Game management?
 

I have heard several different definitions of "game management" from different referees.

What does game management mean to you?

The game within the game.

I consider it to be several factors.

Managing calls. Managing coaches. Managing game wreckers. So that everyone is happy at the end no matter which team wins the game.

That isn't going to happen. The sooner you can learn that and be OK with it, the better.

dealing quietly with the little stuff before it turns into big stuff.

But also ignoring the little stuff that's going to stay little.

Care to elaborate?

Anything that you and your crew must deal with when the ball is NOT live.

The magic is in knowing the difference.

It's safe to assume that a big part of the magic comes from experience, yes? How much of another part comes from having at least a semblance of people skills? Coaches will be coaches, right? Another part from answering questions as briefly as possible?

Game Management ???
 

Found this (below) on my hard drive. I don't know where it came from, but it's worth looking at:

Demonstrates control of the game.
Leadership, able to run the game.
Communicates with coaches, partners and table.
Is courteous and polite.
Exhibits a confident manner i.e. attention to detail, alertness, firmness, and timeliness of his/her reaction to a situation.
Remains consistent when calling violations or fouls without regard to the score, whom it may hurt, or how it may effect future relations with the coach.
Has a quiet influence on the game that relieves tensions and creates a steady effect upon contestants (both players and coaches alike).
Has control of his/her emotions.
Takes the time to prevent an error from being made.

As you see it means different things to different people.

I just think it means running the game so that things do not get out of hand or are under control for the most part. There are several techniques that some feel should be done and others feel some things do not work, but you are there to make sure the game runs as smoothly as possible.

The best example I can give of bad GM is when you have a fight and you had many opportunities to take care of the issue before the actual fight. That could mean talking to players, talking to coaches, calling fouls, calling a T, or just getting out of the way and letting kids play.

Peace

As far as it applies to dealing with coaches, yes. Having basic people skills helps. Having a basic ability to deal with teenagers helps as well; knowing when to joke around and when to crack down.

Experience teaches best, however.

What I want to avoid is making mountains out of molehills but I don't have that backpack full of experiences so if y'all would lemme know if I'm going in the right direction I'd 'preciate:

Coach is not quite chirping but IS vocal. It's not everytime but he or she is letting us know he/she doesn't like some of the calls. A couple of "I hear ya, coach"(s) and "I'll look for it"(s).

Players are geared up and are demonstrative but not to the point of taunting. One player says something that could be problematic and we talk to him or her quietly, maybe while lining up for a free throw or administering a throw in.

Player control foul at one end, a 50/50 play at the other end get a PC. Same with three second calls.

Cutting it close on the second horn of a timeout, adressing it as soon as possible in the game as opposed thumping 'em with a RoP in the fourth quarter.

That kind of stuff?

never wears belted pants.......:)

1. I don't respond to chirping unless it's too continuous. If it's chirping, if anything, he just gets a head shake letting him know that I hear him but disagree. If it's questions, I'll address him briefly with a "what did you see?" or an explanation of what I saw.

2. Yes. You can also talk to the captains or the coach.

3. Yes with PC, but some will disagree with the statement because it might lead to some incorrect calls in the name of "consistency."

4. I find if I get into the huddle on the first horn they're more likely to come out by the second. As long as they're moving out at the second horn, I don't have a problem.

Just Two Simple Words ...
 

Shut up.

yessum

Game management to me means:
knowing the rules, but also knowing when to enforce them.
Knowing when to talk, knowing when to listen, and knowing when to take care of business.
Having clock and situational awareness.
Anticipating different coaching strategies, so you can know what a coach or team will do before they actually do it.
Crew communication, both verbal and nonverbal.
Trust your partner to get the right calls, in the right area.
Being Trustworthy so your partner(s) can do the same.
Then knowing when to reach and get that crew saving call.
Be patient on the whistle, and see the development middle and end of a play.
Eye contact.
Crisp Mechanics.
Look the part
And most importantly:

DFIU!!

In one sentence, it is having control of all facets of the game so that the AD doesn't have to worry that the game is going to blow up.

It includes dealing with players and coaches, making the early call that sets the tone for the night and dealing with bad behavior appropriately.

I was at a game with two very good teams. I was sitting with a couple experienced refs. Team A jumped out to a large lead of 20 points. After one foul call (which was kind of a 50/50 call) in Team B's favor, the guys I was sitting with said "good game management call!" I asked them what they meant, and they told me.

I want to know, what does this sort of thing mean to you?

You can't do this too early in the game. If it was two good teams, then anytime in about the first 3 quarters is too early, even with a 20-point lead.

When appropriate, though, it means that you have observed that the definition of "advantage / disadvantage" isn't what you thought it was.

It means a team is realistically out of the game and you have a play with "marginal" contact that you might have passed on in the 1st 3 quarters but you put a whistle on it now towards the end of the game to keep the losing coach from finding a reason to get in your ear.

The 50/50 foul call I mentioned happened in the second quarter. Team B made a run in the second half and made it a three-point game by the end.

So, only call the marginal stuff if a team is clearly not going to win?

I'd be very careful about using the term "marginal stuff".

And, was there a question about who the foul was on, or whether there was an advantage gained?

Part of game management is also knowing when to "tighten up" and when to "let them play." (not that this has anything to do with the specific play)