Escorted out of gym by police tonight

[artar]

I reffed a girls middle school game tonight which got really ugly. Made a questionable foul call, coach exploded, other ref threw him out of the game. I called a technical on one of his players earlier too. But the toughest to deal with were the parents. We had threats, police showed up, left. After the game one fan who I thought was going to hit the other ref said he was going to sue us. We just locked ourselves in the coaches office and called police.

Sometimes I question my foul call, that it was not necessary after letting the girls just play most of the night. But don't think it was necessary for the coach to erupt. His team lost by 15 points anyways so it would have hardly mattered.

I'm a rookie official, just my second game and I am learning a lot.

[Back In The Saddle]

Wow, talk about baptism by fire! Your post is a little light on detail, but it sounds like you had a good learning experience, the kind you'll be learning from for a long time to come.

Obviously consistency is important. Changing how you call the game late in the game will usually engender a negative reaction. On the other hand, the phrase "letting the girls just play most of the night" makes me wonder if you were calling the game as tightly as it needed to be called to that point. Just some random wonderment.

Hope game number three goes much better for you.

[grunewar]

Glad you're already looking forward. As you point out, always lots to learn.

Although my situation was not as bad as yours, in one of my earliest school games (read, not Rec Ball), I had a coach come into the locker room to have "a word" with me and my partner after the game. Luckily for me/us, the seasoned, V officials were there and tossed him out. I immediately called/wrote my assignor. I was very down over that incident and really questioned why I even considered officiating.

Now, several yrs later, it is just another of my many experiences, negative that it was, that helped me grow and develop into to where I am today.

Continued good luck and growth! Keep having fun!!

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by grunewar

I had a coach come into the locker room to have "a word" with me and my partner after the game.

This situation almost always doesn't end well.

[artar]

To be a bit more specific on the foul calls - first the "questionable call" that I made was against the defender in the 3rd quarter who bumped/ blocked the girl with the ball with her hip as she was driving the baseline towards the basket. It was a light bump but still a bump that blocked the offensive player and it happened right in front of me so immediately blew the whistle.

This is when the coach became furious at me and was immediately ejected from the game for leaving his coaching box because he received a warning about that earlier from the other ref.

I did question the call in my mind afterward thinking here I am just letting the players make harder contact under the boards then on the foul that I called.
Reason being it is very hard to call a foul in the paint when the players are so bundled up, I knew there was contact but could not tell who was fouling who - especially when they are all jumping together for a rebound.

I was told to only make calls that I was certain about.

[ref3808]

What you describe (and you describe it in very certain terms as I read it) sounds like a foul. If you are saying that there was more contact underneath the basket and in the lane than other areas of the court then I believe that's the case with 99.9% of the games I've seen at most any level) Sounds to me as though you saw it and you called it.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

This situation almost always doesn't end well.

I was shocked that the coach came in our locker room after the game. He was a first yr, young, JV coach (it was one of my first games too). After my report, I was told his school later officially reprimanded him.

I returned later that year to do another game and was very anxious...... It seemed to have been all forgotten, or at least misremembered.

Certainly a learning experience that's for sure.


I was told after the fist Gulf War, Colin Powell said, "Even Saddam Hussein has value. He can always be used as a bad example."

[chartrusepengui]

whether or not a call was "questionable" does not excuse inappropriate behavior of the coach or player. You called what you saw and did what you thought was right. Don't let that eat at you. If it was a mistake - so be it. It will not be the last one you make.

When this happens - keep hands to yourself, mouth professional and use the authorities as you did. If you are professional you will not need to worry about being sued either.

We had an incident last season where I called a flagrant personal foul on a player for A1 going to face of B1 with elbow and making contact - live ball sit. Coach went nuts and got a T. Following game he and his ***'t coach came after us swinging. We were heading to locker room located behind bench area and we were trapped with ***'t coming from one direction, coach from the other and we had to pass one to get to door. We hopped the chairs for the bench and went to center court and waited for police. A fan had called 911. We were threatened with legal action ....... etc. Cops came - one escourted us to locker room and to cars after changing. The other escourted players/coaches to bus. Turn's out the ***'t coach was 25 yr old son of coach and the player with flagrant was his nephew.

Cops were definately backing us as officials. Ironically, the fan that called 911 on the coach was the principal of that school. Next day we both received calls of apology and later a letter that indicatied coach had been fired for his actions. The worst thing we could have done was to act unprofessionally with word or action and escalate the situation. The only fallout we received was that we had to change a regional tournament game and drive further. We had been assigned at that school and didn't think it was a good idea to go there. State agreed with us and the state traded games with another set of officials at another site.

[artar]

Wow, what I rough experience for you! (post directly above). I am going to print that out and remember it as I go through the season. Thank you for the post.

[chartrusepengui]

Actually the hardest part was trying to NOT respond verbally and wondering just how far to go to physically protect yourself. We chose jumping chairs and basically running to center of court away from them as a better choice than physically defending ourselves. That was the first time since 1983 that anything like that has happened to me. FYI - it didn't happen in '83 - that is just when I started officiating.

[bbcof83]

Don't let it eat at you, artar. It sounds like you had the balls to take care of business in a heated situation and that's not always easy for a first year official. Way to go. Get back out on the court and continue to improve every game.

[artar]

That seems like a long time to go (since you started in 83) without an incident like that chartrusepengui. Definitely your description of fleeing from the coaches made them look bad and like you said, the coach was fired. It really tested my nerves last night. I was very fortunate to have an experienced ref at the game guide me through it all and settle me down.

Thanks for the comment bbcof83.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by artar

This is when the coach became furious at me and was immediately ejected from the game for leaving his coaching box because he received a warning about that earlier from the other ref.

Ok, this struck me as I was reading the thread. Why was the coach ejected for this?

[chartrusepengui]

Originally Posted by artar

That seems like a long time to go (since you started in 83) without an incident like that chartrusepengui.

I've had "experiences" with coaches, T'd them but never had anything like that. As you gain experience, you will question yourself less in situations that become heated.

[Adam]

I've had one coach come into a locker room to request my name. I've had a parent ask for my name at an AAU game so she could report me to AAU. I've had a coach come to the locker room to try to get some clarification on a ruling. I've had one escort, after a player fight, more out of precaution. The home coach in that fight was mad that two of his players were ejected when only one from the other team (the one who started the mess) was; and was screaming down the hall as we left. He reminded me that we messed up the free throws, which was funny, because his team benefited from the screw up.