the same things. So scratch list have little or nothing to do with your schedule. And I personally only do 2-3 games per conference. I really do not want to see coaches that much in the first place.

Peace

[Bart Tyson]

Sorry JR. but i disagree with you about HS coaches knowing who are good officials. Every state that has coaches input as proof that coaches don't have a clue. Just so i don't make a blanket statement, If you take 100 coaches, maybe 3 or 4 might be able to distinguish between a bad and good official, using officiating standards. Now having said this, Perception is everything, if a coach THINKS you are a bad official then in his eyes you ARE a bad official.

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by Bart Tyson
Sorry JR. but i disagree with you about HS coaches knowing who are good officials. Every state that has coaches input as proof that coaches don't have a clue. Just so i don't make a blanket statement, If you take 100 coaches, maybe 3 or 4 might be able to distinguish between a bad and good official, using officiating standards. Now having said this, Perception is everything, if a coach THINKS you are a bad official then in his eyes you ARE a bad official.

One of these days, someone is going to actually take what I say in some kind of context.

I did not say ALL COACHES. Coaches do for the most part, especially the veteran coaches know who the good officials are and the good officials are not. They need to understand this because if they do not, it hurts their team. Obviously you are going to have those younger guys that think everyone is horrible and all of them are out to get them. But the coaches that have been around the block (as well as the officials that have been around the block) knows what kind of game they are going to get from the officials on the floor. You are always going to have exceptions, but when coaches feel they have good officials they do not try all the crap and say everything to those officials that know better.

A coach knows when an official calls everything under the sun and and official that lets the game play itself out. These guys/gals watch the tape. And if they are good coaches they realize what their kids do wrong. They better or they will not improve as a team. And if coaches around here spend their time rating officials low, they might see what they do not want to see when time the playoffs come around.

Look, coaches do not want officials that cannot handle themselves or the game when the pressure is on. It is not in their best interest. And in this state, that can be a problem if they do. There is not room for error in the playoffs. So if you get some guys/gals that have no clue, the coaches can take some blame for that happening.

But then again, in Illinois we were having a hell of a time getting coaches to rate officials anyway. And it is only a small percentage of what determines the playoff officials. Actually ranking, association's rankings and how many varsity games you had mean more. And it is not like any ranking is going to blackball anyone. So who cares.

Peace

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally posted by Mark Padgett

Your reply should have been, "Why didn't you warn me before you acted like an idiot?"

Mark, that is cold, but I love it. It reminds me of the story of a camper who asked Hank Nichols what is criteria was when it came to giving a coach a technical foul. Hank's response was, when the coach acts like a jerk.

[Larks]

Originally posted by Bart Tyson
Sorry JR. but i disagree with you about HS coaches knowing who are good officials. Every state that has coaches input as proof that coaches don't have a clue. Just so i don't make a blanket statement, If you take 100 coaches, maybe 3 or 4 might be able to distinguish between a bad and good official, using officiating standards. Now having said this, Perception is everything, if a coach THINKS you are a bad official then in his eyes you ARE a bad official.

In Ohio, Ive heard of guys getting tourney votes who are retired or dead! Nice job coaches...way to take it serious! But its the system. I know guys who are good refs...worked their way into Varsity....even do college games so they are more than qualified.....but comes time for the HS tourney votes...they dont get them while the most political guys do. I guess I better start politicin if I advance!