"I don't know what that means." (LGP)
 

Coach A verbalizes loudly for a foul on B-1.

Me: "The defender had LGP all the way, Coach."
Coach: "I don't know what that means!"

Okay, granted, this was a middle school game. Still, shouldn't all coaches know a valuable rule concept like LGP? Or, am I talking too much in ref-speak? Or, is there something that could be done to teach this concept, so we can all get on the same plane?

I don't care for broad-brush statements like, "Coaches don't know the rules." In truth, some know more than others. Still, shouldn't the knowledge of LGP in the coaching ranks be as universal as that of travelling and double dribble?

Did you use the acronym?

Typically if a coach questions a foul call and I use the term "Legal Guarding Position", they just look at me and say "OK"....with a deer in the headlights look. Very few actually understand this rule, especially at the sub-varsity level.

No this is not just middle school, it even applies to college coaches. And LGP is a rules term, those are the things you should use rather than "coach speak" like "reach" or "over the back." At least if you use those terms and they repeat them you are not causing confusion with those the coach reported to, like your supervisor.

Peace

If a coach (or any other person) wasn't interested in knowing about LGP on his own, defining the term can turn out to be counterproductive. The next step is "That can't be a foul on my player! The defender didn't have legal guarding position!!"

It's happened before.

Heck no. Coaches at the high school level don't know what this means. It's not their job to know what it means.

If this happened to me, I would say "What the defender did was legal, coach." and leave it at that.

How often do we feel compelled to give any explanation for a foul call?

I cannot speak for them, but at least in a 3 Person game, you are often in front of a coach and will get asked about a call even when you did not make it. Sometimes you cannot just ignore them.

Peace

Sure, I discuss calls with coaches when it's convenient, but not because the coach:

I do agree with that. But sometimes when they are loud they need to be addressed or they will get louder and you will really have to do something about it.

Peace

Yep. Two words: E NUFF

I never answer a question that is shouted at me.


No, he didn't! Yes, he did! is worst case scenario.

I guess I did not read it the way you did. I did not take the OP as when a coach was shouting. Some coaches just are loud, that does not mean they are shouting at you. At least that is the case in my experience.

Peace

I disagree. If they don't know what this means, they're putting themselves in a huge hole. How can you effectively teach the game if you don't have a thorough rules knowledge, let alone being able to effectively communicate with officials?

Having good rules knowledge can certainly help coaches. But, at least the coaches I've dealt with, apparently don't spend any time teaching their kids the finer points of the rule book. They're worried about coaching basketball, and they let us worry about the rules.

Most high school coaches have never read a rule book. In Va. each school is given one by the VHSL every year. I think the schools recycle them to help the environment.