How do you introduce yourself to captains & coaches?

[JRutledge]

I give my first and last name to everyone. I only allow coaches to call me by my first name. The players are not my peer or equal. Heck I still do not call adults that were adults when I was a child by their first name. I consider that disrespectful to them. Then again that is how I was raised.

Peace

[tomegun]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I give my first and last name to everyone. I only allow coaches to call me by my first name. The players are not my peer or equal. Heck I still do not call adults that were adults when I was a child by their first name. I consider that disrespectful to them. Then again that is how I was raised.

Peace

And that is still a great way to be raised!

I do the same; my name is unique so I like to see if the coaches who don't know me think I'm pulling their leg.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I give my first and last name to everyone. I only allow coaches to call me by my first name. The players are not my peer or equal. Heck I still do not call adults that were adults when I was a child by their first name. I consider that disrespectful to them. Then again that is how I was raised.

Peace

Originally Posted by tomegun

And that is still a great way to be raised!

...

Agreed...and it has nothing to do with basketball or officiating. All minors in all situations get "I'm Mr. Lastname" when I give my name. Depending on the relationship/dynamics that develop it could change to "Mr. Firstname" over time.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

Agreed...and it has nothing to do with basketball or officiating. All minors in all situations get "I'm Mr. Lastname" when I give my name. Depending on the relationship/dynamics that develop it could change to "Mr. Firstname" over time.

Eh. I'm 40. I introduce myself as "Rich" to everyone. I use coaches' first names. I'm not one for formalities.

In the end, everyone can do whatever they want.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Eh. I'm 40. I introduce myself as "Rich" to everyone. I use coaches' first names. I'm not one for formalities.

In the end, everyone can do whatever they want.

Different strokes for different folks.

As an aside, with HS school players I look at myself as on par with school administrators or staff members. I sure hope my children (17 & 11) aren't calling the principal or any of their teachers by their first names.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

Different strokes for different folks.

As an aside, with HS school players I look at myself as on par with school administrators or staff members. I sure hope my children (17 & 11) aren't calling the principal or any of their teachers by their first names.

I called a family friend one time by his first name. Not only did he tell my parents, I had both parents tell me not to do that anymore. I learned that lesson quick and I was about 11-12 at the time. I have not done that since. And I am 37 and as I said, if you were an adult when I was a child (and I knew you of course) your first name is off limits. I call you by your title or Mr. or Mrs./Ms.

Peace

[Adam]

This has always fascinated me. I was raised in a very conservative small midwestern town, and I called all the adults by their first names unless they were teachers or coaches. My wife was raised in a similar small town about sixty miles away and she referred to her friends parents by first name, but other adults by Mr. or Mrs. Lastname.

The children in our church in Des Moines referred to adults by Mr. or Mrs. Firstname (an odd quirk), and that is something that I've seen used here as well. I'd never heard that before, but that still seems odd to me.

The lovely Mrs. just reminded me that the first time we heard "Mr. Firstname" was when visiting friends in Houston.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

Different strokes for different folks.

As an aside, with HS school players I look at myself as on par with school administrators or staff members. I sure hope my children (17 & 11) aren't calling the principal or any of their teachers by their first names.

I have a friend who is a math teacher. He wouldn't care if students called him by his first name, but the administration frowns on it, so he is mainly called Mr. LastInitial.

He introduces himself to players by first names, too.

I am not an administrator or teacher. I *hope* I am more approachable during a game than a principal would be normally.

[chartrusepengui]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

I have a friend who is a math teacher. He wouldn't care if students called him by his first name, but the administration frowns on it, so he is mainly called Mr. LastInitial.

He introduces himself to players by first names, too.

I am not an administrator or teacher. I *hope* I am more approachable during a game than a principal would be normally.

I am a teacher, and no, I don't let students call my by my first name and they never would. However, I don't put the same restrictions on sports. It is a different setting. I've never had a problem with crossover mistakes. They know in school I am Mr. S and on court I can be Rob. I've not had experience with any disrespect because of this. Perhaps I am lucky but I like to think it's because I've earned their respect. Most of the athletes are ex-students at the HS level, but I do teach a HS music class and have had a current student or two over the years. (never at varsity level - always turn those contracts away)

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

I have a friend who is a math teacher. He wouldn't care if students called him by his first name, but the administration frowns on it, so he is mainly called Mr. LastInitial.

He introduces himself to players by first names, too.

I am not an administrator or teacher. I *hope* I am more approachable during a game than a principal would be normally.

I would hope all principals are very approachable while still expecting students to call them Mr/Mrs/Ms. The 2 are not mutually exclusive. I am no less or more approachable by the name I give when introduced. My demeanor and personality determine that.

Snaqs, the Mr/Ms FirstName thing is very common around these parts. My kids use that for my personal friends and also for the counselors in their daycare programs through the years. And if a HS school player happened to know my first name, based on my experiences here in Virginia, they would use Mr. FirstName.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Heck I still do not call adults that were adults when I was a child by their first name. I consider that disrespectful to them. Then again that is how I was raised.

I don't think that there are many of us left. My former wife used to hate it when I called my brother-in-law's father Mr. Smith. She thought that it was childish and that I should call him Bob. I've known Mr. Smith since I was a teenager. I'm not calling him by his first name unless he insists. I also use titles when I address people, Dr. Smith, Coach Jones, Reverend Brown, etc, even if they're a lot younger than me, and almost all people are a lot younger than me.

My daughter's boyfriend is from Australia. The first time I met him he called be Bill, not Mr. Mac. He wasn't at all being disrespectful, they are a lot more laid back Down Under. It took some getting used to. I'm used to friends of my three children calling me Mr. Mac. I guess it's because I'm a retired teacher and many of my kid's friends had me as their teacher.

[BillyMac]

James Bond.