Pregame conferences: Captains and Coaches
 

I'm looking for thoughts on Captains and Coaches pregames. (Captains and Coaches... sounds like a cereal, eh?)

For my Captains' meeting I usually go with "Good evening fellas/ladies. (I then introduce my partner and myself) Let's make sure we're pursuing victory with honor. It's real important that white talks to white and blue talks to blue. Any questions? Have a great game and good luck."

What I avoid:
"I'm so and so, this is my partner, so and so and we'll be your referees tonight." I bite the inside of my cheek when my partners say that lest I bust out laughing thinking of all the smart ash things that could be said in response...
"Help us out with the balls that go out of bounds, etc."
"Let's watch out for the hand checking."
"You're the speaking captains, so we'll listen to you."
"Are your teammates properly equipped?"

For my Coaches' meetings... I introduce my partner and myself then ask if players are properly equipped. I remind them of the coach's box and ask them to make sure they're pursuing victory with honor. I finish with "Any questions? Good luck." A handshake and out.

I don't like the "Help us out with the timeouts, thirty or full." Nor do I like the "We'll be happy to answer any questions during the game."

Anything I should add or subtract for either? Why?

Thanks.

I like to keep it VERY short and simple. Say hello, have them introduce themselves to each other, ask for their help if they see a teammate getting a little excited ("It's a LOT easier if you deal with it than if we do"), ask if they have any questions, and wish them luck.

None of that "who's the speaking captain?" nonsense. Speaking for what? There's no coin flip. No extraneous stuff. Let's just get going.

And another thing, I don't like telling them my first name. They're high school or junior high kids - it's not a meeting of equals. Maybe that's just me, but I prefer at least a little formality.

One of my partners that I had a few times was pretty much like this:

"Ok, we've got a white (or black or whatever) line all around - that's the out of bounds line. We have a center line right here [no sh##, we're standing right on it]. If the ball hits the wires or supports above the basket we're going to blow it dead. Now we want you to play with your feet, not your hands. We'll try and talk you out of stuff. Make sure you hustle in and out of timeouts. Ok, who's the speaking captain? Can you raise up your warmup jacket so I can see your number? Ok. You've been selected as captains for a reason, so we'll look to you for leadership. We want good sportsmanship tonight and your teammates and your coaches are looking for you to lead the way. Listen for the whistle and make sure to hand the ball to us. Are there any questions? Ok, shake hands one more time and good luck."

HOLY HELL DUDE! You could often see the kids rolling their eyes. Inside, mine were too.

I don't have a problem with introducing the crew. After all, the players just introduced themselves to each other.

How is reminding coaches about the coaching box any different than telling the players, "Let's watch out for the hand checking"?

Captains: Take care of your knuckleheads so we don't have to.

It's shorter than the brief intros.

Coaches: All your players are legally equipped? Let us know on timeouts, and have them out and ready on the second horn. Questions? Good luck.

I use my first name with players. Formality, schmormality.

"Respect each other, respect us, respect the game. Any questions?"

/Stolen

My speech.

"Coaches, is everyone legally dressed? Guys/girls play with good sportsmanship. Red take of your team, white take care of your team. Come to the X to report in, don't come in until we bring up in. Be ready to play on the second horn. Good luck.

We've been directed by our state association that asking the coaches if they are legal is a must do. When they say yes, any questions about the legality of shooting sleeves etc, have been addressed.

It may not be but that's what I've been told to say by my assigner. I'm a company man. :D I'm only only guessing but maybe it's so we can say we've warned 'em if they're out of it.

OK. But why warn them for something that may not happen?

I agree that talking about hand checking or anything else is inappropriate. But so is this.

Personally, I don't address the box unless it's not marked, the benches are not in the normal position which means the coach may need to sit somewhere other than normal or there's something else unusual.

Yeah, but if that is what the leadership in your organization want you to do there is value in doing it even if it is stupid / pointless. That is, if you want to work games :)

Coaches And Captains ...
 

From my pregame:

Coaches and captains meeting at 5:00: Players properly equipped, Players wearing uniforms properly, Practice good sportsmanship.

From my hard drive:

The National High School Federation and your state association require officials to enforce sportsmanship rules. High school athletics emphasize positive values. All of us have worked hard to create a sense of teamwork, respect, responsibility and perspective. We remind you that we expect good behavior and will quickly penalize misconduct. We encourage and appreciate your help. Let the competition reflect mutual respect among participants and officials. Coaches please certify that your players are legally equipped and uniformed according the NFHS rules. Good luck and have a great contest! (New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, Kentucky High School Athletic Association)

"PIAA requires all registered sports' officials to enforce the sportsmanship rules for coaches and contestants. Actions meant to demean opposing contestants, teams, spectators and officials are not in the highest ideals of interscholastic education and will not be tolerated. Let today's contest reflect mutual respect. Coaches please certify to the contest official(s) that your players are legally equipped and uniformed according to NFHS rules and PIAA adoptions. Good luck in today's contest." (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association)

To captains: The FHSAA requires officials to enforce all rules regarding unsportsmanlike conduct by players and coaches. Violators will be ejected. It is strongly suggested that you remind your teammates and coaches of this policy. Additionally, this is a simple reminder that jewelry is not allowed, and jerseys must be tucked in during play if they are designed to be worn in. To coaches: Coaches, do you certify that your players are properly equipped and will demonstrate sportsmanlike behavior during today’s contest? (Florida High School Activities Association)

We are instructed to address a few minor items with captains and coaches. Properly equipped & sportsmanship with the coaches, for instance. Sportsmanship cuts a wide swath such as coaching boxes, so the only thing I might address outside of the norm is court quirks.

Like shaving?

Billy, you discuss Florida and Pennsylvania scholastic policies prior to your Connecticut games? Any captains have seizures from excessive eye rolling?

We can call multiple fouls for hand-checking. Coaching box infractions are technicals. Since they make a big deal about the coaching box (do not get me started) in my state, I also address the box so that when I tell them to get back into the box, they were told previously.

Peace

I don't disagree. But he asked us, "Anything I should add or subtract for either? Why?"

So when the coach asks, "How are you going to call the hand check tonight?" or "Are you going to call it tight, or let em see if they can play through the contact tonight?" what do you tell them? This is a couple examples of cans of worms I really don't want to open, therefore, I NEVER ask them if they have any questions.

"Both ways."

"By the book."

"Using advantage / disadvantege"


"You'll have 4 tries to figure it out."

And, no one ever asks a question like that, so it's a moot point.

Yep, and if he did, I'd start the game with great intel on the coach.

In lower level games, I do tell the players to help us out with the ball. It probably falls on deaf ears though.

My spiel is short, thanks to the guidance from this forum.

I have worked with guys that go crazy with talks, including several phrases that they have the players repeat back several times. I think I turn 5 shades of red trying to disappear into the floor.

I don't tell them to get the ball until the game starts and the ball is rolling out of reach. They figure it out quick.

I'm fat, old, and slow. I got one bad knee and the other doesn't bend. If you don't want this game to take all night, you'll shag the loose balls so I don't have to...

Or is that too much?

+1

Yes. B/c none of them is going to go back and tell their teammates what you said.

Kids learn to chase down the ball when they us just standing there. ;)

With all due respect, using this logic should we say anything about sportsmanship? (What our assignors or the Fed says notwithstanding, of course. :))

I think someone here (in another thread) mentioned asking the coaches if they are the only ones communicating with the officials. Is this a widespread thing?

Not here.

I once had a coach tell me that he would be the only person talking to the officials, that none of his players would be. We ended up whacking one player that game, and the coach had an early exit.:rolleyes:

I had a visiting team a few weeks ago from another part of the state that was playing a team locally on a Friday night. The HC did his communicating through the players. It was kind of weird. It only happened a couple of times, but I would call a foul on #10 for example, and he would ask what he did, I would tell him, and he would turn around and tell the coach. The players were really respectful and professional about how they asked us questions, and they would relay it on to their HC and he would just nod and say "okay". I had never seen that before.

Turn In Your Black Belt ...
 

What? You mean that you talked to players that were not a speaking captain? You probably forgot to ask for a speaking captain during your pregame, forgot to ask what his number was, and make them show it to you from under their warmup jersey, and then forgot to ask if the speaking captain was starting? Now you made it tougher for the next official who works their game, all the players will think that they're allowed to speak to an official in a respectful and professional manner. It will be total anarchy. Well? We all learn by our mistakes. Don't we? I'm sure that you'll do a better job in your next game.

I've never had a coach ask anything in the pregame about hand checks. I've had players do it, though, following the "any questions?" at the end. My response to them (with a grin on my face) is, "try hand checking someone and see what happens."

As for my speech: "Fellas/ladies, my partner(s) and I will do our best to stay out of your way. How much we get in your way is on you. You play ball, we won't bother you. You don't, then we get involved. Questions? Okay, have fun!" 15 seconds. 20 if I pause too long.

Captains meeting:

I ask for speaking captains because that is what is the custom around here. I agree that it's pretty pointless but it's what is done. So my captain's meeting is:

Intros
Who speaking for blue/white, etc?
You are captains for a reason so help us out with your teams
Sportsmanship at all times
Put the ball in the basket
Good luck

We walk over and introduce ourselves to coaches in front of their respective benches. We don't have a coaches meeting that I see some of you refer to. For coaches I just introduce myself to head coach, shake hands with assistants and then back to the HC:

Coach, you have a good box here (pointing out lines) and we ask that your team's ready to play on the 2nd horn.

For the OP, is there any particularly reasoning for the "pursuing victory with honor" line?

It must be personal -- I find it especially grating myself.

Yeah, I don't like it at all. But that's just me (and apparently you too).

I think a simpler line about sportsmanship would better serve the purpose. Just asking as maybe it's a local thing like asking for speaking capts is here.

Yeah, I kept forgetting to mention it, but it comes across as a bit over the top. No need to get poetic.

Apparently it's some sportsmanship initiative in Arizona, which is where it appears the OP is from. If it's a phrase everyone uses there, fine -- where I am, kids would just roll their eyes at it.

Introduce ourselves to coaches and captains and hand cards to coaches

Then:

"Captains, will you play with the highest level of sportmanship and encourage your teammates to do the same?"

"Yes sir."

"Great, you may rejoin your team (warming up)."


"Coaches, are your players legally and properly equipped?"

"Uh, I hope so/ affirmative nods / I think so / they'd better be" - are common responses

"Any questions for us right now?"

"No."

"Good luck, gentlemen."

Is that a reason to lock the thread? ;)

You know what I'm thinking now, right?

My personal favorite is, "Black line all around is out of bounds."

Is that a rhetorical question?

One of my favorites, as well. ;)

Basically, any coaches/capts meeting that lasts longer than 20 - 30 seconds once the R starts talking is too long and definitely bordering on, if not, awkward.

It's a program that our state uses. Coaches, ADs, and for a while players had to participate. Again another thing I've been told to say.

I like yours -- short, sweet, to the point. Asking questions gets the captains/coaches invested in the meeting. Reminds them about what you expect from them, and gives you something to refer back to in case a player is improperly equipped, etc.

Has anyone used different "speeches"? Have you noticed if saying certain things make the game go smoother/avoids problems? I am sure we can put our brains together and figure out which combination of elements would create the best speech.

I accidentally dropped an F-bomb in one Captain's meeting. It's was the 2nd meeting between 2 teams and my U1 had worked the first meeting. He said the game was exceptionally rough and that it was a carry over from their football game that season.

Both captains were football players so I asked each one separately, "Do you play football" and each responded "yes". Then I said, "Well this isn't f***ing football season, it's basketball". After the initial shocked wore my partners told me they loved it. Never heard anything from the coaches or my commissioner so I guess none of the players went back and "snitched" on me...LOL

If You Don't Believe Me, Ask Mark T. DeNucci, Sr., He Was There ...
 

Don't sound so apologetic. As Saint Ambrose said in 387 A.D., "When I am at Rome, I fast on a Saturday; when I am at Milan, I do not. Follow the custom of the Church where you are."

Black And Blue ...
 

... especialy bad if the line is blue.

How Many of You Have Asthma and Wear Contacts?
 

Careful with this one.
On Thursdays they might play the walls as OOB.

I'm not convinced it's not better if the line is blue (or green). Then you'll know if the kids are paying attention.

Boys Regional game Saturday...the Sweet 16 of the classification. Winner moves on to 8 team State Tournament. Working with two gentlemen from other parts of the State, and one of them is the R. His Captain's Conference took almost 3 minutes!

Started with the "gentlemen, we are playing the black line all around today. Not the blue lines, the black lines..." and ended with "Gentlemen, please respect us and respect each other tonight." to be honest, I kind of blanked out for the rest of it.

He finally said, "Partners, do you have anything to add?"

So I said "Yeah. Can we try and have some fun here tonight?"

He actually said "Oh yes. I forgot that. Let's have some fun tonight." :eek:

I'll Take Sportsmanship for 500.00, Alex
 

Tried this line this year with moderate success, to both the two captains and how many ever ceremonial other players they brought out there and then with the coaches:
"We like the game show Jeopardy. Anything in the form of a question is okay with us."
Not all comments end up coming in the form of a question after a while, though. :cool:

I would've walked back to the opposite sideline after about 30 seconds of it. :D

Came close. Actually did step back away from center circle and watched teams warming up.