Assistant Coach in the stands
 

Last night we had an interesting situation. About a minute before the game starts an assistant coach walks around the floor and walks up to the top bleacher in the crowd. Then at halftime he comes down and gives information to the coaching staff. He then comes back and sits down on the bench in the second half. To my understanding he would be bench personnel and cannot leave the bench area for any unauthorized reason. So, do we assess an unsporting technical? What if the coach does not come down on the bench in the second half and stays in the stands?

Wasn't this exact same question asked last season?

Maybe splitveer wasn't around here last season.

Was it judtech?

Similar.

"AC" coaching from stand

The rule has changed or there has been a clarification since this conversation. But this was an issue in one part of my state.

Peace

Thanks Jeff. Guess my answer from last year would still stand for me. Of course that's assuming specific direction or clarification isn't in place.

Couldn't of been, he wasn't running his mouth!:D

:D:p For JV games we sit at the end of the bench. I do however, try to get my Nachos prior to me taking a seat on the bench, but sometimes the cheese hasn't been warmed up yet and I wait for a quarter or half to end before leaving the bench for the concession stand!
LOUD - I tried the nachos for the varsity game but I kept spitting out chips when I called the plays!! I have eaten through a few towels in my time though!

So what splitveer mentioned is legal? Just wanting some clarification to make sure I understand.

Here is the problem. Unless we know the status of a coach with a team we have no idea what they are or what they are not. The only way most of us would know who an assistant coach was if at one time during the game they were sitting on or near the bench. So if that person leaves the bench then we would easily know they are associated with the team in some way. And this was a new rule/clarification that team members need to be near their bench area and cannot leave during the game. So in this situation it seems like there is a violation of the rule and can be penalized. (10-3-6l and 10-5-5)

Peace

In this particular situation, let's just say the officials had this team earlier in the season and remembered this coach. As they were observing before the game they noticed that this coach took a seat on the top row across from the bench area with binder in hand. As the half got over, they met the asst coach and head coach in the hallway on the way to the locker room talking. Now does it matter if (a) he sits on the bench for the 2nd half or (b) if he takes his seat back in the stands where he was for the first half?

Nope. If he starts on the bench, he needs to stay there. If he doesn't, I don't care. As long as he's not joining the huddle during timeouts, nothing prevents a coach from having an AC sit in the stands. He's not bench personnel.

And if he joins the bench during the 2nd half, no big deal. He stays there.

Frankly, I wouldn't even care if he spent the 1st half on the bench and decided to watch the 2nd half from the bleachers.

Also, what if he starts the game in the bleachers & cusses at the officials in route to the locker room at the half?

Is he bench personel or just a fan?

Could be the coach's brother; could be a prominent donor; could be the father of three players; could be....

He's just a fan.

But if he then shows up on the bench in the 2nd half, he'll get the short leash.

If he wasn't on the bench, he's not bench personnel. That doesn't stop you from having game management eject him from the building though. ;)