Ejected coaches must take test!
 

The Oregon State Activities Assn. (OSAA) announced that any coach ejected from any HS game must complete an online sportsmanship course to be reinstated. An OSAA spokesperson said the purpose was to turn the situation into an "educational setting rather than just punitive".

Currently, ejected coaches are suspended for one game and their school is fined $50. The fines can escalate as ejections pile up. With the new rule, ejected coaches are also required to complete this new course within seven days of their school receiving the go ahead to take the course. If a school receives five or more ejections during one school year, that school must also submit a written plan of correction to the OSAA. Typically, that school's AD and coaches from the offending program participate in that.

Sounds like a step in the right direction.

Sounds like a great program to me! Should definitely be instituted in more areas!

-Josh

What happens to coaches that can't pass the online course? They should add that they have to pass the same rules test we do in order to officiate--but I guess that would mean eventually there wouldn't be any more coaches since most don't even know half the rules!!

Head coaches in Missouri have to take the Part I and Part II tests. Unfortunately, they don't actually look up the answers. They pass the answers around and fill them out without actually reading the questions.

Sounds like the sportsmanship equivalent to anger management classes to me.

I believe the fine in VA is around $500. I love the idea of a quiz. They should make it 2 part, 1/2 sportsmanship, 1/2 rules.

It's a good thing officials don't do that.

Yes, a very good thing. :rolleyes:

With Part II around here, a lot of officials do that. I always take the Part II just like the Part I just to see how well I can do without having the answers fed to me.

As if they aren't already fed to us by rulebook we're allowed to reference during the test. :D

True, but at least you're looking them up rather than just filling them in in five minutes without looking at a single question.

For me, it would just take longer if someone was feeding me answers, b/c I would still want to look up the answer in the rulebook. I would probably have to go back and change a few of those answers.

MA has been doing the same thing for a while now. If a coach gets ejected in any sport he has to go to the state athletic association (which is in the middle of nowhere) and take a sportsmanship class.

As a coach myself the thought of driving 1 1/2 hrs to take a 4 hr class is enough to keep me minding my p's and q's.

How Big a Problem is This?
 

While I haven't reffed nearly as long as some folks here who have stated they've been doing it for 20 and/or 30 yrs, I'm just curious, how many coaches have you, your partner, or those in your Association ejected?

I've never ejected a coach, seen one ejected, or even heard of it? Big problem? Small problem? Larger issue for different parts of the country?

Just curious.
Thanks

I've never had to eject a coach from a high school game, but I've ejected two coaches from youth leagues that I ref. One was an 8th grade travel team coach and the other was 6th grade. 2 in just about 10 years of officiating is pretty low I think, but I'd be interested to hear from others.

I've ejected 2 HS coaches in 8 seasons of officiating. First time I gave the coach both T's back-to-back. Second occurrence the coach had received a T early in the game from one of my partners and I had to stick him in the last minute of the game.

Over the last few years I think my HS association averages maybe 2-3 ejections a season. The $500 fine is a great deterrent.

Nebraska requires coaches ejected the first time during a season to take the NFHS online sportsmanship course within 10 days of their ejection, either at their own expense or the school's. The second ejection leads to a requirement of taking the NFHS online fundamentals of coaching course, within 10 days of the ejection, either at their own expense or the school's. Schools with multiple ejections in a sport need to submit a written management plan to the NSAA, which explains how they plan to remediate the problem.

I can see how this fine would be a great deturrent. I think that more areas should institue it. I know that in PA, an ejected coach or player is required to sit out the remainder of the current contest as well as one more. I think that is it. I would like to see the PIAA adopt something similar to this with a stiff fine and/or sportsmanship test (preferably with a class)

Coaches are not ejected beacuse they are ignorant of rules. They are ejected for being a pain in the *** and, in the majority of cases, not knowing what they are talking about on top of that (although, don't tell them that because they think that they do know the rules.)

I like it
 

Coaches who act out are an embarassment and send the wrong message to kids, modeling that their behaviour is how an adult acts when they don't get their way. They encourage players and parents/fans to also mistreat officials. And they can cast a negative light on the rest of us coaches who don't behave like @sses just becasue we didn't like the call.

So I am all for it, and I hope it spreads to other States. I'd take it a step further- I think it should be a part of the mandatory coach certification if a State has this. CA does. Maybe nip some of this BS in the begining.:D

Just another reason for officials to be worried about having their schedules pulled or reduced if they throw out a coach who deserves it. Imagine the additional crap the assignor (and his wallet) will hear including being threatened with a school choosing another assignor or group because his group of officials threw a coach out.
Until the states step in and keep a very watchful eye on how officials are facing the repercussions from enforcing unsportsmanlike conduct and then backing them to the hilt (right or wrong), nothing will change.

Sounds like your area needs to have a better separation between the schools and the assignors.

Here, the schools have no say. The state dictates which organizations services which schools. It is done geographically and no two organizations cover the same area. The associations select their own assignors from within. In most areas, the assignors do a pretty good job of backing up the officials....ours does.

The other night, while cooling down during halftime of our football game, one of my crewmates and I were discussing basketball a little. We hit on the point of the suspensions in Iowa vs. the classes in Nebraska as far as ejected coaches go. He reminded me that in Iowa, the girls' association requires the head coaches (we think at the least) to take the same test as the officials.

Not to be cynical (okay, too late), but I wonder...

When folks come trolling for test answers here, rather than roasting them over hot coals...perhaps we should just suggest they find a nice coaches forum in one of these states, where the answers will no doubt flow freely. :D

Honestly, those coaches aren't that stupid when it comes to getting the test answers. They just call up the official who lives in their neighborhood and ask for the answers. :p

Why wait for ejection?
 

Coaches who pick up more than just the rare T are usually coaches who already spend the entire game screaming at their players -- it seems that they have the belief that they, and only they, have any idea what do to at any given moment during a basketball game; whether it be set a screen, position for a rebound, drive the lane or call pushing off.

I'd suggest the rules and sportsmanship test for any coach who is ejected or who picks up more than two Ts in a season. A couple along the way over the course of 20-25 games can perhaps be forgiven as being overly passionate or trying too hard to get the next call. Any more than that and the guy or gal needs to sit and think about the example being set

So "trying too hard to get the next call" is okay sportsmanship, as long as you only do it occasionally? IMHO, working an official to get a call is bad sportsmanship. Period.

Amen, Brother BITS.