talking coaches

[beachbum]

I guess being newer, I shouldn't have told the coach to sit down, but now I know.

But, how do the pro's handle a coach the kind of follows you, as you are running down he sidline, asking or telling the same type of things?

Originally Posted by beachbum

But, how do the pro's handle a coach the kind of follows you, as you are running down he sidline, asking or telling the same type of things?

Not sure if any of those 61 post here.

Give stop sign when you've had enough, let your partner & anybody within earshot know that coach has been warned. If he continues, whack him & have your partner sit him down. If coach still doesnt get it, send him to the showers early. Coaches/players are like children, they will do what you allow them to do & oh yeah, some like to see how far they can go.

[btaylor64]

Originally Posted by Ch1town

Not sure if any of those 61 post here.

Give stop sign when you've had enough, let your partner & anybody within earshot know that coach has been warned. If he continues, whack him & have your partner sit him down. If coach still doesnt get it, send him to the showers early. Coaches/players are like children, they will do what you allow them to do & oh yeah, some like to see how far they can go.

Well I can tell you that those "61" you refer to absolutely DO NOT give the stop sign. The stop sign induces conflict it does not resolve conflict. We are there to diffuse the conflict and the quicker that we all learn that we don't try to win or that we don't try to "zing" the coach with a one liner and instead act professionally then we all win and there will never be any calls to our supervisors for things we said.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by btaylor64

Well I can tell you that those "61" you refer to absolutely DO NOT give the stop sign. The stop sign induces conflict it does not resolve conflict. We are there to diffuse the conflict and the quicker that we all learn that we don't try to win or that we don't try to "zing" the coach with a one liner and instead act professionally then we all win and there will never be any calls to our supervisors for things we said.

I agree with this whole heartedly.

Originally Posted by btaylor64

Well I can tell you that those "61" you refer to absolutely DO NOT give the stop sign. The stop sign induces conflict it does not resolve conflict. We are there to diffuse the conflict and the quicker that we all learn that we don't try to win or that we don't try to "zing" the coach with a one liner and instead act professionally then we all win and there will never be any calls to our supervisors for things we said.

I hear exactly what you're saying, but how we use the stop sign has a lot to do with escalating or difusing situations. I would never put it directly in a coaches face, nor fully extended. More calm & collective, about chest high & closer to my body than theirs.

That being said, after 3 weeks of varsity games I haven't had to use it at all. Don't know if it's my presence or their familiarity, but coaches aren't questioning me much so far.
Oh wait a minute, it's non-conference time

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Ch1town

I hear exactly what you're saying, but how we use the stop sign has a lot to do with escalating or difusing situations. I would never put it directly in a coaches face, nor fully extended. More calm & collective, about chest high & closer to my body than theirs.

That being said, after 3 weeks of varsity games I haven't had to use it at all. Don't know if it's my presence or their familiarity, but coaches aren't questioning me much so far.
Oh wait a minute, it's non-conference time

My partners and I were talking the other night about this. Coaches this year have been well behaved and focussed on coaching. I've only had to answer a few questions so far, and no coach has even come close to getting out of hand.

[tomegun]

Originally Posted by btaylor64

Well I can tell you that those "61" you refer to absolutely DO NOT give the stop sign. The stop sign induces conflict it does not resolve conflict. We are there to diffuse the conflict and the quicker that we all learn that we don't try to win or that we don't try to "zing" the coach with a one liner and instead act professionally then we all win and there will never be any calls to our supervisors for things we said.

This is my favorite post in this thread. Many members who have been around a while know how I feel about the stop sign and this is partly why. The other reason is officials talk about it as if it is all powerful.

I also agree that we shouldn't be looking for one-liners so we can be smart with our responses. Coaches are people and they are passionate about winning their games. I would like to think I can talk to them like a human being and not get all upset. However, when the time comes a T is earned.

[ma_ref]

First of all, don't call us "pros". I know guys that have been reffing 30+ years that I wouldn't call pros. Maybe "experienced" might be a better term.

Second, NFHS rules give us the ammo we need to get coaches off our backs. If a coach isn't letting up and constantly complaining, I wait for the next stoppage in play (or if he's a real pain, I wait for the next time his team gains possession - fast break or no I don't care). I blow my whistle, turn to the coach, and show him the stop sign for all to see. "Coach...I heard you, but you're not going to do this all game. That's enough." Next time - whack!

[Adam]

Originally Posted by ma_ref

First of all, don't call us "pros". I know guys that have been reffing 30+ years that I wouldn't call pros. Maybe "experienced" might be a better term.

Second, NFHS rules give us the ammo we need to get coaches off our backs. If a coach isn't letting up and constantly complaining, I wait for the next stoppage in play (or if he's a real pain, I wait for the next time his team gains possession - fast break or no I don't care). I blow my whistle, turn to the coach, and show him the stop sign for all to see. "Coach...I heard you, but you're not going to do this all game. That's enough." Next time - whack!

Some might view this as unnecessarily confrontational. I would agree.
Just a quick word, quietly even, will usually work. You're wording is perfect, although I might drop the "that's enough" the first time.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Some might view this as unnecessarily confrontational. I would agree.
Just a quick word, quietly even, will usually work. You're wording is perfect, although I might drop the "that's enough" the first time.

"That's enough!" is actually what I would say the first time and it would be the only words needed.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

"That's enough!" is actually what I would say the first time and it would be the only words needed.

I could go with that, and I've used it, but I wouldn't stop the game and make a show out of embarrassing the coach.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

I could go with that, and I've used it, but I wouldn't stop the game and make a show out of embarrassing the coach.

Agreed.

[ma_ref]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

I could go with that, and I've used it, but I wouldn't stop the game and make a show out of embarrassing the coach.

It's not that I want to embarass the coach, but you almost really do have to stop the game when the coach is exhibiting the behavior you want stopped. Otherwise you might get a situation where 3 or 4 minutes run off the clock before the next stoppage in play, and by then you'd look like a fool trying to bring up something that happened a while ago. Kind of like when a coach in the 2nd half brings up a call you made back at the start of the game.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by ma_ref

It's not that I want to embarass the coach, but you almost really do have to stop the game when the coach is exhibiting the behavior you want stopped. Otherwise you might get a situation where 3 or 4 minutes run off the clock before the next stoppage in play, and by then you'd look like a fool trying to bring up something that happened a while ago. Kind of like when a coach in the 2nd half brings up a call you made back at the start of the game.

If three or four minutes go by and he hasn't continued, then you might not need to address it.

However, if you need to stop the game, you can do it without showing up the coach. Use an IW right in front of his bench, that gives you a quick moment to have a quiet word with him.

[jdw3018]

Originally Posted by ma_ref

It's not that I want to embarass the coach, but you almost really do have to stop the game when the coach is exhibiting the behavior you want stopped. Otherwise you might get a situation where 3 or 4 minutes run off the clock before the next stoppage in play, and by then you'd look like a fool trying to bring up something that happened a while ago. Kind of like when a coach in the 2nd half brings up a call you made back at the start of the game.

You or one of your partners should be close enough to the coach during a live ball to say, "That's enough!" or "We've heard enough tonight, coach" or "We aren't going to have you officiating from your bench all night, coach" during a live ball.

I don't advocate having extended conversations during live ball action with a coach, but I've learned in a short period of time that a brief comment is helpful, timely, and also doesn't interrupt the game...