AAU Fun.

[JRutledge]

Had a great one today. I had great AAU experience today. Got up early in the morning 9:00AM and an hour away to have a fun one.

I had four games in a AAU Regional of some kind. Four games that led up to the Championship game. I did this with a friend of mine that I normally work with in the HS season. He assigned the tournament so I did him a favor.

Well it all started with the first game. We had some kids working the book and as you most definitely know, they of course were not paying that much attention. We had a couple of situations where I reported some fouls and many minutes later the table tells me that they were not in the game, or not in the book. Well the losing coach of this game was not happy at all. Well it does not help that you get blow out by 40, but that is another story. Well after the couple of situations I had problems with the book, this coach went on an on about "my" mistake. He would not let it go so my partner T'd him up one time. About 2 or 3 minutes later the next one came. I found the whole thing funny because when I do these games I take them for what they are worth. This is something that means nothing in the bigger picture. The kids get an opportunity to play the game, but it is not life or death to me at all. You do not deal with "regular" coaches or people that "really" know the game. We are dealing with what one of my football crew members call "weekend warriors." Even thought that term is about officials, but it applies to AAU coaches most of the time.

The fun then just started right after the game. My partner and I went to a far corner where if anyone was going to talk to us, they would really have go out of their way to say anything to us. We were standing in the other direction of the door. Two coaches (really I cannot find a better word ) came up to us. My partner is a cop by the way and the "coaches" tried to "explain" themselves and their attitudes about me. So after a couple of minutes when the conversation was going no where he said, my partner was trying to end the conversation after it was getting personal.

After that the other games went on without incident. And the semifinal and Championship games where competetive and fun. Just another day in the life in AAU Basketball.

Peace

[ChuckElias]

I worked some AAU ball this weekend too, as well as last weekend. I don't mind them, for the most part. But I will say that my tolerance for coaches and players comments is WAAAAAAAYYYYYY lower than during the high school season. My experience has been the same as what Rut describes: most of the coaches have very little idea about what's going on. Some do and are very good; but they're the distinct minority. I give most coaches very little leeway. I'm not giving up my Saturday afternoon so a coach can yell stupid comments at me.

Chuck

[Hoosier]

You're not kidding about the coaches in AAU. I had a 17u game last weekend. My partner is administrating a throw in under the offensive teams basket. The offense sets a good legal screen, but the defender pushesthrough it and knocks the screener to the ground. We both go up with the fist, and I go report it. The coach then looks at me and yells well, I guess you have to expect that from a young official, so I politely informed him that I sure wanted to live up to his expectations and that he should have probably expected the consequence for what he had just said, then I proceeded to whack him. He decided to leave us alone after that, of course all the whiners it seems like keep getting blown out though.

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by Hoosier
You're not kidding about the coaches in AAU....then I proceeded to whack him. He decided to leave us alone after that, of course all the whiners it seems like keep getting blown out though.

I did my first AAU set of the year this past weekend and
I've got to agree. Put the complainers in their place
immediately and don't be subtle about it. There will be
blow-outs and the guys getting the short end will use the
officials to vent. Don't let them. On the other hand
there are some really good coaches and kids involved with
AAU, these guys are a pleasure to work with.

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by ChuckElias


I'm not giving up my Saturday afternoon so a coach can yell stupid comments at me.

Chuck

"Hey coach, if I wanted to get b1tched at I would have
stayed at home!"

Of course, you can always tell an AAU coach to sit down &
STFU, which you can't do at home!

[ChuckElias]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dan_ref

"Hey coach, if I wanted to get b1tched at I would have stayed at home!"

Actually, the reason I took the games was that my wife was out shopping for a dress for a wedding we have to go to. So I would have had to walk around dress shops for the afternoon. I actually prefer listening to stupid coaches yell at me!!

Of course, you can always tell an AAU coach to sit down &
STFU, which you can't do at home!

As they say in the Budweiser commercials "True"!

Chuck

[JRutledge]

Well after the coach was thrown out, and the game was over. As I stated earlier my partner and I went into a far corner to avoid any confrontation in any way.

Two of the coaches come over and start talking to us. The coach that got thrown out talks to my partner, the assistant tries to talk to me.

I was precided to be givin a lecture about officiating from two complete idiots that do not know what a "correctable error" is. The other coach or assistant that was talking to me starting telling me about my commentment to officiating. Then he made this comment that almost had me burst out in complete laughter, "this is your profession so you need to be more commented to it." I then looked at my partner and said, "This is my profession? I guess I make $150,000 a year doing AAU game?" This did nothing but make him upset because he proceeded to get personal with me (which I found funny BTW) about my commentment and competence as an official. He looked at my shirt and saw that it had no patches on it. Then he started making a total issue out of that. For people that do not live in Illinois, High School Officials have to wear a State patch and a Sportsmanship patch on both shoulders. I was wearing neither mainly because this was not a HS game. I do college and was wearing one of my college shirts. So he tried to make an issue out of this and told me how horrible I was and that I should be more committed to my "profession."

I would not recommend that anyone engage with any coach. Not that I was trying to, but it was extreamely funny to me and I had to laugh a little. Especially from individuals that did not understand or questions that I asked, "are you questioning my intergrity?"

It was just fun and gives me another reason to stay home when called to do these games. These games do nothing for you and only frustrate the hell out of you.

Peace

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by ChuckElias
I'm not giving up my Saturday afternoon so a coach can yell stupid comments at me.

Good point! I'll have to remember to use that!

I've worked AAU girls the past two weekends. Had to really great games yesterday morning. The first, a 13U OT game and the second, a 14U game that went down to the wire. This weekend was relatively calm. Only 2 T's, both on Friday night, although my partner did toss a coach. And, I got a coach who agrred with me too much when I ran one of his players out of the game for having her shirt tail out. "That's the best call you've made all game!" WHACK!

The previous weekend was a 11U and 12U tourney. We tossed a coach on Friday night, with 2 indirects on the bench and a direct T on him. Saturday morning, I have a foul on a rebound about a minute into the game. As I report, I hear the coach. "Ref, ref! You aren't going to call that all game are you?" "Excuse me, coach?" "You aren't going to call that all game are you?" "Coach, I'm going to call a foul, every time I see one." I thought you would let us play." mick you would've been proud! I didn't whack him. I knew this idiot would give me plenty of reason before it was over with. Sure enough, 5 minutes later, he's standing on the division line, on the court! This after he had already been shown where the box was. BIP! "Why did I get a T? I wasn't saying anything to you." "So, coach, I guess you can stand on the opposite sideline as long as you don't say anything to me?"

AAU! You gotta love it!

[mick]

Originally posted by BktBallRef
"Coach, I'm going to call a foul, every time I see one." I thought you would let us play." mick you would've been proud! I didn't whack him. I knew this idiot would give me plenty of reason before it was over with. Sure enough, 5 minutes later, he's standing on the division line, on the court! ....

Tony,
Yeah, by golly, you make me proud!
You did what you could, and he did what he could not.
Given enough rope, a Coach can even tie his own knot.
mick

[ChuckElias]

Originally posted by BktBallRef

Good point! I'll have to remember to use that!

Easy there, big fella!! I didn't actually say that to anybody. I was just stating my own feelings to the board here. But I don't think I could bring myself to actually use that line in a game. So, maybe I should put a standard disclaimer on my last post. "Sarcastic cracks not for use in game situations." Something like that.

Chuck

[Brian Watson]

Three weeks ago I had one of these. First game of the day, standing there during warm ups kids runs down the lane with the coach 2 feet away, and dunks. I start to walk toward the coach, second kid right away does the same thing. Coach sees me at this point and says, "no guys, you know you aren't supposed to do that, cut it out before we get a T." Of course he says this as he is looking right at me with this big grin on his face. My reply was short and sheet. " Too late coach, one more and you're done".

I thought he was going to fill his shorts, told me I needed to warn them first yada yada.

I don't think he realizes how lucky he was that he finished the game; I like to think of myself as the Miles Brand of summer ball, I operate under a zero tolerance policy.

[JWalker]

Some of you guys sound as though you LIVE to give T's. I had to give 5 T's in 1 week once and it made me feel horrible. Since then, I have found that a verbal warning works wonders. Then, next time, a T. But, it doesnt always come to that.

[Brian Watson]

I hate giving T's, it slows the game down, and draws attention to you. Having said that, I do not go and work these games so some knucklehead weekend warrior and berate and belittle me. I do it so the kids will have a place to play and so I can stretch the legs. If I could give a yellow card like voleyball as a warning, to let the inexperienced coaches know where the line of common decency was, then I would, but the T is all I have. It is my little way of saying "settle down" and it usually works.

Now, if know the guy, or have worked his games before I might try a little smack or run a few davisms by him before the T, but I have to really like them first.

Personally, I detest summer ball, I only work very specific venues and leagues. Ones that I know have good kids, coaches, and management. I totally avoid adult leagues, poorly managed ops, and places where the coaches think it is their god given right to act like a jacka err Bobby Knight. If I am not having fun, how could the kids be?

Plus, it makes me want to vomit when I hear people tell rookies to work as much rec ball as possible, what a better place to learn your mechanics...but that is a different soapbox altogether. Summer ball is good for one thing, golf money, and it there is not much of that in it.

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by JWalker
Some of you guys sound as though you LIVE to give T's. I had to give 5 T's in 1 week once and it made me feel horrible. Since then, I have found that a verbal warning works wonders. Then, next time, a T. But, it doesnt always come to that.

I totally agree with you. I think many love to put that notch on their belt and brag about it later.

I did not give any Ts in this situation mainly because what difference would it have made. It would have made things worse and my partner handled the situation perfectly. They still tried to take me on after the game and it still did not matter what they thought. They lost be 40 and I know it was not me. Kind of hard to take the blame when you got the smallest kid trying to shoot NBA distance 3 point shots without even running the offense. I am not going to take responsibility with players that take on 3 defenders and get their shot thrown into the bleachers.

Do not get me wrong, I do not tolerate any behavior, but when you realize that certain actions are not going to make things better, you basically do ot give a damn. It is a stupid AAU game, if the coaches do not give a damn, why should I? It is only a game to me, if they want to make it bigger than that, be my guest. I am not going down that route.

Peace

[fletch_irwin_m]

Brian,
I agree with you concerning the leagues you work etc. The best advice I got my first year was to NOT work rec leagues during the season, because that could/would take away from picking up "call - in" games during the season. I must have received about a dozen of these games from someone cancelling. It made me a better official working "regular" games as opposed to red league.
In the "off - season" it is nice to do some Spring League, AAU and camps just to work on 3 man rotation and keep the legs limber. Unfortunately, you don't have as tightly disciplined group of coaches and players, so the language and antics are more pronounced, thus resulting in more "T's" .