It almost goes without saying...
 

...that experience plays a big part in this. Sometimes it's just about letting the coach know you've taken in what they've said. If I'm at L or C and I can acknowledge with a nod, I'll do that. If it's a question, if I have the time, I'll answer. Over time you get better able to separate the wheat from the chaff, and you have a better feel for what's, to you, a distraction, what's to be ignored, and what's to definitely be addressed.

In the youth league I work in, two schools' teams will often meet at a third-party gym due to scheduling, and it's not always clear who's "home" and who's "away", although it's usually listed on a schedule that's put out.

Recently, I had a coach screaming about all kinds of violations that the other team was (wasn't) committing. I finally put up the magic hand and said, "Relax coach, you're killing them as it is. I don't want to hear anything more out of you." He's been chirping most of the game, and I've been ignoring him utterly, as has my partner. So he was flabbergasted when I actually turned around and addressed him. The score is 42-14 home at this point. As I'm administering the throw-in, I hear him say to his AC, "Wait, we're home?" The AC responds with, "Yeah, that's why I had them wear white today. What game are you watching?"

The coach sat down and I don't think he said another word to anybody for the rest of the game.

As for me, I discovered how hard it is to concentrate when you're trying not to laugh through your whistle.