Coach-Player misconduct: Get involved?
 

Boys freshmen yesterday, going OT. Both teams are at their respective benches. I call captains over for brief OT meeting.

While this is going on, Coach A is irate with seated A-1, telling the kid, "I'll throw your @$$ out." I pause and consider a T, but go with my leaning to stay out of it.

After the game, my partner tells me he heard the coach say "f***ing @$$." Had I heard that, I would've T'd, but my partner disagreed, citing the bench area is their domain, and if that gets back to a parent, any punishment would be far worse than any T (which is likely true).

Thoughts, please. T on either one?

Poppycock!
 

The court is our domain - and that includes the bench area.

Similar to if a player mutters a bad word or two under their breath, if it's loud enough for others in attendance to hear, unsporting - Whack!

Great question. I've heard some of the same on the football field (not to that extreme). However, I've heard football coaches implore their kids to hurt the other team. "It's half time and I don't see any kids hurt on the other sideline," or "when he goes up for a pass, you need to hit him right here in the ribs."

Whether or not you "confront" the coach (privately or in front of his/her players) I think is a case-by-case decision. But I think a phone call and E-mail to the AD (notify the assignor and Cc: him/her in the E-mail) giving details about the event would be appropriate.

I know my state has made it clear that profanity like this is not to be tolerated simply because it's directed within one team. I was thinking that direction came from the Fed, but I'm not sure. Bottom line, the coach will be seated for the overtime for that comment.

Football, nothing. If, however, he is calling for his team to injure the opponents, I believe that's flagrant in either sport.

I'm with you on this one. I personally wouldn't stick him on the first one you heard. I definitely would have if I had heard the second one, and I'm left to wonder why your partner didn't. If he's sure that's what he heard, the coach is still going to get that extra punishment if it gets back to parents, maybe worse, with the T or not. "Bench area is their domain" sounds like a cop out, IMO.

First, 10-3-6b and 10-4-1c allow us to deal with players and bench personnel (including coaches) when it comes to profanity. No one is allowed to commit unsporting acts, including...

The rule doesn't say anything about where that language is directed. I mentioned this last year but in NYC publics we have a mandate to follow 10-3-6b/10-4-1c to the letter. It's accompanied by a Dept. of Ed. rule that prohibits the use of profanity. It has cleaned up a lot of the language problems. It wasn't in a huddle but last year I rang up a coach who dropped an f-bomb after his team threw the ball away in OT. He wasn't happy with the T but he didn't argue because he knew the mandate. By the way, his team won.

Second, parents will support us if we call a technical on a head coach because they swore at their own players. When I worked Catholic ball our assignor told us to ring up coaches who swore in their huddles because the parents who sat behind the bench had started complaining to school administrators. I wouldn't think any parent wants to hear a coach drop an f-bomb at their kid. After all, coaches - at least in H.S. - are also teachers. We wouldn't allow it in a classroom and a game is a coach's classroom.

Improper Language ...
 

Many, many years ago, I overheard a male coach say to his female high school player, "Get your *ucking head in the game", as she was dribbling the ball past her team bench. The comment was only loud enough for the the player, and me, to hear.

I mentioned it to the athletic director on my way out. He was grateful that I mentioned it to him, and assured me that it wouldn't happen again.

There's a case or one of the yearly interps (check the sticky thread) that allows us to T even if profanity is directed at the coach's own team.

I am still not a fan of taking comments that are said in a team huddle and then taking action. I might say something to a coach about being loud, but if I called a T for that here, I would not be working in certain places. And once gain, the NF has not defined even what "inappropriate language" actually is in the first place. So what can be inappropriate to one person might be considered OK to another. And even the NCAA did a much better job to define what should be penalized. If I do hear something that could be out of line, I just tell them to stop like I would do during any other time in the game.

Peace

Technical foul. If you didn't hear it, fine - you were talking to players. But your P should enforce this one.

With the swear word, likely nothing, except if persistent, warn the coach, and if continued, write it on the game sheet.

Is there anywhere the word "*ucking" is not inappropriate ?

Northeastern Illinois

Warn and then what?

I think it's funny we get all up in arms over such language. When I hear a football coach use this language in a huddle, it doesn't phase me in the least bit. Are we treating this differently because of the coaches' position close to the spectators in basketball?

It might not be appropriate, but that does not mean every time I hear it is warrants a T. Not T'ing a kid that blows out his knee and uses that word. And there is nothing in the rules that says it matters when it is used if I listen to folks here. And it will be the first I see anyone give a T for that kind of scenario. Let us act like we do not use common sense or warn other infractions that would be obvious rules violations. Do not tell me this is so bad and no one is giving Ts for other things like being "technically" out of the coaching box. We all make provisions for things to get the rules applied appropriately.

Peace