Coach walks off floor....with players

[jmaellis]

I saw a team walk off the court last summer during a varsity tournament that was hosted by my daughter's high school. The following day the coach/team show up a the gym to continue in the tournament as if nothing had happened .... they were promptly informed that they had been replaced by the host school's JV team. I don't recall exactly what event/appointment I canceled so I could go to the game, but I canceled something and when they walked I was rather pissed off so I fired off this email to the superintendent of the school (I've changed the names to protect the innocent):

Dear Superintendent Smith;

I’m the parent of an A High School girl basketball player. I’m sending this email in that capacity only; I am not a school employee or otherwise affiliated with the high school and/or sports program.

Tonight (7/5/2007), the B girls played the A girls @ 9:00 PM. I was impressed with the way the B girls handled themselves on the court. A has several girls that are more than six feet tall; I don’t think I saw one B player over six feet. Even though the B players suffered from an obvious height disadvantage under the basket, they were holding their own; they are fast, good ball handlers and consistently scored 3 point baskets.

Approximately half way into the first half I witnessed something that I have never seen before .. the B coach ordered his team to walk off the court and leave the gymnasium.

From what I observed, the A coach requested and was granted a time out. The B coach felt that the A coach should not have have been granted the time out. He loudly protested to the referee. The referee disagreed with the B coach and granted the time out. The coach continued to loudly and angrily SCREAM at the referee. I saw and heard the referee repeatedly tell the coach to stop. The coach continued, and the referee assessed a technical foul against the coach. Even after receiving the technical foul, the coach continued to SCREAM at the referee. The coach then told his team to pack it up and they left the gym.

The coach’s behavior was absurd; but much worse, abandoning the game was truly disgraceful. The coach’s temper tantrum negatively reflects on the team, the high school and school district; and considering that B is a one high school town, his behavior was an embarrassment to the community as a whole.

I’m sure that you would agree that the role of a high school coach is more than just directing the team as they play. Coaches are role models, and the manner in which they conduct themselves serve as an example of how adults should handle difficult situations, conflict and pressure, and how an adult in a position of trust and leadership should behave. I have no idea how knowledgeable the coach is with regard to basketball; but as a leader he failed; what’s more, he not only failed, his behavior and lack of good judgment demonstrates that he is emotionally unsuitable to coach.

For a high school coach to act the way he did, it’s almost unbelievable. If I wasn’t there to see it for myself and somebody told me about it I would have thought they were pulling my leg. I’ve been involved in youth basketball since my daughter was old enough to play (youth rec., club, jr. high and high school) and I have never observed anything like what I saw tonight. The circumstances that could justify a coach acting the way that coach acted, and then abandoning the game, would have to be extreme. Disputes with the referee(s) and/or a feeling that you are be treated unfairly are issues to be resolved during the game in an appropriate manner, and if still unsatisfied, than with the appropriate authority after the game; a coach doesn’t just walk off the court to the detriment of his players, the opponent and the parents and fans who were there to see a basketball game.

If I were a parent within your district I would demand that you take action regarding this situation. Since I’m not, I just think that you should know about it.

Sincerely,

[basketball753]

Wow, I have never knew coaches would ever do that. But I guess there are all kinds of different people out in the world.

[jd6stop]

Happened to me several years ago. Of course the coach was getting further behind - losing about 12-15 pts. 1st half he never says a word to us. 2nd half things go south for his girls and they start missing shots, turnovers, etc. He is yelling at them - to no avail. Then he turns on us. He calls time and tells us that if we don't start calling better he is going to take his girls and leave. This is a class A to 2A HS tournament. Well he continues the next couple of minutes and he goes into a loud stomping fit and yelling at us about a call... T is accessed and as I report he gathers equipment and girls and goes to locker room. Assistant is sitting there staring at me and I ask, as if I don't already know, "is this a forfeit?" and he says in his hillbilly drawl - "yea yah, wad do ya thank!" and walks off with the team...
We report the forfeit to the table and and game is over, score stands. My check was the same as if they played the whole thing. We got home earlier that night as well.

[Damian]

talk about worse case scenario. At a college camp, had a team that was way out classed. Losing, but not a blow out. Partner called 3 T's on players just after fouls. Coach took team off of court and left. Made us all look bad.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Damian

Coach took team off of court and left. Made us all look bad.

Nope, something like that does NOT make the officials look bad at all.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

Nope, something like that does NOT make the officials look bad at all.

I agree. But we all know that the evaluators/observers at this coillege camp probably said things like "How could we have avoided this?" or "You guys need to work on your game management skills"...

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

I agree. But we all know that the evaluators/observers at this college camp probably said things like "How could we have avoided this?" or "You guys need to work on your game management skills"...

And sometimes you can have game management skills out your wazoo and it don't make one bit of a difference. Sometimes the coach is just looking for someone- anyone- to blame for his team's losing. And the officials are the handiest.

While evaluating you can maybe use it as a teaching tool, but you got to be a little realistic also.

[Stat-Man]

Originally Posted by grunewar

This is an interesting discussion and I enjoy reading the great game recaps. And, while I too can remember some of my more memorable or "infamous" games, my hat is off to some of you with your outstanding details.

Stat-man however mentions his "archive," which leads me to this question - other than keeping records for tax purposes (game, school, mileage, score, partner, etc.), what other records (situations, controversies, game recaps, personal critiques) do any of you keep and for how long? For what purpose? Do you go back and look at them? Under what circumstances?

Previously, I've only kept the tax info and any reports I had to send to my assignor on game issues.

Just curious. Thanks.

I have some sort of game information for all but 1 year of my "career."

In terms of tax information, I'm required to keep my business' tax-related documents for a minimum of 3 years, but I'll normally keep them for 6 before I shred them.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

And sometimes you can have game management skills out your wazoo and it don't make one bit of a difference. Sometimes the coach is just looking for someone- anyone- to blame for his team's losing. And the officials are the handiest.

While evaluating you can maybe use it as a teaching tool, but you got to be a little realistic also.

Agreed...those evaluators gotta find something to say.

[JugglingReferee]

Back when I was green, I was evaluated and the guy told me, when I was reporting by signal "two" [fingers] for two shots, to not hold/touch my reporting elbow with my "other hand". Um, ya right. That's all you got. Certainly there is something else. He did a piss poor job or evaluating. Sometimes they're worthless. Like anything, take it and move on.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JugglingReferee

I was evaluated and the guy told me, when I was reporting by signal "two" for two shots, to not hold/touch my reporting elbow with my "other hand". That's all you got. Certainly there is something else.

Hey. Don't complain. You're one easy change away from being the perfect official. Once you get rid of that nasty "elbow" habit, you don't have to go to camps, clinics, etc., anymore, and you'll be doing state finals every year until you retire.

"I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence, I can reach for; perfection is God's business." Michael J Fox

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Hey. Don't complain. You're one easy change away from being the perfect official. Once you get rid of that nasty "elbow" habit, you don't have to go to camps, clinics, etc., anymore, and you'll be doing state finals every year until you retire.

"I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence, I can reach for; perfection is God's business." Michael J Fox

LOL Thanks for that. Some days I wish I had a small portable voice recorder with me, working under my shirt. I would like to record a few notes during the game on how to improve, because half the time, I forget what enters my mind.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by JugglingReferee

...... because half the time, I forget what enters my mind.

It's the old story...."in one ear and out the other".

Put a finger in one ear. That might give you something in your head to stop the thoughts from going through.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

It's the old story, "in one ear and out the other".
Put a finger in one ear. That might give you something in your head to stop the thoughts from going through.

What if I put a finger in the "in" ear instead of the "out" ear? Will this stop the thoughts from coming in, and yet allow thoughts already inside my brain to come out, leaving me thoughtless? How do I figure out which ear is which? Wait. I thunk its it's two late, Eye feeel th taughts leafing me brian ry df gh tq ...

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

What if I put a finger in the "in" ear instead of the "out" ear? Will this stop the thoughts from coming in, and yet allow thoughts already inside my brain to come out, leaving me thoughtless?

Then you'd be a coach.