I am just wondering what others cover in the HS pregame meeting with coaches and players.

In my area we are required to ask the 3 questions about 1)proper equipment 2)uniforms & 3)sportsmanship. After that it is a free-for-all depending on the R.

I like short-and-sweet. What do you cover?

I cover the same as you.

"Coaches, are your players properly equiped?. The IHSA expects good sportsmanship from all participants. Let's have a fun."

I have since added reference to the pre-Game sportsmanship issue to remind teams not to congregate in the center circle during intro's. A game I was on began with a T due to the visiting team doing "their thing" in the center circle. The "R" did everything in his power to prevent it, but the players ignored him. NOt a pretty sitch when beginning a game with that particular "T".

Captains Meeting
 

With the captains only, I'll tell them they are the spokesperson for their team. If they have any questions, come to us in a respectful manner and we'll be glad to answer their questions. On the same line, we'll ask the captains for help in certain situations. They (the captains) can correct a situation before we (officals) have to because once we do, a penalty is involved. Ask for questions. Done. Less than a minute. Coaches I ask the required questions (properly equipped and sportmanship) and that's it. I've been with some refs that practically read the rule book, no hand checking, black line all around, watch post play..., but that isn't necessary.

Mregor

most importantly.....
 

Hi captains.....

Good luck, play the whistle, and have fun!

That's my captains meeting, short and sweet.....

oh ya, I always ask my partner if they have anything to add......and I always pray that they just say have a good game!

I think there are some things you DON'T want to include.

Don't talk about rules unless someone has a specific question about a rule.

Don't explain how you are going to call the game. They will figure it out. And if you don't call it the way you said you were going to call it,... now you are in trouble.

Especially don't do the above without your partner present... We're gonna call this and that and .... about then your partner joins the meeting. "We're going to do what? You're not getting us in trouble are you?"

I like to say something along the lines of "Captains, congratulations. You are the leaders of your teams. You will set the tone for sportsmanship, quality of play, and communication with us, the other team, and your own team. Use your position wisely - be leaders."

I don't know if anyone else has problems with players and their shirts. So another thing I might say, and this has to do with a rule so it goes against my earlier statement about no rules. I kind of feel it also has to do with being properly equipped... "I'm going to try to keep my shirt tucked in. You try to keep yours tucked in too."

"Let's have a great game."

"I like to say something along the lines of "Captains, congratulations. You are the leaders of your teams. You will set the tone for sportsmanship, quality of play, and communication with us, the other team, and your own team. Use your position wisely - be leaders."


No offence, but I think if I scripted out a captain's meeting like that one,i'd either get laughed out of the circle, or get my *** kicked by them. Just my own opinion.

What I do is as follows:
1. make sure they introduce themselves, I don't care if they are best friends off the court. Someone in the stands sees these kids shaking hands and i think it makes it a more positive enviroment.
2. I warm them about all of our little local "points of emphasis" i.e. making sure all subs report, shirts, jewelery etc. We've been having some troubles with those problems in my area.

And finally I'll usually end with something along the lines like "Remember guys, you guys can deal with problems before I get a chance too, and the only way I can deal with bad stuff is to penalize it."

I try not to get to complicated and technical with my rules jargon, after all these are only highschool students. Needless to say, I don't use a word with any more than 4 letters when i talk to the coaches(Stop, Now,"T",BYE BYE!!..heeh)

That brings me to another point, in Ontario it has been my experience that the coaches brief/decloration has all but fallin' by the wayside...how many people goto the coach to have them verify the equipment/sportsmanship?

TR

[Edited by moose69 on Jan 21st, 2003 at 03:48 PM]

mine is probly a little to long but hear goes

my name is mr. __________
this is mr. ___________
shake hands and introduce your self.
black line all the way around. we want to see good sportsmanship out of every one today. Ask coaches about equipment. Have a good game and good luck.

What if the boundary line is green? or red? Do you play until you find a black line? :D

If you are calling anything above pee-wees, the kids know what the out of bounds markers are. Spend the few seconds you have with them on something a little more important.

well duh of course if the line is another color I would use that color instead, and with most gyms they have more than one set of lines. For example you have a cross court and it's out of bounds is marked in brown. And the game court is marked by blue. 2 minutes in to the game ball goes passed the blue line player who is a captian makes a great attempt at saving the ball, but we officials no its out of bounds, but enter captian here he starts to argue saying he thought the brown was out of bounds. While it doesnt matter what he thought all this could have been avoided by just saying 5 extra words in the confrence

That might be true if the captains actually listened during the conference. . .

IMHO - Players know about the lines on the court. I don't feel a need to use that phrase in a pre-game.
My coverage is brief: Introductions, legally equipped?, sportsmanship, questions?, good luck. They really want to get back and warm-up, so I don't talk too much to delay them.

We are required by the Kentucky HSAA to read what is known as the "green" card which simply makes a couple of comments about sportsmanship. I also like to try and add a "human" touch just to let the kids and coaches know that we are here to help them play a game safely and fairly. I have gotten some good ideas from this board before but here are some I have used this year:

1. To Team A: Do you feel your team is the best in gym?
Reply from Team A: YES
To Team B: Do you feel your team is the best in gym?
Reply from Team B: Yes
My Reply: That's great because tonight you have the best two officials in this gym on the floor with you and we are going to give you our best. Let's have a great game.
(This usually even draws a smile from the coaches!)

2. My partner hasn't called a "T" all year and his girl friend is here watching him tonight. Please don't give him a chance to show off!

3. To captains of the female gender:

The KHSAA requires that your teams play with good sportswomansip! (Usually after a couple of seconds, they realize what was said and grin their approval)

4. Guess what folks; my partner and I absolutely do not care who wins this game. We are just here to do our job which is to enforce the rules of basketball. Let us do our job and you focus on playing and coaching...good luck!

I would love to hear some other ideas as well.

#1 - I agree with those who DO NOT tell the players what color the OOB line is. I do see it as an issue.

#2 - I, too, use "sportswomanship" with girls. They seem to like it. :)

#3 - For heavens sake, please don't ask if anyone is wearing contacts or tell them "we're going to call..." :(

Captains
Shake everyone's hand.
I'm Mr. Haire, this is Mr. Chambers, and Mr. Elias.
Who's the speaking captain for blue?
Who's the speaking captin for white?
Good sportsmanship.
Good luck!

Coach
Shake hands.
Coach, are all of tyour players properly equipped?
Are you going to help us promote good sportsmanship?
Good luck, coach.

That's it.

Captain's meetings are basically a required formality that no one is paying attention to. I usually give the keep the shirts in and shorts up comment and tell the captains to control their team. I have gotten to where I like to see how much they are paying attention, so usually after I ask my partners if they have any questions I'll say first team to score loses, have a good game. If anyone was halfway paying attention, they usually get back to the top of the key and look back. That only happens about every third time though. That's how much they pay attention to what we say.

Of course I did have a partner one night who during the girl's captains meeting had a Freudian slip and told them to keep their shirts up and their shorts down. That drew some interesting looks.

Just email me the date and the site :)

Chuck

Somebody said in an earlier thread that " ESPN is here and there will one media timeout per period" to see it they are paying attention. I've stolen that idea. It's good to see the captians smiling when they leave the pregame meeting.

Stan

Couldn't find a picture of the 3 blind mice, eh? How 'bout Larry, Darryl, and Darryl? :D

I add one more thing for coaches in my pregame. If I have a closely guarded situation in a loud gym, and I can't tell for 100% sure that it's the coach asking for a TO, I'm sticking with the count. We've had this problem alot in smaller gyms here in Minnesota, and relaying this to the coaches before the game has ALWAYS worked.

COACHES:
1. Everyone properly equipped?
2. Aforementioned situation
3. Let us know full or 30 right away

PLAYERS:
1. Keep hands off, straight up underneath
2. We will reward good defense, penalize bad defense
3. (girls only) If you have something pierced that I can't see, I don't want to know about it.
4. Speaking captian
5. Good sportsmanship, good luck, have fun

Takes about 2 minutes altogether, which always allowed me at least a minute to check the book and have everything taken care of there before I have to ding somebody at the 10 minute mark.

I tell the players that if they shoot 100% that my partner and I will get 100% of the calls right. That always gets a smile on their faces.

[QUOTE

PLAYERS:
1. Keep hands off, straight up underneath
2. We will reward good defense, penalize bad defense
3. (girls only) If you have something pierced that I can't see, I don't want to know about it.
4. Speaking captian
5. Good sportsmanship, good luck, have fun


Just my opinion -- You might want to drop #3 from your pre-game. Someone could take it the wrong way.

in my college games....
 

..i'll sometimes tell players that this is my partner's first game...not first college game...first game EVER...so please don't yell at him or he'll quit on my and I'll have to do the game by myself...

..it's amazing how few players realize it's a joke...they actually take it to heart, and we have a fun time with it for the duration of the game: "what do you expect from a rookie?" "how is my partner doing?"

...actually helps them keep perspective about officials!

i would get rid of all of em. except 4,5.
i would get rid of 1 because what if theres a time someone puts there hand on someone and you dont call it? then the coach/captain/player might say, "you told them to keep their hands off" ITS NOT BY WHAT YOU SAY, BUT WHAT YOU DO. it s a whole lot easier to eliminate "what you say", if you dont say anything at all.
and for number 2, what is good/bad defense?
3. i agree with oatmealqueen on this one. its our responsiblity to make sure no one gets hurt out there, so its our job to make sure everyone is properly equipped. but sometimes, we may miss an earring or two...