Rec league starts tomorrow

[just another ref]

Our local 9-12 year old league starts tomorrow. As always, we have some brand new coaches and some that have been involved for several years. Last year, in the middle of the season, after listening to various amounts of advice from several different sources, I posted the following on the bulletin board.


MESSAGE TO ALL COACHES


I have spoken with some of you recently about conduct while coaching. This is to clarify the guidelines that are involved. We are playing under National Federation of State High School Associations rules. Rule 10-4
deals with the conduct of bench personnel. This means everyone seated
on the team bench including the head coach. The rule reads, in part:
Bench personnel shall not: a. disrespectfully address an official.
b. attempt to influence an official’s decision.

Penalty: Two free throws plus ball for a division-line throw-in. (technical foul)

Note: The second technical foul results in disqualification and ejection.


There is no provision in the rule book for a warning in this rule. In other words, by the letter of the law, the first time a coach yells out a call, the result can legitimately be a technical foul. The second time, this offender is out the door.

A large amount of slack is normally given on this rule, just as it given on many other rules in this league. Let us each do his/her own job, whether it be to coach or to officiate, as we work together toward a common goal, a successful program for our children. This becomes even more important as we enter the tournament, where emotions tend to run even higher. Thank you for your attention to this issue.



Not one coach had one word to say about it. I don't know how many actually read it. I just thought of it as a "Just so we understand each other......" kind of message. My question to those of you with experience in this kind of operation: Would it be a good idea to post a version of this message again? Does it sound too stiff? Do the people that need it the worst, think "this doesn't mean me"?

Your opinions here please.

[truerookie]

Let them stand at least to coach. JMO

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by truerookie

Let them stand at least to coach. JMO

They are allowed to stand. The phrase was intended to show that these guidelines applied to everyone on the bench, not that the head coach had to be seated.

[grunewar]

JAR - I admire you trying to nip this in the bud early and hope it works. I personally briefed all the coaches in one of my Rec leagues before the season, but didn't delve to deep into this issue as it hasn't been a problem.

My years with Rec league shows this to be a difficult issue as the experience of each individual ref will determine how this is enforced - and it probably won't be uniform.

I am one of the more experienced refs in our Rec league (that's not saying much ). I arrived at the gym Sat to watch some games before mine and had a ref tell me she T'd and tossed a 12U coach. I was shocked as I have never come close to Ting a coach let alone tossing one in this division. She said there was just too much "chirping." Her call. Some are quick with the trigger. Others, like me, try to tune em out it if we can.

Let us know how your process works as I might incorporate this in my talk next yr.

[Coltdoggs]

I ref for and sit on the Board of Directors for a local rec program (grades 3-8). I work games in the 5th-6th & 7th-8th grade leagues. Have been with the league for 6 years now.

We have a preseason coaches meeting to go over the expectations the of the league, set forth by the Board of Directors....Sportsmanship is at the core of that.

I talk with the coaches at this meeting about our expectations as officials. Like the OP said, we have a lot of coaches that get started in grade 3 and move up every year with their kids, so I know most of these guys already and there are no problems with them. The new guys, it's a crap shoot and we have had some really good coaches and some, not so much.

Last year we had a first year coach who absolutely went off on one of my officiating crews in 5/6. Dropping F-bombs left and right about some calls. Needless to say this was an isolated incident and that guy was immediately banned from the league. I don't have any issues with T-ing up a rec league coach...It's not so much what you say but how it's said and I'm not going to let some a coach chew my butt or question my credibility....ESPECIALLY since I am on the board of directors for the league and stand 100% behind the sportsmanship aspect of youth sports.

I like the letter you put together and would consider that if we had issues arrise during the course of the season but we have a good group of coaches this year and I really don't anticipate any problems.

[Bad Zebra]

Why just post it? Have them sign a sheet saying they have read and understand it. When one of them does get booted, they can't say they didn't know. (I'm assuming most coaches can read)

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by grunewar

I am one of the more experienced refs in our Rec league (that's not saying much ). I arrived at the gym Sat to watch some games before mine and had a ref tell me she T'd and tossed a 12U coach. I was shocked as I have never come close to Ting a coach let alone tossing one in this division. She said there was just too much "chirping." Her call. Some are quick with the trigger. Others, like me, try to tune em out it if we can.

I worked jr. high and below for about 15 years before I ever registered and became a "real" official. Four out of the first five technical fouls that I ever called on coaches were in the 9 & 10 year old league, all on the same guy.

[Andy]

Originally Posted by just another ref

..Do the people that need it the worst, think "this doesn't mean me"?

From my rec league experience, this part of your message is about right.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by just another ref

I worked jr. high and below for about 15 years before I ever registered and became a "real" official. Four out of the first five technical fouls that I ever called on coaches were in the 9 & 10 year old league, all on the same guy.

Bet you were one of his favorite officials!

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by grunewar

Bet you were one of his favorite officials!

Actually, there were only two of us that called the whole thing back then. My partner sparred with this guy ALL THE TIME, and whacked him several times. But, as luck would have it, when he got kicked out, (only time a coach has ever been ejected in this league) I called both of them.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by Bad Zebra

Why just post it? Have them sign a sheet saying they have read and understand it. When one of them does get booted, they can't say they didn't know. (I'm assuming most coaches can read)

Beginning about 5 years ago, our local kids rec league requires all coaches to sign a "Code of Conduct". Plus, all the registration forms both printed and on-line have verbiage about parental conduct and the parent's agreement to the terms of the form include agreeing to that level of conduct. We also have a zero tolerance policy for profanity from players, coaches and parents - any profanity at all is considered a flagrant technical for a player or coach. For a parent - it's an ejection. The only exception is at the HS level - we're a little lenient if a player is upset with himself and mutters "damn" or something like that under his breath, even if we hear it. He gets a warning the first time, then the technicals begin.

BTW - if a coach is ejected for any reason, he/she has to meet with a committee of the Board and ask for reinstatement before he can even attend a subsequent practice.

We don't mess around, boy.

[Bad Zebra]

That's pretty much the same here. The only problem is the rec board that doesn't have the stones to enforce the policy. The same lack of cajones lead to the following:

We've actually had a coach (who happens to be an attorney) threaten a lawsuit if the poor officiating wasn't addressed! He's gone now, but the board actually let him finish the season. In 10 years of officiating, I never requested to be placed on a game until then. I actually got my wish but the little weasel sat on the bench and sulked the whole game.

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by Bad Zebra

That's pretty much the same here. The only problem is the rec board that doesn't have the stones to enforce the policy. The same lack of cajones lead to the following:

We've actually had a coach (who happens to be an attorney) threaten a lawsuit if the poor officiating wasn't addressed! He's gone now, but the board actually let him finish the season. In 10 years of officiating, I never requested to be placed on a game until then. I actually got my wish but the little weasel sat on the bench and sulked the whole game.

Hey, you used 'attorney' & 'weasel' in the same story. Imagine that!

[Bad Zebra]

I always thought the terms are interchangeable. (no offense intended to weasels)

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

Beginning about 5 years ago, our local kids rec league requires all coaches to sign a "Code of Conduct". Plus, all the registration forms both printed and on-line have verbiage about parental conduct and the parent's agreement to the terms of the form include agreeing to that level of conduct. We also have a zero tolerance policy for profanity from players, coaches and parents - any profanity at all is considered a flagrant technical for a player or coach. For a parent - it's an ejection. The only exception is at the HS level - we're a little lenient if a player is upset with himself and mutters "damn" or something like that under his breath, even if we hear it. He gets a warning the first time, then the technicals begin.

BTW - if a coach is ejected for any reason, he/she has to meet with a committee of the Board and ask for reinstatement before he can even attend a subsequent practice.

We don't mess around, boy.

Nice!