A Multiple Choice Exercise

[Freddy]

The high school head coach walks into a gym for a regular season basketball game. Who, in his mind, do you think he is working for? (not legally, but philosophically)? Pick the top three choices...the three least likely choices:
1) The Conference
2) The Sport
3) The School Administration
4) Himself
5) The Fans
6) The School
7) His Athletic Director
8) The Players
9) His Staff
10) The Officials
11) The Media

You walk into a gym to do a regular season high school basketball game. Who, in your mind, are you working for? (not legally, but philosophically)? Pick the top three choices...the three least likely choices:
1) The Conference
2) The Coaches
3) Your Local Association
4) Yourself
5) The Fans
6) The Schools
7) Your State Association
8) The Players
9) Your Crew
10) The Sport
11) Your Assigner
12) The Media


NOTE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE ANSWERS FOR EACH QUESTION.

HOW DO THOSE DIFFERENCES SOMETIMES MANIFEST THEMSELVES DURING A GAME?

UNDERSTANDING THESE DIFFERENCES, HOW DOES THAT IMPACT HOW YOU OFFICIATE, IF AT ALL?

[Mark Padgett]

You forgot to put "ego" in both columns.

[BillyMac]

The high school head coach walks into a gym for a regular season basketball game. Who, in his mind, do you think he is working for?
Pick the top three choices: The School, The Players, The Fans
The three least likely choices: The Conference, The Officials, The Media

You walk into a gym to do a regular season high school basketball game. Who, in your mind, are you working for?
Pick the top three choices: Your Assigner, Your Local Association, The Sport
The three least likely choices: The Fans, The Conference, The Media

[JRutledge]

Whatever someone picks, it is clear and has always been clear that officials are often not working games for the same reason that the coaches are coaching the games.

Peace

[Adam]

Coach works for the school board.
I work for my assigner.

I'll leave the philosophy stuff to the folks who get paid more than I do.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

I'll leave the philosophy stuff to the folks who get paid more than I do.

Where's mbyron? He's always underfoot, creating mischief, until you really need him.

[McMac]

I'll bite.

Head Coach:
Most likely: School, AD, Players
Least likely: Sport, Staff, Media

Me:
Most likely: Players, Crew, Assigner
Least likely: Media, Fans, Coaches

Philosophically, we both are there for the players, but the coaches are only worried about their players. So when they feel something has wronged their team, they try to make things right for their team. Whereas, as officials, we are there to adjudicate the game in the interest of fairness for all. And this is where the rub comes in between officials and coaches.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by McMac

Philosophically, we both are there for the players, but the coaches are only worried about their players. So when they feel something has wronged their team, they try to make things right for their team. Whereas, as officials, we are there to adjudicate the game in the interest of fairness for all. And this is where the rub comes in between officials and coaches.

Philosophically we all have our personal reasons for why we do this and really none of those reasons are wrong. I am more there for the game. People in the game come and go from the players to the coaches and even other officials. This is a people business, but I would not say my participation was for the kids or players directly. I am there because I love the game and want to stay close to that game.

Peace

[Raymond]

Tangibly I work for whoever is paying me.

Philosophically I'm there for the good of the game. I don't work for the players or coaches.

[Andy]

I have had this question put to me another way:

For the service you provide as a sports official, who is your customer?

My customer is the game

My customer is NOT the team, coach, conference, assignor, etc......

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Freddy

The high school head coach walks into a gym for a regular season basketball game. Who, in his mind, do you think he is working for? (not legally, but philosophically)? Pick the top three choices...the three least likely choices:

Top: His AD, School Admin, School. Bottom: Officials, Conference, Media.

Originally Posted by Freddy

You walk into a gym to do a regular season high school basketball game. Who, in your mind, are you working for? (not legally, but philosophically)? Pick the top three choices...the three least likely choices:

Top: My Assignor, The Sport, My State Association; Bottom: Coaches, Fans, Media

[Freddy]

I appreciate the responses given to this multiple choice quiz. It is intended for use for new and prospective officials in order for them to arrive at a reasoned understanding of why they will sometimes get yelled at by coaches and why an understanding of where coaches are coming from helps in their relations with them during the game. Prepping them for it prior seems better than pulling them up from the pits when it happens to them, was the thought.
Having incorporated some of the things gleaned from the responses, we'll put it in the toolbox of resources with which to help equip new officials.
Thanx again.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Freddy

I appreciate the responses given to this multiple choice quiz. It is intended for use for new and prospective officials in order for them to arrive at a reasoned understanding of why they will sometimes get yelled at by coaches and why an understanding of where coaches are coming from helps in their relations with them during the game.

You didn't include parents in your multiple choice answers. Parents are tax payers who fund the school system, the sports program, the coaches salary, and the officials. Parents are also voters who influence the direction of the board of education, which in turn may influence the direction of the sports program. And, of course, parents are also fans, in some cases, very vocal fans.

Some coaches may believe that they, at some level, "work for" the parents. I've coached middle school basketball for over twenty-five years, and I've been officiating for over thirty years, so I have some understanding about how coaches think. There are coaches who will purposely get a technical foul to show to both their players, and parents, that they are willing to "stick up" for their players when they feel that their players have somehow been "wronged" by the officials. In situations like this, coaches usually realize that arguing with an official won't change the way the game is being officiated, or the outcome of the game, it's just a "game" that coaches play to show their parents that they are "doing their job". It's not personal, it's just a "game" that coaches sometimes play. If parents weren't in the stands, these technical fouls would never have to be charged.

[Freddy]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

You didn't include parents...

Apt point. Lists revised accordingly. Thanx.

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by Freddy

Apt point. Lists revised accordingly. Thanx.

And thanks for not including shot clock operators in either list.