Coach-Player misconduct: Get involved?

[bainsey]

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?

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by bainsey

the bench area is their domain

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!

[afsst]

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.

[Adam]

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.

[JetMetFan]

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...

Using profane or inappropriate language or obscene gestures

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.

[BillyMac]

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.

[bob jenkins]

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.

[Maineac]

Originally Posted by bainsey

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?

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.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by bainsey

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?

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.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by JugglingReferee

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.

Warn and then what?

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by Adam

Warn and then what?

The warning is a mention that we're noticing the elevated behavior. In the OP, he asked about the case where there was no cursive language. I have no T in that case, but a comment like "coach, your voice is quite loud during the intermission".

An elevated "I'll throw your a$$ out" isn't appropriate in an freshman educational setting, imho.

Like I said, if it's persistent after a reminder, then I may write it down. Or better yet, document it to my local referee board and let them deal with it.

[johnny d]

I dont give a rat's flying *uck what a coach says to his player in their huddle. If the people courtside can hear it, they can complain to the athletic director or other school administrator and they can decide how they want to handle the coach. Otherwise, it is just a word that the fragile freshman ball player you are so concerned about probably hears and says many times each day. Grow some *ucking thicker skin!

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by johnny d

I dont give a rat's flying *uck what a coach says to his player in their huddle. If the people courtside can hear it, they can complain to the athletic director or other school administrator and they can decide how they want to handle the coach. Otherwise, it is just a word that the fragile freshman ball player you are so concerned about probably hears and says many times each day. Grow some *ucking thicker skin!

I happen to totally agree with this. I guess some here do not hear what kids say to each other very often at that age. They use that word much more than it is said to them by a coach, I can almost guarantee that one.

Peace

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I happen to totally agree with this. I guess some here do not hear what kids say to each other very often at that age. They use that word much more than it is said to them by a coach, I can almost guarantee that one.

Peace

They also pull their pants down below their hips, but wait...we don't allow that on the court, do we...so that's a stupid argument and holds no water.

As someone who works with kids "that age" every weekday, I can tell you that they absolutely know what words are "wrong" and will use those words only I situations where they know they can get away with it. To have a coach use that language on a player is crossing a line, and if he does it loud enough to be heard by us on the court, he needs to be rung up immediately.

And the "here in my part of the country" argument against enforcing that standard is tired and overused.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

They also pull their pants down below their hips, but wait...we don't allow that on the court, do we...so that's a stupid argument and holds no water.

As someone who works with kids "that age" every weekday, I can tell you that they absolutely know what words are "wrong" and will use those words only I situations where they know they can get away with it. To have a coach use that language on a player is crossing a line, and if he does it loud enough to be heard by us on the court, he needs to be rung up immediately.

And the "here in my part of the country" argument against enforcing that standard is tired and overused.

Well considering that no one in my entire career, including the NF has never defined what language in specifically inappropriate or not, then I guess we will go on disagreeing out this issue.

And the argument is worse to say, "I do it this way, so we all must do it" is even sillier and played out point of view if you ask me.

I would think "freaking a$$" might be considered over the top to some too. I had a parent want me to T a coach because he said "God Dagit." I told the parent, "Not everyone believes in God." The problem is everyone is using a different standard for different reasons. Then again that is life and some of you really need to get used to that fact.

Peace