Coach or first name?
 

If addressed already, apologies. Not a big deal. I prefer to address head coach as coach. Had a partner who swears by the first name preference. I find it a respect thing, and prefer saying coach in front of players, etc. I can't imagine yelling "That's enough Earl".

Opinions?

I will refer to a coach by their first name if I know the first names of both coaches. Other than that, I call them "Coach" or never use their last name. Usually I do not know the names of the coaches very well (for both at the same time). Also I only like to call a coach by their first name if I am talking to them one on one.

Peace

Time for your meds.
 

Yeah, it's been discussed before, and YOU even participated in one of these threads! :eek:

http://forum.officiating.com/basketb...-you-name.html

http://forum.officiating.com/basketb...ches-name.html

At camp I was taught to always use "coach".

Then one game an official was injured and an evaluator/clinician actually filled in. It was good because we were afforded the opportunity to see how a higher up does the game.

This higher up used the coaches' first name. So now the rooks are rightfully confused. It was a case of the fill-in knowing the coach for years of officiating his games. So your area might be like that, too: where the old boys do what they want.

I've found that coaches are respectable if you work hard, and before or after the game, respond well to using their first name. During the game, if I have to do my job, it's always "coach".

I think it's a When in Rome thing, with most areas leaning to using 'coach'.

Yep, this has been discussed many times. Comes down to personal preference. Some like it others don't. Familiarity with the coach, etc.

I'm with you though. Doesn't matter if I've coached with them, my kids went to school with them their entire lives, or their my neighbor. When I step on the court, I prefer to call them coach and not use their first name.

I was also taught to introduce myself and my partner to the players and coaches as Mr. and not use first names. JMO......you'll certainly get others.

If I know both coaches well enough, I will use first names on occasion. But, you can never go wrong addressing HCs as 'coach'.

I used to do this as well with the players. Intros to coaches have always been first names, but when I was in Iowa I was Mr. Snaqwells and my partner was Mr. Partnerman. Here, however, all my partners have gone with first names to players also, so I'll do the same.

I always call the coach, "Coach", however sometimes it comes out "Crotch". Depends on my mood at the time.

Padgett...........where's your pillbox!!!:eek:

I don't address any coaches or players by name during games. Coaches are "Coach", and players are numbers.

I called a T on an assistant last week who used to teach my oldest son in 8th grade. I reported the 'T' to the table as "technical foul on the assistant coach with the gold tie" even though I knew his last name.

I don't want the slightest inference by anyone that I may be too familiar or personal with any participant. That just how I prefer to handle things.

The latter if you're feeling 'crotchety', I suppose.:p

Addressing Coaches
 

Hey Guys,
As a scorekeeper in Southern California I go by this rule when interacting with coaches during a game-

My school's coaches:
Varsity Boys-Just call him and assistant Coach (Insert Last Name)!
Varsity Girls-First Name Basis

Other School's Coaches-Applicable only when I am only book for that game or when visiting book cannot get their benches attention:
First Name Basis and if not heard go to Coach (Insert Last Name)!

But it is unlikely that the assistant coach's name is on the score sheet. If you used his name, the scorekeeper would be confused and you'd just have to clarify anyways. However, any scorekeeper can write down "Assistant Coach" with a T beside that label.

It's like keeping a database normalized. If all records are accurate, the name of the AC isn't needed in cases of further discipline.

This is bad advice. I know the first names of 80% of the varsity coaches around where I work and I would never call any by their first name on the court or in front of any other coach. I have 2 pretty good friends that are head coaches that I talk to semi-regularly and even if they played each other (which would be odd, since one coaches boys and the other girls), I would still address both as "Coach" on the court.

You could debate this all day. I'm on the other end of the stick, I call them by name. I make it a point to find out their name before the game (either online or a game program). I don't like being called 'sir' or 'ref' so that's why I made the decision that I would call them by their first name.

I'm sure if you ask the coaches what they prefer about 1/3 could care less, 1/3 prefer coach and the last third prefer their first name.

Just because you don't agree with it doesn't make it "bad advice." I can see validity to both sides of this one.

Until last summer, I always called coaches "coach" regardless of whether or not I knew their names. At a camp this summer, Scott Twardoski was speaking (he refs a few D-1 men's conferences including the Pac-10 and he refs WNBA as well) and he said that he used to feel that way too. Then an NBA ref that he respects highly told him that saying "coach" is an excuse to be lazy and not learn the names of each coach.

Since then, I have made it a point to find out the names of every coach that I officiate and address them by first name in games. I think that dealing with coaches has always been a strength for me (maybe my only one - :) ). Calling them by their first name has enhanced that relationship even more.

Just my own experience!

It is not advice, it is what I do.

I also do not have very good friends that are coaches, so I do not worry about what they may or may not think.

I will say this, if they call me by my first name, I have no problem calling them by their first name either. ;)

Peace

I prefer to be addressed as "Your Highness". :)

One of these days, I'll introduce myself as "El Conquistador."

Bad advice? Cause you don't think it's right?

Even if I have never met the coaches, I will know their names before meeting them and will address them by name the entire game. I also introduce myself to the coaches and captains as "Rich" and am thrilled if the coaches use my name.

Definitely a regional thing, but I'm willing to bet at the top levels of the game they use names all the time.

I agree with this. If I know both coaches, I'll use their names. If I am only familiar with one of them, I call both "Coach". I don't want a coach that I don't know to think that I'm chumming up to the other one. That's a sure-fire way to have problems later.

I guess the question is "why?" Why pretend that the three of us don't know each other, when I've been reffing games for both of them for 10 years? It just seems silly to me.

Jeez, this is just as silly as the other extreme. It's not lazy, it's respectful. Being overly-familiar with somebody you don't know is pushy.

What is the rationale for this difference? Why do you call the girls' coach by first name but not the boys' coach? :confused: I can't think of any reason for having a different approach between the two coaches.

Maybe he knows the girls coach better.

They know your history with meds..........

Put me in the one third of either way is fine. I can see where the official is calling the home coach "Brian" and the visitor coach, "Coach" being "funny looking" though.

We all hear our name better than we hear our role ("ref", "coach"). So, using the name can help us get the attention through the noise / distractions of the game.

Put me down on the side of using the name (on both sides).

I also try to remember the captain's names throughout the game.

Can you understand the kids when they mumble their names to you? I know half the time I can't, especially with some of the more exotic names. I do try to remember their numbers, though -- just in case I don't, I circle the speaking captain's number in the book.

And I do (maybe someone has a mechanics manual handy at the moment can verify whether this is still in there) verify before the toss that the captains are ready (speaking for their teams).

Usually not -- but I do remember the numbers and look at the line-up or listen to the introductions.

I do -- if the speaking captains for both teams are starting.

I figured you magically learn how to speak teenager once you have one. I have another decade or so to see if that's true personally, though. :D

Not true! I thought I knew how to "speak teenager" (I have two), but apparently, somewhere along the way, they changed/added to the dictionary! :confused:

But, maybe that's just me. Good luck to you.....in ten years! :p

Rich, magic has nothing to do with it. Learning to speak teenager is a survival skill!