Advice on how to handle mouthy players

[ballgame99]

Did a freshman game last night with a bunch of whiners. Mostly just "oh my GOD!" and "he's hacking me!!" type comments. Nothing that would, in my opinion, warrent a T on its own, although I did hear one "that's bullcrap!" I thought about Ting that one up, but stopped myself. I'm a fairly new ref so I would like to hear what an appropriate way to nip this stuff in the bud. Because once they started whining they didn't stop.

The one team even started making little jab comments during free throws.

Thanks.

[tref]

1. Ask the captain &/or coach to help you out as you have heard enough.
2. Official warning
3. Whack
4. Toss

[IUgrad92]

Early in my career a veteran official told me "I'll take 'it' (jabbing comments) from a coach, but I won't take it from a player". I've taken that somewhat to heart, but each situation is unique and I handle them as such.

Whacked an 8th grade girl last weekend (no prior warning given) because she felt like she had to tell me 'what really happened' on a play she was involved in. Her mom came up to me after the game asking what she did because she wanted to know how she needed to discipline her child (refreshing to hear, huh?). I told her what happened and we both agreed that 'tone' has a lot to do with it. I also told her that in most cases, if a player "asks" a question, I will answer, but being told something probably won't get the same result.

It's amazing, the comments you mentioned in the OP, I would have never dreamed of saying back when I played. Boy how things have changed. Partly though, I think kids think they can say these type of comments because there is typically no repercussions, jmo.

[derwil]

Bullcrap.......whack.

In a freshman game....probably a good long stare the first OMG - they will usually get the hint that you are not pleased. Second instance...whack. Varsity game I'd ask coach, talk to captain etc. Very little tolerance in a game at that level.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by derwil

Bullcrap.......whack.

In a freshman game....probably a good long stare the first OMG - they will usually get the hint that you are not pleased. Second instance...whack. Varsity game I'd ask coach, talk to captain etc. Very little tolerance in a game at that level.

You're going to give them what I call "the look."

[tomegun]

Originally Posted by tref

1. Ask the captain &/or coach to help you out as you have heard enough.
2. Official warning
3. Whack
4. Toss

What exactly is an official warning where players are concerned?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by tomegun

What exactly is an official warning where players are concerned?

I was wondering this also.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by tomegun

What exactly is an official warning where players are concerned?

The warning is that if he does this again, he'll be on the bench and we'll be shooting two *more* free throws.

I also don't get the warning in the pre game bit -- I remind them of good sportsmanship, but 90% of what's said in the captain's meeting is ignored anyway.

I'll talk to players and won't necessarily serve some tea if a player has a moment of bad sportsmanship, but my threshold for player behavior is well below my threshold for coach behavior.

[SNIPERBBB]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

The warning is that if he does this again, he'll be on the bench and we'll be shooting two *more* free throws.

I also don't get the warning in the pre game bit -- I remind them of good sportsmanship, but 90% of what's said in the captain's meeting is ignored anyway.

I'll talk to players and won't necessarily serve some tea if a player has a moment of bad sportsmanship, but my threshold for player behavior is well below my threshold for coach behavior.

Only 90% is ignored?

[fullor30]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

The warning is that if he does this again, he'll be on the bench and we'll be shooting two *more* free throws.

I also don't get the warning in the pre game bit -- I remind them of good sportsmanship, but 90% of what's said in the captain's meeting is ignored anyway.

I'll talk to players and won't necessarily serve some tea if a player has a moment of bad sportsmanship, but my threshold for player behavior is well below my threshold for coach behavior.

He's referring to his pregame, not captains meeting I believe. Or not??

[BillyMac]

Players, and assistant coaches, get a really, really, really short leash. Head coaches, and sometimes, captains, get a slightly longer leash. I just ignore fans.

[zm1283]

Handed out my first technical of the year yesterday during a JV tournament, and it involved a mouthy player. I was Lead in transition and the ball goes out in the backcourt on my sideline. The V player (On defense) had knocked it OOB, but I didn't have a great look so I got help from my partner and we gave it to the H team. One of the V players walks toward me and says "Come on!" pretty demonstratively, to which I tell him to cut it out in no uncertain terms. He holds up two fingers and tells me "That's two". Whack. His coach yanked him and sat him for a while. He wasn't smart enough to shut his trap when I gave him the chance.

[bainsey]

On Friday, I was telling someone at pick-up ball that I don't need to assess T's for unsportsmanlike purposes very often.

Of course, the very next day, first game of the season assigned by my board, boys' varsity, #15 white gets exasperated and drops F-bombs. Whack.

No biggie. The coach asked me who did it, I identified, and he sat him.

After the game, it occured to me that I yellow card in my first high school soccer game this fall (also boys' varsity), but I had none the rest of the year (with the exception of the U-12 girls' assistant coach I had to toss). You just never know.

[mplagrow]

Probably two minutes into a tournament game today, and I called a kid for turning to me after a very obvious foul call and throwing his hands up and saying, "WHAT?" I am NOT going to be upstaged, especially not on the first call of the game, and an obvious arm-grab at that. Tolerate that, and it's going to be a very long game. Set the tone then and there, and it was a nice afternoon. Coach pulled him and chewed his but. I wouldn't have called that 10 years ago, but I also used to let people walk on me then too.

[stiffler3492]

It's best to nip it in the bud right away, otherwise it will continue all game. Maybe tell the coach you've heard some things out there that are close to unsportsmanlike, and you'd like his team to clean it up. The coach will appreciate you talking to him first, before just T'ing one of his players.

"That's bullcrap"--Automatic T.