Is there a good way...
 

...to tell a coach you got screened on a play? I tried telling a coach I was screened on a play yesterday and that I'll work for a better angle...but he wasn't buying it.

What works for you?

There's not a whole lot more you can do. He doesn't really care if you were screened or not, all he wants is the call. Telling him that you were screened might give a little of an explanation for the no-call, but he's still not going to be happy.

The best way is to keep your mouth shut unless asked a direct question.

Complaining about a call isn't a direct question.

If the direct question was "wasn't that a foul?", an answer might be "I didn't get a real good look at it and I didn't want to guess". And that's it. Get t'heck away from the coach and get the game back into gear.

What you don't want to do is stand there and make excuses. He's mad and he ain't gonna buy them anyway.

Can you explain a little more? Did you get screened for lack of movement, did you have to look through players, etc? Telling him you will work for a better angle is meaningless to him and I would leave that part out totally.

Whether I was lazy on this play is irrelevant to my question. Rest assured I was moving on the play to try to get an angle. Got screened.

Less is more. If you feel inclined to respond to the coach and you didn't see the play, shrug one shoulder and shake your head. The good ones know you can't see everything.

Silence cannot be quoted.

I would say nothing unless I truly feel I missed a call. And this better not be happening more than a couple times a season (if that). Especially if a coach is just complaining you missed it. It better be only answering to a direct question and only if you feel you missed the call. And no I would not tell them a flat out missed only because screened. I might say I did not have the best angle and I did not see what he saw, but again very rare. You do not need to agree with everything a coach says or comment on it.

Peace

You only miss a couple of calls a season?:D

NO! Not that many.
Rut only gets questioned a couple times a season.

It depends on what you consider a missed call. Coaches complain often when they clearly did not see something or have no idea of the rule (e.g. Moving screen or over the back). And most good coaches understand when you explain something to them they move on. Now the bad ones keep complaining no matter what. Or better yet they complain to me when I was not on the play. I am not explaining a call that a partner made.

Peace

Screened or whatever I absolutely HATE to miss a call. Had a 2 man crew boys game where I was T making my way down the floor benchside. I was approximately at half court when a kid on my sideline at about FT line extended passed the ball to a teammate toward the center of the court. My eyes followed the ball and then quickly moved BACK to the thrower who was falling to the ground along with a defender. What happened? Crap! I'm not sure!

Did the defender lose control and smash into the thrower or did the thrower release the ball and then cream into the defender as he moved toward his teammate? It was a split-second collision and I missed it. I HATE it when that happens!

Talked to the coach after the game (I know him well) and explained that I diverted my eyes toward the pass and missed just WHO ran into who. He fully understood, but that didn't make me feel any better. I SO wish we officials had the ability to see more of the floor at a single time!!

What could I have done differently?

Not talked to the coach.

Not a good idea imo to talk to any coach after a game, friend or not, unless they seek you out to ask a polite question. Leave the discussions for another time.

One thing I've learned over the years is that a coach complaining typically has no relation to whether a call is (or is not) missed.

Even if you didn't have the best look at a play doesn't mean the coach that's complaining had the look you wish you had -- he wants the call and would likely complain even if you had a perfect view and were 100% confident in your call.

So move on and worry about the next call. If there's an adjustment you can make, make it, but don't dwell on situations where you don't have the perfect look. Especially if you're working 2-person, you won't always have the perfect look.

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!

YEP!!!!

Peace

Getting screened doesn't mean you didn't have a good angle. You can get a great angle and then all of sudden another player moves in your way.



Limiiting the amount of interaction I have with a coach.