Outside the coach's box
 

I had to whack a coach this morning for being out of the coach's box. He wasn't yelling at us, but he was at least 15 feet out of the box towards the baseline. (KS uses a 6' box) I noticed and watched him for a few seconds. He didn't look like he was in a hurry to get back, so I called a T. The coach (of course) wanted a warning first. Does anyone allow the coach a little slack if he is coaching and not yelling? Do you think I should have warned him first?

Depends on where you ref and what's expected there. Some areas want you to warn him if he's just coaching. The rules don't require a warning, though.

15 feet out of the box seems a little much, also.

Yes & yes.

I'm not whacking him the first time I see him out. I'll warn him to get back in the box and then address it as needed.

Igonorance is no excuse, however ...
 

I see this A LOT in youth leagues especially with the entry level teams. Usually it's a (seemingly) well intentioned coach who doesn't seem to know where the coaching box is located nor it's dimensions. First dead ball opportunity I usually have a quiet conversation with the coach about coaching box boundaries and from that point on we're good for the game.

MS/JV/V I expect the coaches to know the rule and act accordingly without reminders.

Also, Many youth/MS gyms don't even have marked coach's boxes.

Last week, we had a visiting 6th grade girls coach who did not like me asking him to move back from the table when he decided to come up to the division line to coach. :p

I always warn first. I don't see the need for a T right off the bat so I give a warning and then if he ignores it - WHACK.

Not sure what part of KS your in, but in the part I'm in you will stick out like a sore thumb doing that. You will not advance, not get games, etc. I know at meetings you will get told over and over to enforce the coaches box, blah, blah, blah but I am telling you this: if you enforce the coaches box when they are NOT yelling at you and are simply outside the box you WILL be the only one doing so. I am not at all saying it's right, but that is the way it is.

Agreed. If coach is addressing is players I think a quick chat/warning should be enough. If coach is addressing officials, he gets stop sign, failure to immediately return to coaching box = whack-ola. Depending on how he is addressing officials (if he is out of the box) I might even skip the stop sign.

Yep You gotta warn him first, unless he is in the way or using this tactic to ***** to the officials. Give the coach the ability to coach. Look at Gary Williams at Maryland. He is always kneeling on the floor, out of the box, but he is always coaching. Don't make trouble....If he is in the way or bothering officials, warn him, otherwise it is a part or the game that affects no one,

CONSISTENCY is the key, in these situations. If a coach is OCCASIONALLY out of his box COACHING, our crew will remind him to get back into his box. At the same time, it can be an unfair advantage for a coach to be able to run up and down the sidelines communicating with his team ESPECIALLY if the gym is particularly loud.

As a COACH, I HATED the introduction of the coaching box. At the same time, having one coach abiding by the rule while the other one is doing his impression of Gary Williams does provide an unfair advantage.

If a referee crew completely ignores the coaching box during tournament play, they will definitely be dinged in the post game. On the other hand, issuing a technical foul without warning will likely yield a comment in the post game as well.

Wave. Warn. Whack.

If he was a couple or even five steps out of the box coaching, I would have absolutely given a warning. In this situation, he was past the end of his bench and nearly on the baseline. I don't think I have seen a coach that far out, getting on me or otherwise, in a game I have worked. I hindsight, I guess I probably should have warned first. Live and learn

How much is too much . . .
 

I'm T, table side, when I hear the coach's voice, louder than normal. I turn to see him standing right behind me. Oh, he's just coaching his girls, but he's standing 10 feet from the sideline, and even with the top of the 3-point line. Whistle, T.
"But I'm only talking to my players!"
"Coach, look where you are . . ."
He takes a look at the floor, then at his bench, and then we both start laughing. "You're right. I guess I got carried away!"
I realize this thread is talking about coaches on the sideline, in the area of the bench. I just thought I'd review a situation that makes me smile whenever I have a conversation about coaches' boxes.