Dealing with Coaches

[hoopsaddict]

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[sseltser]

I'm 22 here and in similar shoes. For the first part, I'm sure others will give you great advice, but in general, to make game management easy, it's pretty simple: respond to questions, ignore statements, warn (once) and whack.

If a coach is just whining, either ignore him or kindly let him know that you will only respond to his questions. After these parameters are set, coaches will get the hang of you being down to business and that you won't let them walk over you. They will find the happy medium of which to approach you.

Concerning less experienced partners, I think first, have a good pregame to know how you will handle things like these. If either of you is having trouble managing the game, talk during a TO or intermission and make sure each other is aware of and issues and any warnings. Besides that, only bite off what you can chew: there's not much reason to go meddling in your partner's dealings with the coaches, unless it becomes clearly unsporting where it needs a T.

[Adam]

In your situation, it sounds like a T was a good call. Don't look back. The best thing you can do is just take care of business. Be ready to ignore comments, answer questions, and punish unsporting behavior. Be ready to do all of them without regret.

At this stage, just simply deal with your own communication skills. Don't worry about your partner, he can (or should be able to) take care of himself.

[CDurham]

Im 18 and in my 2nd year. I have had some technicals (as any other official) on coaches and players. You just have to have a confidence and strong presence. I had one that tried to pull the "I know your young and ....." but you just have to tell them "dont go there, thats enough" and put up the hand and be stern. But always be respectful to them no matter how fussy they get. Once you warn them if they dont hear it then WHACK them, a warning is not a warning if you keep giving warnings. I do try though to give a little room and calm the coach down as much as possible, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do.

As to the other official, like Seltser said have a good pregame. If you have that it shouldn't be too bad, but you can never help another official with themselves. Do your thing and let him do his, but you are still a team.

[bas2456]

22 and first year myself.

I honestly haven't gotten the feeling that coaches look down on me because of my age. I try to act as professionally as I can when I'm on the court, so maybe it's working.

Most of the coaches I've dealt with this year (mostly freshman and some sophomore), though, can't be much older than me though.

Just try your best to act like a vet on the court and the coach will get the message.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by CDurham

Im 18 and in my 2nd year. I have had some technicals (as any other official) on coaches and players. You just have to have a confidence and strong presence. I had one that tried to pull the "I know your young and ....." but you just have to tell them "dont go there, thats enough" and put up the hand and be stern. But always be respectful to them no matter how fussy they get. Once you warn them if they dont hear it then WHACK them, a warning is not a warning if you keep giving warnings. I do try though to give a little room and calm the coach down as much as possible, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do.

As to the other official, like Seltser said have a good pregame. If you have that it shouldn't be too bad, but you can never help another official with themselves. Do your thing and let him do his, but you are still a team.

Question, how well has putting the hand up worked for you? IOW, how often do you have to issue a T when you use it?

I ask because I can't imagine it working that well, especially with an official whom the coach sees as young. But I'm open to being wrong on this.

My further advice is to speak to coaches like adults, with respect.

[APG]

Twenty-two here and in my second year doing high school basketball. I do the full gauntlet from 7th grade middle school games to varsity. I haven't really had an issue of coaches looking down on me or trying to pick on me due to age. That's not to say a coach hasn't tried. If you handle yourself well out there and do things professionally, I've found coaches will treat you like any other.

As others have said, answer appropriate questions and ignore comments. When those comments start to be prolonged, profane, and/or personal, warn the coach (some will suggest using the stop sign; I'm not one to use it, but see what works for you) and tell your partner(s) of said warning. If coach has been warned, you have to follow through if coach crosses the line. Sometimes though, coach will cross the line before you can give him a warning, and you just have to give a T. Nothing necessarily wrong with that.

Have you tried asking members, of similar age, in your association about their experiences with coaches? I know when I started out, I asked all the questions I could with all the veterans in my association, but I especially reached out to the younger varsity officials to get their insight and see how they handled themselves.

[Fathertime]

To the original question, I think there might be some truth to a coach treating you different because of your youth, because maybe he thinks he can rattle and influence you. But on the other hand, your youth may hinder your own self-confidence now vs. when you reach your upper twenties and thirties. In my early 20s, I was barely starting to deal with the stress of mortgages, layoffs at work, and other pressures. Everything seemed bigger than it really was. As I aged, I developed a thicker skin and now the way a coach treats me is much easier to deal with. You can't underestimate experience, which will come.

Stay strong in your game and maintain control of yourself. Use confident mechanics. Keep your cool in a heated situation. Minimize your reactions when you can, but T if you must. If you give the coach the perception that he can't phase you, even at your age, he'll back off (and try to find a different way to influence you). In any case, it is almost never personal (I never say never). Best of luck.

[CDurham]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Question, how well has putting the hand up worked for you? IOW, how often do you have to issue a T when you use it?

I ask because I can't imagine it working that well, especially with an official whom the coach sees as young. But I'm open to being wrong on this.

My further advice is to speak to coaches like adults, with respect.

The only reason I put up my hand is in case my booking agent or the school reviews the tape they will see I was giving him a warning not only verbally but visually as well. You never know what the coach might tell them I said but they can always see the hand up.

I haven't had any T's while I'm giving the hand. They were on later in the game after that initial warning.

[Adam]

I wondered if it wasn't for some sort of visual evidence. IMO, the visual evidence is worthless. Either your assigner accepts your word, or he doesn't.

If he does, the tape isn't necessary. If he doesn't, it's not going to be enough.

Coach: "I asked what my player did on the foul he called, and he blew me off by putting his hand in the air. I asked again, and he gave me a T."

[j51969]

Originally Posted by hoopsaddict

I'm hoping some of the vets on here can give me some advice. I am turning 21 in April doing JV/Freshman games and tend to think that coaches get on me a little more than your average official because of my age. Considering I really can pass for about 16 or 17. What are some good pointers to dealing with coaches? I had to give a coach a "T" tonight in boys freshman game after he stood up and walked toward me whinning for a travel call. In retrospect I wish I could have dealt with it different and not have given the T there. One thing I think I could have done was ask the coach he if wanted a full or a thirty. What are your thoughts?

Also another question tonight I ref'd with a official who had less experience then I do and to say the least the guy wasn't much help with game management. How do you deal with partners that tend to be a little weaker then you are while you your self our still working towards gaining confidence?

Thanks for the advice!

I had a coach the other day whose team wasn't playing very well, and he was in my partner and I for most of the 1st half. We didn't pay much attention to it except for a couple of explanations during freethrows. In the second half he admitted he was frustrated with his players and had taken it out on us in the 1st half. I turned to his bench and said "I expect to get worked a little during and game coach, and I would feel cheated if you never said anything". He laughed. I think that lets them know you are willing to listen and aren't intimitdated during your interactions. I have pinned one coach this year and he knew it was coming. I treat it like any other foul, with the same emotion. report, assess, and move on. Let one of your partners buckle him in and move opposite side. This gives him/her a chance to cool down if he feels further explanation on a foul is warranted. I have always felt if they are pissed, and you are going to stay table side with your *** in there face they deserve a little rope. That's why we pre-game T's on the coach and how we will handle it. Some guys may feel different, this is just one way of handling it.

[smginnis]

I'm "younger" too, and from my experience there is no bigger tool you can have than knowing the rules. It'll take a long time to learn all of the one offs discussed in this board, but really get your head in the book and know the rules that are most prevalent to the game and that coach's commonly complain about. If you have not experienced it already, coach's complaints tend to revolve around traveling, lane violations, and most commonly fouls.

If you can recite a few rules and show that your calls are justified by correctly applying said rules, you'll gain instant credibility.

Use definitive terms like: legal guarding position, displacement, and suspension of the three second count. Coach's realize that either, a) you know what you are talking about or b) that they might not know what they are talking about.

I think talking with coaches willhelp you gain credibility as long as they are willing to test you with a QUESTION. As said earlier, complaints and commands don't warrant a response. Of course if you don't know a certain rule, you will have to stick with your favorite blanket statement provided earlier.