Coach's bizarre complaint
 

In a 6th grade boys game, A is down with about 30 seconds left and calls timeout after they make a basket to cut it to 4. During the timeout, as I have consistently said to coaches for this age group, I tell the coach that I'm aware his team will be trying to foul, and to make sure the fouls are not excessively hard. Sure enough, on B's inbound, B1 ends up with the ball after he decks A1 while going for the steal. Free throws hit, game ends after one more possession. After the game, the coach said my comment was inappropriate, and it showed I was changing the way I was officiating because he didn't think that there was a foul on the steal.

I've never had anyone take issue with this, but I felt like this guy was challenging my integrity and if it weren't the end of the season there probably would have been an issue. I'm just hung up on it because this is the first time I've been directly confronted after a game like this (my experience is 6 years at this level + 3 years of college intramurals, I started with this league out of high school). Any tips on how I can handle something like this?

Yes, the coach is right. You should not be telling the coach that you are expecting a foul. That is a strategy choice which is up to him and his team. You should be aware that they MIGHT foul, but you also need to be prepared for them to play straight up defense and go for a turn-over. His thought that you were anticipating a foul has some merit.

Don't get involved in making such comments about strategy to coaches. Don't instruct or coach the kids. That's the coach's job.

You are to simply observe the action which unfolds and adjudicate what you see. That's the officials duty.

Yeah, I've got some advice, just call the game. Comments like that are useless to a coach for anything other than more ammunition to use against you if he does something you don't like. Like we've said a million times, "silence can't be quoted." I've learned the hard way to not initiate conversations with a coach, they seldom turn out good for us. He's probably right, more than likely you
DID change the way you called the game. I have a pet peeve about officials who start calling touches late in the game because you know the "strategy." How can this be consistent? We often say "call it start to finish," but we should probably say "call its THE SAME, start to finish." Things don't become a foul just because we're late in play.

Ok, I'm done with my rant. Long story short, no reason for that comment, next time just call the game.

CLH

Ok, thanks for the advice. I was instructed when I started with this league to say that because too often the kids were told to foul they ended up being rather violent. I once took a forearm to the face and had a busted lip in one of the late game fouls. While the only foul was the kid being taken out from behind, I probably will refrain from saying this.

We had T'd up the coach for coming out on the court to argue a block/charge early in the game, and had issued an intentional to a player for pushing a player straight in the back on a fast break. It was one of two coaches forced to sit today, the other said a call was f-ing bs quite loudly.

It is a good idea to advise coaches at this level on issues such as this one.............before the season starts, not immediately before the play.

If the foul is too violent, then call an intentional foul or, if severe enough, flagrant (forearms breaking lips might warrant that).

Sounds like they're used to getting away with things. I agree with the others that the proper approach is not to step in to coach the kids yourself, but rather simply to enforce the rules. If the coaches get out of line about it, you have rules to enforce there as well.

Just curious, but anyone else consider calling this flagrant in a 6th grade game?

6th through 12th, a coach loudly dropping an F-bomb at me will get him an early dismissal.

Absolutely buh-bye on this. In fact, if it happened in the kids rec league of which I am on the Board, this coach would be suspended for the season and would have to apply directly to the Board in a closed meeting if he wanted to come back the following year.

From My Pregame ...
 

Near the end of the game, if the winning team is just holding the ball and is willing to take the free throws after strategic fouls, then let’s call the foul immediately, so the ballhandler doesn't get hit harder to draw a whistle. Let’s make sure there is a play on the ball by the defense. If there’s no play on the ball, if the defense grabs the jersey, or pushes from behind, or bear hugs the offensive player, we should consider an intentional foul. These are not basketball plays and should be penalized as intentional.

What happened in the OP really wasn't a brilliant idea. Comments like that will catch more grief no matter what level you work. When I have a late game situation similar to the OP, I hold my comment till I am ready to administer the throw-in. Before I blow the whistle, I tell the players three things: 1) be aware of the plane (to the idiot who may not think twice about it when defending the throw-in); 2) hold the spot (to the thrower); and 3) play the ball (a hint to the defense to make it a "clean" foul if possible). Never had a problem with number 3. If you're wondering, I do take a little time with the late game throw-ins because taking one's times avoid situations that bite us in the arse later.