Establishing confidence, confidence and respect from coaches and players

[sing19702000]

What are some of the best ways to establish confidence, cooperation and respect from coaches and players.

[Nevadaref]

1. Demand it, not with words, but by making it clear that anything else is unacceptable behavior.
2. Penalize if they don't properly give it. Don't allow yourself to be abused.
3. Treat them with respect.
4. Be professional, hustle, and do a good job.

[JRutledge]

All you can do is be professional from the moment you accept the game to the time you arrive, to the time you leave. There is nothing you are going to do be able to do more than that. Some coaches will know your experience level and will set a tone for their players. Other times they will not know anything about you that can be done. People take their own perceptions and attitudes about respect. You may do all the right things and still not get someone's respect. All you can ever do is be professional and look professional. Judgments will be made about you long before you the ball is tossed up.

Peace

[just another ref]

Be correct in what you do as much as possible, but whether you are correct or not, be quick and decisive.

[Hugh Refner]

If you want respect from coaches, make every call go their way. Of course, this works only half the time.

[budjones05]

Deliever more than you promise!

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by Hugh Refner

If you want respect from coaches, make every call go their way. Of course, this works only half the time.

No: it works 100% of the time, just with half the coaches.

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by Hugh Refner

If you want respect from coaches, make every call go their way. Of course, this works only half the time.

Respect is not really the right word in this case. It's like the cartoon, where the couple is entering the cheap hotel room.

Her: Will you still respect me in the morning?

Him: I don't respect you now.

[Mregor]

Originally Posted by Hugh Refner

If you want respect from coaches, make every call go their way. Of course, this works only half the time.

Actually, it will probably work all the time but with only half the people.

Mregor

[Bad Zebra]

Originally Posted by sing19702000

What are some of the best ways to establish confidence, cooperation and respect from coaches and players.

You can demand cooperation, but respect has to be earned. A recipe that has worked for me:

1) Be competent. Know the rules. Know the mechanics. Prepare.
2) Be confident. This is only possible if you master #1
3) Be concise. Avoid unneccessary conversation, editorializing before or after the game with fellow officials, AD's, coaches, or players
4) Be decisive. Crisp whistle. Crisp mechanics. Crisp voice when reporting.

[bbcoach7]

Originally Posted by Bad Zebra

You can demand cooperation, but respect has to be earned. A recipe that has worked for me:

1) Be competent. Know the rules. Know the mechanics. Prepare.
2) Be confident. This is only possible if you master #1
3) Be concise. Avoid unneccessary conversation, editorializing before or after the game with fellow officials, AD's, coaches, or players
4) Be decisive. Crisp whistle. Crisp mechanics. Crisp voice when reporting.

Just kidding, merely my perspective. Just in case anyone gives a hoot what a HS coach feels works for him (probably not, but what the heck, I'm a registered user).

I like quick whistles followed by clear and desicive mechanics. Slow (late) whistles sometimes imply to me that the Ref was waiting to see how the action played out (if the shot goes in, maybe he ignores the push). Might not be the case, but it looks that way to me, the players, and to the folks in the stands.

I like a brief (if possible) answer to a legitimate relevant game question. I know the only response I'm entitled to a statement I make is to be ignored, or to get whacked. Just like anybody, I do not like to be talked down to, insulted, or disrespected when I have previously and up to that point established that I am behaving in a respectful manner. If I'm treated in this manner without cause (rarely), I will never respect that Ref.

It really bothers me when a Ref lags behind (lead or trail). If he's outa shape and can't keep up with the pace of the game, it's difficult for me to have respect and avoid saying something. I would never say something loud enough for fans to hear, or to otherwise embarass, but I have said something face to face like, "Sir, I'd really appreciate if you'd get to the same half of the court the ball is on." I realize that could get me seat belted, but I'd take it. In the maybe 2 times I've actually said that, they actually hustled better afterwards. You gotta understand, we are rural, we play some games on an Indian Reservation where once in Jr High, one of the Refs had a pepsi in his hand 1/2 the game and leaned against the wall behind the basket instead of standing behind the end line.

Sometimes Refs will pause, or even take a player aside and speak directly to them. I generally do not like it when Refs talk to my players about the way they play basketball. Every time that happens, I ask the player what the talk was about, and to their credit (the Refs), It's been my experience that I've appreciated the feed back or comment given to my player. So I think this is a sort of predjudice on my part that is unfounded.

Last observation: ANY advice in here about dealing with coaches that begins with phrases such as, "Most coaches..." should be lightly regarded at best. We are all individuals, just like you guys. We are nomore all the same than any group of humans is all the same in desiring basic respect.

[Adam]

Coach, regarding your comment on delayed whistles. Sometimes the result of the play is the only way to determine if the contact should be ruled a foul. Personally, I don't care if the shot goes in.
I do care about the following:
1. Was the shot made significantly more difficult?
2. Was the player knocked out of bounds? Sometimes this takes a moment to materialize.
3. Was the player able to play through the illegal contact?
4. Was the player knocked off balance and forced to travel? Again, this sometimes takes a moment to materialize.
5. Was the player able to make the play he/she intended to make. Example, a bump around the midcourt line as the player throws a pass to a wide-open teammate streaking for a layup.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Coach Bill

Snaq - so, I guess you never have any 3-point plays in your games? Because, according to your logic, if a guy gets whacked during his lay-up try and continues on to make the lay-up, you have no foul.

Coach, please see my original post on the topic. I've inserted it and added emphasis to the salient point.

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Coach, regarding your comment on delayed whistles. Sometimes the result of the play is the only way to determine if the contact should be ruled a foul. Personally, I don't care if the shot goes in.I do care about the following:
1. Was the shot made significantly more difficult?
2. Was the player knocked out of bounds? Sometimes this takes a moment to materialize.
3. Was the player able to play through the illegal contact?
4. Was the player knocked off balance and forced to travel? Again, this sometimes takes a moment to materialize.
5. Was the player able to make the play he/she intended to make. Example, a bump around the midcourt line as the player throws a pass to a wide-open teammate streaking for a layup.

I know some guys who do judge a foul by whether the shot goes in; I don't. I have always been clear on that in this board, and in fact stated so explicitly in this thread. If the contact didn't significantly affect the shot, I'm not calling a foul even if he misses it. If it made the shot more difficult, then I'll likely call the foul even if it goes in.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by bbcoach7

I like quick whistles followed by clear and desicive mechanics. Slow (late) whistles sometimes imply to me that the Ref was waiting to see how the action played out (if the shot goes in, maybe he ignores the push). Might not be the case, but it looks that way to me, the players, and to the folks in the stands.

This is why we do not listen to "most coaches."

For the record a slow whistle is now promoted or taught too many levels of officiating. The quicker whistle often does not allow the play to complete or shows less confidence that what you saw will take place a second or two later. And as an official you really do not care what coaches, players and fans ultimately think about this part of the game. That is something they have to deal with or get over.

Originally Posted by bbcoach7

Last observation: ANY advice in here about dealing with coaches that begins with phrases such as, "Most coaches..." should be lightly regarded at best. We are all individuals, just like you guys. We are nomore all the same than any group of humans is all the same in desiring basic respect.

Well I will disagree for this obvious reason. There are reasons officials should not really care in the end what a coach thinks about them, because most coaches have an agenda or a bias towards what we do. They are not looking at the game strictly from the rules or training; they are looking at the game through what took place to their team. If this was not the case, then you would hear coaches complain about calls we make in favor of their team. So yes there are a lot of things that apply to most coaches. Yes you are individuals, but your role is still the same as it relates to your team and your role in the game. And that does not change because you are an individual.

Peace

[Camron Rust]

I'm pretty sure Jeff has a typo below that substantially changes the meaning of what I'm thinking he meant to say...

Originally Posted by JRutledge

For the record a slow whistle is not NOW promoted or taught too many levels of officiating. The quicker whistle often does not allow the play to complete or shows less confidence that what you saw will take place a second or two later. And as an official you really do not care what coaches, players and fans ultimately think about this part of the game. That is something they have to deal with or get over.

Assuming that is the case....some coaches just don't get it. A bump at the FT line on a drive where a foul call would result in the team getting the ball OOB is not as valuable as the player being allowed to continue for an undefended shot if they are able to get by that last defender in position to do anything (the one who just fouled them).

EDIT: Or for that matter, a layup is even more valuable than a 1-and-1 or 2 FT shots when the possible foul occurs before the act of shooting begins.

I had a coach just about blow up on me a couple seasons ago when his guard, from near the top of the key and about 15' off the sideline, drew a defender who promptly whacked the guard across the arm as the guard was releasing a pass to a teammate. The coach got suddenly quiet when I directed his attention toward his 3-point sharpshooter in the corner who was about to release a shot with no defener anywhere near.....swish...and a smile from the coach. A foul call is not always necessary or the best result. If the pass had not made it to the intended recipient, a foul would have been the right call...but calling it as it played out would have disadvantaged the fouled team.