First time to toss a coach

[Smitty]

Originally Posted by Rich

The best officials I've worked with can lose their place in the seconds after issuing a direct technical foul to a head coach -- going to the wrong end to administer free throws, heading to the wrong spot, putting themselves in a position to take more grief, etc. This is the moment where the partners are crucial -- get the official out of there, take a second to let the official gain his bearings, figure out the next steps.

This is really very helpful. My association has recommended that whenever we call a T, find the nearest partner and discuss what happened and how you're going to administer it before you go report anything - for the exact reasons Rich noted. I had never done this prior to joining this association, and now that it's a normal practice, it makes everything go so much smoother when a T is called. It gives you a moment to get your head together, make sure you're shooting on the correct end of the court, and gives you an extra moment to collect yourself before you go over to the table where you're likely to get an earful from a coach.