Dealing with lower level coaches?
 

I've been officiating for 8 yrs now, still a rookie in my Assoc.
Why is it the lower level Coaches Freshman & JV scream and yell at the officials for calls or no calls. I sometimes stick around for the varsity game and the Coaches for the most part just calmly ask questions about calls. I feel the lower level coaches just want to win the game as most do, but keep there job to make that extra money coaching? Do you lower level officials see this as well? Hope everyone's season is going well. GFS-1

In my opinion it is a combination of (1) coaches who are inexperienced and/or don't know the rules all that well and (2) the coaches figure most JV officials are rookies and so they question the calls they make or don't make.

I call some JV games (actually enjoy them) and the funny thing is I have been calling ball longer than a lot of the coaches have been around. I also have no problem informing them that I am not going to have them question every call or they will be watching the game while seated on the bench

Lower level coaches tend be younger and less mature and do not know how to talk to officials in the appropriate way. Ironically, they also may think less of the officials who work their games because those officials tend to be less experienced.

Officials working lower level games, even those who are less experienced, need to let the coaches know that their behavior will not be tolerated. If talking doesnt work then stick them with a few Ts and they will get the picture or have to explain to their varsity coach why they got tossed from a game and someone else from the varsity staff has to take time away from preparation to coach one of the lower level teams.

I agree with this. In addition, at least around here, we have quite a few inexperienced officials working sub-varsity. A lot of us are still learning how to handle coaches.

IMO most coaches at those levels are less experienced as are the officials. Coaches only do what we allow them to do & some officials at the lower levels dont know how to take care of biznizz!

My $0.02:

There are several major factors in play... in no particular order:

Officials inexperience in dealing with coaches, inexperienced officials (myself included) probably don't have the coach-handling skills of the seasoned vets.

Coaches inexperience and lack of detailed rules knowledge.

Additionally, at least around here, there's usually only one coach for these lower-level games, and I think officials are probably reluctant to toss a coach if there's no AC available to take over the game. (I know I've felt this way once or twice... I don't want to punish the kids for the sins of their coach. And yes, I know this shouldn't really be a factor in my decision-making process). On the other hand, this may also be a contributing factor in varsity coaches being more subdued... they know they can get tossed more easily because they have ACs there to take over.

Because we let them...

+1

Yep, there's a 9 page thread right now partly because of this very issue.

+10

In our area coaches at the lower level get away with murder because we don't police them. We also have officials not enforce certain rules because it is a "lower level" games.

You are not alone, trust me on this one.
 

I think it was said the best earlier. The coaches at that level are still learning too. They just do not get what to do just like us as officials have to learn how to deal with them when we move up the latter. Usually these coaches figure it out a little more if they get to the varsity levels themselves because the veterans are not going to put up with their antics when they are at that level. This is why I tend to notice when the veteran official come down to work these games, their behavior is not accepted and Ts are more likely given. Younger official tend to not know to defuse many situations and you get powder kegs. And it must be noted that these games are often more difficult to officiate because the players are not as good or experienced and the coaches do not know how to coach through diversity as well and think yelling at the officials is the way to get what they want. And the fans are not as knowledgeable about the game either, so you hear more ignorant comments and the overall tone of the experience is different. This is just the way it is and try to watch veterans to learn some techniques and body language that works for you and maybe you will get a handle on some of these coaches better. But do not feel bad, even veterans I know cannot stand these coaches as was the case of a guy that I am very good friends with dealt with the other night and is a State Final official.

Peace

Besides what has already been mentioned, the other factor is that the newer and/or less experienced coaches at the Middle School, Fr, and JV levels have what they see on TV as their role models...they probably think that being like Bobby Knight is how a coach is supposed to act!

Some of the newer ones haven't seen coach Knight coach. My guess is they're modeling themselves after that one guy from Duke.

I doubt there are too many people that do not know or have not seen Coach Knight at some point of their life if they are old enough to coach right now. It is not like it has been 10 years since his last game.

Peace