Gems from Camps this week

[ChuckElias]

Originally posted by Dan_ref
Coaches do not want to hear your long-winded
explanations. . . But they do want to be listened to.

Dan, how long have you been reffing? It took me YEARS to learn that simple lesson. You are absolutely right.

Chuck

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by ChuckElias

Dan, how long have you been reffing?

Chuck

I'm thinking of taking the class & getting started this
fall.

Thanks for the compliment, means a lot coming from you....

[Andy]

This is a gem given to me by an experienced official when I started:

Coach, I hear you.

This tells the coach two things:

1. I hear and acknowledge what you are telling me.
2. I don't want to hear any more.

[AK ref SE]

Andy-
How does telling the coach your hear him....tell him that you have heard enough?
I have told a coach that I have heard him, and in know way was I telling him that I had heard enough.

AK ref SE

[Todd Springer]

larks, i don't see anything wrong with what you said, or did. I think some people might be looking for some thing to criticize.

[rainmaker]

How you say it IS the most important part. That includes the timing. Here's how I've said what Larks said and made it work. This was a female ref at a girls game, I'm not sure it would work for a male ref at a girls game, or a female ref at a boys game. I had one player who was questioning every call, arguing about everything, pointing out the little violations on the otehr team. I waited until the gym was just the right amount of quiet and the ball was dead, and her comment was particularly noticeable. After she was done, I said, "If you want, I'll trade you shirts and you can ref, but you're coach will not be happy to have ME on his team!!" Just a little tongue in cheek. Everyone laughs, and no more complaints. I've used it a couple of times since, and it works pretty well, as long as it's a sort of joke and the player doesn't feel belittled.