Communication w/ Coaches

[doubleringer]

Originally Posted by BBall_Junkie

First... Do not initiate coversations with a coach

Second...respond to legitimate questions. Do not respond to statements unless to warn or whack a coach for unsporting comments.

If you answer a question and the coach wants to argue. Give him the "asked and answered" response and then let him have the last word. If he continues with it it might me warn and whack time.

All responses should be quick and to the point. If you get to verbose they will turn it on you and hang you with your words.

When in doubt, no response is probably the best response.

Understand the game and the coach. When you can show your human side and maybe inject a little humor to lighten him up you can do that. Again if you are not sure this will work do/ say nothing.

Use passive phrases like "you may have a point, I will look", "if it happened as you say, then I may have missed it" "ill take a look". Also, if you know you booted it tell him so (you only get a few of these a year!!!)

Use please and thanks when making requests of coaches.

If none of this works, he is an ahole and should be ejected

This is a great post with lots of good stuff. I work hard to try to keep my responses to the rules. I've found in the past, when I deviate from rules responses, I get in more trouble.

Another thing I would add is that you don't always need to respond. When a coach is a little fired up about something, just nod and let them know they've been heard. Often they are looking to be heard more than looking for an answer.

[jdw3018]

Originally Posted by doubleringer

Another thing I would add is that you don't always need to respond. When a coach is a little fired up about something, just nod and let them know they've been heard. Often they are looking to be heard more than looking for an answer.

I agree with this thought -that a dedicated response isn't always needed. I do like to verbalize an "I hear you, Coach," or "I'll keep an eye on it, Coach," to let them know I hear them has worked well for me.

[rlarry]

I don't think an official should be saying"I owe you one" to a coach. If I was the other coach and I heard that I'd be wondering where mine was.

[rlarry]

When I kick a call, and a coach calls me on it, I'll say something like "I missed it Coach". I am never going to use a phrase like I owe you. Comes down to the end of the game, you make a tough call against the other team, now you have a coach asking you if that was the one you owed him? All they have to do is hit the handle, because this game is in the toilet.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Karin

I have used Billy Mac coach/ref responses with some success with beginner and junior officials.

Thanks, but I can't take credit. The original source was the Topeka (Kansas) Officials Association. I just did a little editing.

Also, the one, and only, humorous comment that I might make to a coach, and only under the right circumstances, is when a coach complains about an alternating possession arrow, when I know that I'm 100% right: "Coach. We'll make sure that you'll get two of the next three". I learned that line here on the Forum. I wonder who first came up with that line? It's a good one.