Mentoring a New Official

[Mark Padgett]

OK guys, which way do you think you should act in this situation? Your newbie partner makes a call and a coach jumps all over him for it. Should you:

a) get in between them and deal with the coach
or
b) let your newbie partner deal with it

While it may seem obvious to do (a), I've heard from some guys that doing (b) is better because that way the newbie will learn how things really work at games and that you can then discuss it with him or her later. IOW, the more real their experience is, the more it will truly prepare them for officiating in the future.