dealing with coaches

[Rich]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

This is all true to a certain extent. I am working two coaches tonight I've seen at least a half-dozen times each. I know the personalities and I know what to expect. I know that I've never had problems with either coach whereas others have. That means nothing -- tonight could be my night. I do know a close friend whacked the one coach Saturday for telling him to clean his glasses on an OOB call. And those two (coach/official) have a professional relationship and know each other quite well.

What's equally important, IMO, is how you come across to the coaches. I see newer officials rush to the table, avoid eye contact, and look nervous or scared when a coach talks to them. You should be able to look a coach in the eye and have a civilized conversation with them, even when he/she disagrees with you. It's when you ignore them or when you avert their eye contact or can't put an intelligent sentence together that they become sharks with you being food in the water.

That said, varsity coaches are, on a whole, more experienced and know how to deal with officials better. I filled in at the last minute in a JV game last season and I had to TCB early with two coaches that were used to running all over the officials. By the end of the game, we were all "buddies."

Pretty easy one tonight, but I do have one moment I'd like back. Home coach made a comment about a three second violation and I responded to the comment. In this case, responding with silence would've been better and I know better than that cause it just caused him to make another comment, "aw, c'mon, don't just make it up."

I thought, "I deserved that," and about then the ball was going in the other direction.

I think that was a minute into the game and I didn't hear another word all night.

Oh, both my partners called a 3-second violation, but, whew, my streak is still alive.