Enforcing Coaching Box
 

Hi all,

Just officiated a freshman tournament championship game. The game was typical freshmen level stuff but did go into overtime with the final being 40-38.

However, in evaluating a few things after the game, I think I should have enforced the coaching box for the losing team's coach. He was out of the box and on the court quite often.

To be honest, despite having been around for a few years, I was a little lost as to how to get the coach to stay in the box. I warned him but he kept getting out of the box, especially, when his team was on the other end of the court.

What do most of you do to get coaches to stay in the box? In retrospect, while I'm not happy with how I handled it, I'm making sure I remember this so I know how to deal with coaches in the future.

Thanks for the input.

Should have T'd him. That would have stopped your problem.

Diagram/drawing of coaching box
 

Is there a diagram/drawing anywhere that shows the exact position of the coaches box?

I see that for the 2009-2010 season that the WIAA has adopted the use of the 14 ft. Coaches Box.

I have read in the rules manual, the following:
ART. 1 . . . The head coach shall remain seated on the team bench, except:
a. By state association adoption, the head coach may stand within the
designated coaching box described in 1-13-2. The first technical foul
charged directly or indirectly to the head coach results in loss of coaching box
privileges & the head coach must remain seated for the remainder of
the game, except as stated below in 10-5-1b, c, d & e.
b. The head coach may stand within the coaching box to request a time-out or signal his/her players to request a time-out.
c. The head coach may stand &/or leave the coaching box to confer with personnel at the scorer’s table to request a time-out as in 5-8-4.
d. The head coach may stand within the coaching box to replace or remove a disqualified/injured player or player directed to leave the game.
e. The head coach may stand as in 10-4-4c & 10-4-4d.

10-4-4:
ART. 4 . . . Stand at the team bench while the clock is running or is stopped, & must remain seated, except:
a. The head coach as in 10-5-1.
b. When a team member is reporting to the scorer's table.
c. During a charged time-out, as in 5-12-5, or the intermission between quarters & extra periods.
d. To spontaneously react to an outstanding play by a team member or to acknowledge a replaced player(s), but must immediately return to his/her seat.

The following is from the Supplement to Court Diagram in the rules manual:
Optional coaching box – tableside. Bounded by a line 28 feet from end line,
the sideline, a line no more than 14 feet from the 28-foot line, & the team
bench. Located off the court & 2 inches wide.
NOTE: State associations may, on an individual basis, allow alternative bench
locations.

Very simple. Use the three Ws.

Wave, Warn, Whack.

You WAVE him back the first time without saying a word.
If he is out a second time, you make a point of giving him a clear WARNING (which isn't necessary by rule, but is becoming practice in many places including at the NCAA level).
When he still fails to comply you WHACK him with the technical foul.

All of those numbers with dashes in between of them are referring to certain parts of the rule book. Possibly one of them may contain the answer.

There's explanations yes, but no actual diagrams/drawings.

Some schools have the box already designated (marked) if the state association uses the box. Its normally from the 28 foot line to about the fourth or fifth seat along the bench.

I agree with Nevada the three W's.

Assuming they have adopted the maximum 14' coaching box, then it's easy to picture. Start at the end line, move 14 feet along the side line and make a mark. Move another 14' and make a second mark. The space between those marks is the coaching box.

Also Rule 1-13-2 says the same thing.

. . . The coaching box shall be outlined outside the side of the court on
which the scorer's and timer's table and team benches are located. The area shall
be bounded by a line 28 feet from the end line, the sideline, a line no more than
14 feet from the 28-foot line toward the end line, and the team bench. These lines
shall be located off the court, be 2 inches wide.
NOTE: State associations may alter the length and placement of the 14-foot (maximum)
coaching box.

http://www.miaa.net/Bskcoachingbox-diagram.pdf

From MA.

I didn't notice it till now about the WIAA adopting the use of the Coaches Box, of course I haven't seen any coach get whacked yet this year either.

When I go in for the next game, I'll have to check to see if the Coaches Box is marked or not.

Speaking of required floor markings, before the last game I did mention to the AD about the "X" in front of the official scorer. His response was that nothing had been said about it & not to worry about it.

Yet the Rule book says:
SECTION 17 “X” LOCATES SCORER
An “X” 12 inches long and 2 inches wide shall be placed on the floor out of
bounds directly in front of the official scorer to help substitutes with the proper location.

Should I just let bygones by bygones?

No, just say. I understand nothing been said before probably because others may not have noticed it. It is required please place on down or the game will not start without it.

There's no penalty listed for not having it (in FED games).

chseagle should leave it up to the officials.

I wrote an e-mail to the state director over basketball asking about it. How I stated it in the e-mail is that the gyms I have been in do not have it marked, nor have the ones I have seen in the media (tv & newspaper).

What Bob said. Use of the coaching box is optional by state association adoption, and how it is handled if the box isn't marked is their venue as well. In Oregon we have specific instructions that the game will not start until the coaching box is marked.

As to how to handle the original question posed by coach41, my first step is either a quiet "coach, don't forget the box" or making eye contact, pointing at where he is and then at the box - depends on the specific circumstances at the time. Step two is to warn & step three a technical foul.

I suppose we could always ask for a new rule to install an anchor in the center of the box with a 7 foot lead attached to a belt or harness for the coach.....think they would go for it? :D:D:D:D

Or perhaps a enclosed cage. One with a top so that they couldn't crawl out! :D:D

I thought of that, but figured it would constitute too much of a hazard to the players - then again so might my bungee cord idea. We need to come up with a better approach...........how about the invisible fence & shock collar they use to keep pets in the yard.......:D

Really? IMO, that's NOT the way to get yourself promoted to the varsity games at your local school.

I asked what the state association rules were as I know there are differences between the NFHS Rules & those the WIAA uses.

This what Bob is talking about: you asked your AD and he said to let it go. You then decided to email the state. That's called going over your AD's head, and it's always harmful to aspirations.

Yep I see your point there! I am liking this idea much better. Give the "R" a manual shock button to hit him with too. Gives a whole new meaning to "Whack" :)

Chseagle is becoming legendary in a hurry ! :D

I have given two Ts for coaches being out of the box...in the same game! I brought them together and asked them nicely if they would stay in the box. After that I T'd one and the other one didn't get it so I T'd him up. The Ts fixed the problem.

There. Repair work is done.

Agreed! It may get you noticed, but almost certainly not the type of attention you want......

"It's a jungle out there."

Excuses, Excuses ...
 

Here's how we handle it in Connecticut:

Coaching Box must be marked. If home coach and/or home management refuse to designate coaching box with tape, the home team will not use a coaching box for that game. However, the visiting team will be allowed a coaching box. Notify Board Secretary, or Commissioner the next day.

The old excuse was, "The custodians won't let us put tape on the gymnasium floor. It discolors the finish on the floor."