First year- Need Opininon on this scenario

[EddieLopez]

1st year official in Miami here, awesome to be able to come here for advice by the way, lots of help with my post in Dec. I am called to fill in for an official that was late for a game a long way from the game I just had worked on one side of town. I make it there with the 2nd just started. I ease into the game, the other official is also a first year with some rec experience. Home team was up all the way by and avg of 15, visiting was getting feistier by the minute. 2 min into the game when I went in visiting coach starts to complain on a call I made for a block, I waved him back and kept on.

Here is the scenario, 1 min left in the game, home team up by 16, and visiting goes over the back on a rebound. I had the trail and the called is made by my partner, # 4 who was behind the three point line, approaches me and starts screaming and gesturing choice words. I had never come close to calling a T and in a heartbeat T his butt. As I turn to report the tech, he starts again and louder keeps screaming good stuff and I look at him, he keeps on and Bam! He's gone. I turn to the table again and the player originally called for the foul comes at me and starts waving his arms at me mocking the call and starts to curse and say stuff, Bam-T for him! I look over to the coach and say" That is three coach, three techs for ya", as if how many do you need me to call. I finally report everything, free throws were shot and game was played out without further. Now I have to fax paperwork to the state and he will probably miss some games, don't feel good about that, he is a JV kid after all and they were losing by 15 but still hustling.

What do you guys think.

Thanks

[Larks]

Originally posted by EddieLopez
1st year official in Miami here, awesome to be able to come here for advice by the way, lots of help with my post in Dec. I am called to fill in for an official that was late for a game a long way from the game I just had worked on one side of town. I make it there with the 2nd just started. I ease into the game, the other official is also a first year with some rec experience. Home team was up all the way by and avg of 15, visiting was getting feistier by the minute. 2 min into the game when I went in visiting coach starts to complain on a call I made for a block, I waved him back and kept on.

Here is the scenario, 1 min left in the game, home team up by 16, and visiting goes over the back on a rebound. I had the trail and the called is made by my partner, # 4 who was behind the three point line, approaches me and starts screaming and gesturing choice words. I had never come close to calling a T and in a heartbeat T his butt. As I turn to report the tech, he starts again and louder keeps screaming good stuff and I look at him, he keeps on and Bam! He's gone. I turn to the table again and the player originally called for the foul comes at me and starts waving his arms at me mocking the call and starts to curse and say stuff, Bam-T for him! I look over to the coach and say" That is three coach, three techs for ya", as if how many do you need me to call. I finally report everything, free throws were shot and game was played out without further. Now I have to fax paperwork to the state and he will probably miss some games, don't feel good about that, he is a JV kid after all and they were losing by 15 but still hustling.

What do you guys think.

Thanks

I think you did what you had to do to finish / maintain control of the game. Spare no detail in your report. If you leave it off that form, it never happened.

Good Luck

Larks

[EddieLopez]

Thanks for the response Larks. Also, I wondered as did my partner, why he did not step in earlier as I called the first and second T's. You would figure he would come and help me after I make the first one. To make matters worse, the player originally committing the foul was under the basket, my partner basically watched the whole thing. I am not blaming him for anything caus ehe was probabaly like,"What the hell is going on there". If he would have steooed in and told the coach or player to control him, there would have been 1 T, 1 foul, 4 shots and the ball. Instead, 3 T's, 2 players ejected and 8 shots and the ball.

Mind you I have only worked 7 games mostly girls JV with absolutely no other experience.

Thanks

[williebfree]

Not to sound cruel, (constructive criticism, if you will) but your post was WAY to apologetic.

You are an enforcer of the rules. The behavior of those players was THEIR conduct. THEY forced the issue. You used the "T"ools within your authority in an attempt to get control of the game. It is apparent that THEIR coach did not have control of them.

My suggestion is that you report the details as unemotionally as you can, about the incident and in no way should you put apologetic terms in that report. As Larks said, if it aint in the report it didn't happen. If possible, have someone else review the report before you send it.

An attaboy is in order for you, for doing as much as you could to address these thugs and not letting them get away with making a mockery of the game.

[EddieLopez]

I forgot to mention that the game I called prior to that one I was paired with the commish of our association. The game I filled in for there happened to be someone evaluating us in the stands. I called him after the game and he seemed pleased with my actions, and he will read the report befor it goes to state. All of this and I have called 28 quarters of B-Ball in my life, with no clinics, or experience. You know what though, I felt good and was under control the whole time. Even some managing must have taken place, # 5, 1"T", shook my hand after the game as if,"My bad".

[just another ref]

Originally posted by EddieLopez
I look over to the coach and say" That is three coach, three techs for ya", as if how many do you need me to call.

I think you did exactly what you needed to do with the possible exception of the above line. It does not sound here like you had any bad intention, but at the time he might have thought that you were throwing the T's up in his face. Did he have any reaction when you said this? If not, it sounds like you did a great job.

[canuckrefguy]

Eddie:

You did the right thing. Nuff said. No apologies.

Hopefully next time, those players won't be such boneheads, and the coach will keep better control of his players.

[dhodges007]

Originally posted by EddieLopez
1st year official in Miami here, awesome to be able to come here for advice by the way, lots of help with my post in Dec. I am called to fill in for an official that was late for a game a long way from the game I just had worked on one side of town. I make it there with the 2nd just started. I ease into the game, the other official is also a first year with some rec experience. Home team was up all the way by and avg of 15, visiting was getting feistier by the minute. 2 min into the game when I went in visiting coach starts to complain on a call I made for a block, I waved him back and kept on.

Here is the scenario, 1 min left in the game, home team up by 16, and visiting goes over the back on a rebound. I had the trail and the called is made by my partner, # 4 who was behind the three point line, approaches me and starts screaming and gesturing choice words. I had never come close to calling a T and in a heartbeat T his butt. As I turn to report the tech, he starts again and louder keeps screaming good stuff and I look at him, he keeps on and Bam! He's gone. I turn to the table again and the player originally called for the foul comes at me and starts waving his arms at me mocking the call and starts to curse and say stuff, Bam-T for him! I look over to the coach and say" That is three coach, three techs for ya", as if how many do you need me to call. I finally report everything, free throws were shot and game was played out without further. Now I have to fax paperwork to the state and he will probably miss some games, don't feel good about that, he is a JV kid after all and they were losing by 15 but still hustling.

What do you guys think.

Thanks

First of all, you didn't "give" them a T. They earned them. Secondly, next time I would talk to my partner (good pregame, I understand that you didn't have that luxery this game) and make sure we were on the same page that if I gave the first one, they got the second. But it sounds like you handled it great!

[mick]

Eddie,
In your report, like Larks said, "spare no detail."
Use every word, every letter that you remember being exchanged.
Good luck.
mick

[whistleblower]

I agree, the only thing I would add is that you comment to the coach, "that's three for ya, how many do ya need?" might have been a little too flip.

[Ref Daddy]

We all call walking and dDribbling, turnovers and timeouts.

Technicals are in the rule book and just as clear.

We all strive to balance a game to a competitive level with consistent calls. Its part of the job.

Call it.