What if I know my call is wrong?

[ballgame99]

I had a situation come up the other night that I wasn't sure how to handle. I had called, IMO, 3 quarters of really good ball. Wouldn't change a single call. Then at the start of the 4th quarter, there is a little contact by the defense on a rebound, and when the offensive player went back up the shot clearly got blocked clean. The problem? I blew my whistle and put my fist in the air. Not sure why. Well now what? I go ahead and signal the foul and took a little (emphasize little) chewing from the coach.

Any advice on something like this? I don't plan on making a habit of it, but what, if anything, do you say to the coach in that case? Do you admit you kicked it? Do you call an IW? I couldn't think fast enough to call a phantom travel or something.

Still not sure why I blew my whistle...

Full disclosure, I'm only a second year official so I'm still learning and gaining experience.

[Bad Zebra]

Honesty will work with most REASONABLE coaches..."You know what coach, I might have been too quick with that last whistle". Most will appreciate the honesty (and now think that you "owe" them one). The unreasonable ones...well, they were going to bi&$h regardless.

Nobody calls a perfect game. Don't beat yourself up for it or dwell on it and let it affect the rest of the game. The correct and accurate calls you made far outweigh the one you want back. Forget the IW idea. This isn't the place for it.

This where time and experience, as well as the concept of a "patient whistle" are going to come into play as you call more games.

[Terrapins Fan]

It happens to the best of us, I mean, them...

Suck it up, it won't be the last bad call, just try to limit them.

[wyo96]

Similar to zebra, I have said "You may be right coach, I am not real proud of that call" You only get to say that once a game, but it can be useful to defuse a situation.

Either way, you have to clear your head and get the next call right because until the final horn there is always another situation to judge and call/no call.

[JetMetFan]

You know why you took (a little) chewing from the coach? He probably saw the look on your face and knew you realized you kicked the call.

As was said earlier, it won't be the last time you do it and we've all done it. Give your mea culpa to the coach and move on. The worst thing you could do is let that one call affect you for the rest of that quarter or the rest of the game.

But...don't compound the mistake later on by either calling something that isn't there on the other team or by passing on one against the kid who received the "phantom" foul. Two wrongs don't make a right.

[ref3808]

My daughter is a D3 College HC. Earlier this season she told me that when she questioned an official about a call she strongly disagreed with his response was "well it may not have been my best call of the day". She nodded her head and that was the end of it. That, or something like that, will satisfy most head coaches.

[Indianaref]

As others have said, most coaches like honesty instead of a line of BS. Most times when I have admitted to a coach a bad call, usually get a slap on the butt. One thing that helped me early on was when I'm in the lead postion is to center your weight on your heals, it keeps you more patient, which leads to a more patient whistle. A late whistle is always better than a quick one.

[Adam]

No reason you can't go with an IW on this if you recognize it quickly enough.

[referee99]

"Coach, I'm not going to ask APG or JetMetFan to get that clip. You feel me?"

They'll know what you mean.

[jTheUmp]

Had this exact situation happen to me Thursday night. I called a phantom travel after a player lost player control. Coach was a bit less than thrilled, even though it was the waning moments (3 minutes left) and his team was up by 20.

A minute or so later, his team was shooting FTs, and I was standing right next to him. Here's the conversation:

Me: "Coach, you were absolutely right about that travel call, I completely kicked that one"
Coach: "Ok, thanks for your honesty. You know, I don't mind it when an official admits his mistake"
Me: "Appreciate that, coach. It won't happen again."

And that was the end of it.