Canadian Teams
 

With all due respect to out Canadian brethren, if you bring a team to play in a tournament using NFHS rules please familarize yourself with the rule differences.

Doing 2 GV games today for a tourney, each game involving one Canadian team. There were numerous times in both games where the coaches were unaware of rule differences and blamed us for not informing them before the game. My partner and I were of the opinion that if a coach brings the team here to play, it's their job to know the rule differences.

For those of you out there who have worked games with teams from another country, how do you handle situations like that?

That is CLASSIC.

Thumbs down!

While yes, it is the coaches job to inform their team of rules differences, how hard is it to ask the simple question "Do you have any questions regarding rules differences?"

I've been in your situation before - with US teams coming to Canada to play, and having to use different rules.

To be frank, we see the bigger picture and accomodate the US coaches and help them with the more common differences.

The coaches appreciate it, and it shows that you're a leader. Their experience traveling to a tournament will be far better.

I think you are lazy. Just my 2 cents.

I know there are many who would say otherwise, because of our school-sizes up here, teams are very limited on their numbers and often travel with younger players and many schools do not have certified refs working in their communities, so although I may penalize something, I often try to help educate younger players (until tourney time).

You cannot know all the rule differences to try and explain to the coaches, you leave one out and it's like your making up new rules to the coaches as you go along.

Player swats a ball off the rim, penalize it and say, "You cannot play the ball while it's on the rim here."

My sister was adopted from Slovakia and was used to putting the ball on the floor after a violation instead of throwing it to the nearest official. She travelled one time, knew it and was called for it, and put the ball on the floor and went the other way. Official talked to her about getting the ball to the official and play resumed, nothing hurt and didn't happen again.

Kinda curious....what are some of the major differences between Canadian and US rules?

Canada uses FIBA rules.

I disagree. Most officials in the US wouldn't even know the differences between FIBA and NFHS rules. It's not their responsibility to give the coaches a rules clinic before the game.

If the coach is going across the border (either direction), he should take the time to learn the differences.

Then the bigger picture involves the tournament host informing the officials that non-US teams are involved.

But like I said, that's how it's done up here. The officiating groups I've been involved with think ahead and have answers for coaches, and have no problems with being proactive.

Many officials don't know the NFHS rules; there's no way a typical NFHS official will know any FIBA rules.

That is quite a difference. Thanks for the info.

And asking the coach if he has any questions on rules is going to do what?

How is this not the coach's responsibility?

It's going to give the coach an opportunity to be clear about the new environment he's is. Like I said, it's part of the bigger picture.

Officiating in Canada, and frequently having US teams in our tournaments, I happen to know that coaches appreciate the gesture. If they feel that they are already at a disadvantage because referees don't care about their understanding of the rules, they won't wish to come back to the tournament. Being a cordial neighbour has worked well for me in the past.

:p

I'm looking at this situation like doing middle school games - yes, it's the coach's responsibility to know the rules, but many times officials will do the players the courtesy of explaining the rules throughout the game.

There's a difference between 'do you have any questions on the rules?" and "Here are the differences between FIBA and NFHS."

The former lets the coach clarify any differences s/he thinks are important to the team that day (can we inbond right away after an oob call?, how many tos do I get? Can anyone request them?)

This I can appreciate, but just asking the coach if he has questions is opening up too much, IMO.

Me: "Coach, do you have any questions on rules differences?"
Coach: "Yeah, what are they?"
Me: "Timer, I need you to put 10 more minutes on the pregame clock. Coach, let's have a seat."

Which bench area will you be sitting at? Will you invite the other coach into the conversation? Will you huddle both teams around, or just depend on the coaches to relay the information? Will you have a laminated copy of the rule differences handy?

Inquiring minds want to know. :D

Fwiw, I agree with Bob, it doesn't have to be a rules clinic before the game, but rather some clarifications on specific questions. Then simple reminders throughout the game.

I can see this, it's what I would do, to be honest. But the OP indicated the coaches were unaware of what the differences were.

If a coach isn't aware of the differences, he's not going to know what questions to ask and will still blame (in the OP) the officials.

No, but I might suggest the coach do that before he leaves Canada. :)

In a perfect world, yes. Many coaches are also responsible for arranging travel, booking hotel rooms, all the while still coaching strategy and teaching skills.

As a coach for 7 years, I was lucky because I do have an officiating background, and therefore know up front to be aware of these issues, and can adapt easily to the different rules and how to explain the changes to my players. Most other people don't have that luxury.

I did a game with an Australian team this month. Coach came up to us during warm-ups and told us they did not know all the rules differences and please not to take any offense if his team did something wrong and that he might have questions during the game.

We said "no problem" and the game went on without a hitch. We just occasionally had to remind the coach to stay in his coaches' box.

Not necessarily. The attitude of the officials toward the coach's questions during the game will have a huge impact on how things go. Example -

Coach asks a question and official calmly turns to him and says "Coach, that is one of those rule differences we talked about." Coach says "Oh, ok."

As opposed to Coach asks a question and official turns and looks at him like he is a complete moron, gives a disgusted look, and proceeds down the court.

Now which of those two situations will end with the coach blaming the official???:rolleyes:

So it makes me lazy for not knowing every single FIBA rule and how it differs from here?

Opening ourselves up for a long conversation about rule differences before the game is just asking for trouble. It was the semi-finals of the tournament so the teams had plenty of time and experience with the rules.

I place more responsibility on the coaches for knowing the rules beforehand, they should know what they are getting into.

What are we supposed to do, cut them a break because they don't know the rules? That's just wrong in itself.