Talking to players
 

I am curious about your feelings regarding preventative officiating by talking to players such as post players and defensive players guarding a dribbler.

Do you believe in talking very much or would you rather let your whistle do the talking?

If you are a "talker"; what phrases do you use and what phrases would you avoid?

I will talk to a player if they ask me a question. I tend to let my whistle do the preventive officiating. If you talk to a player or players, then you are really just communicating with that player. When you blow the whistle, you've just communicated to the entire gym that 3 seconds will be called, or hand checks will be called, etc. If you can communicate that early in the game, it tends not to be a problem late in the game. JMO.

Talk early - this lets everybody get settled into the game.

"Out, gid out" is an easy phrase for shooing players out of the paint - avoid anything with a hard 'P' sound if the whistle is in your mouth. :)

I think talking to the players is a great way to make the game better. The players need subtle reminders that we are out there. This is also a way that we can appear approachable and make the players at ease if they do need to talk to us later on.

One thing we need to remember is that a foul's a foul and we cannot choose to pass on it or give the player a warning. Those are the whistles we need to crack early to help establish the parameters for the game. Especially in the post and on the freedom of movement plays in regard to cutters and dribblers.

I should have specified that I was asking about live play for example when two post players are fighting for position. I'm not asking about a player who asks a question during a dead ball situation,

I like "Easy!", "Straight up!" or "Get the arm off!"

I just went to a college camp this weekend and communication was stressed heavily. If the post players are using their hands too much, then give them a quick "Watch your hands". (You get the idea) It helped a lot in the games we officiated. The post play was immediately cleans up. The magic of the phrase is that if you don't direct it at anyone in particular, everyone things it was meant for them. Although, I must admit that if the ball is in the area, I let my whistle do the talking. If it's on the weak side, I will be proactive as long as there is not an advantage gained.

-Josh

"Take it easy big fellas" if the ball isn't near-by--ie: the ball is still near half-court. But if there is someone with the ball on the wing who could potentially pass the ball into the post then I'm making the appropriate call. Also, I'm not going to spend an entire half giving warnings.

"Clean it up" is one of my favorites. I rarely warn players in the 2nd half - just crack it.

So, are you saying if the ball is near the action, you'll call a foul even if there is no advantage?
:confused:

I tend not to be too talkative with the players, although in a game the other day involving high school girls I did say something.

A1 makes an easy layup for the team that is already comfortably ahead. Ball falls through basket and as B1 goes to get the ball, A2 kind of brushes by her before jogging up the court. It may have been accidental, but the contact was enough to jar B1. B1 turns back around in the direction A2 was running, and stares at her, obviously feel "disrespected." She pauses for just a moment before turning back around, retrieving the ball and starting a throw-in.

We ended up jogging up the floor together, and I told her simply "good decision." She understood.

I talk to players often. When it comes to simple play situations I am not going to take a lot if there clearly is a foul. But when it comes to attitude or borderline unsportsmanlike behavior, I will talk to the players more. It really is about reading the situation and deciding what works and what will not work.

Peace

I like to talk to them.

"Hey, watch your pivot."
"Watch the line." (works well for 3-pt shooters)
"Seven, Eight, Nine, Nine and a half, Nine and three-quarters...."

A big time D1 official who frequents this forum (well... the baseball thread mostly) tells me he likes when players ask him what time it is.

I really don't know why.