How to correct poor coaching behavior?

[Rich1]

I once told a coach "I don't count them, I just call them".

When responding to coaches we shoud always be professional -- no smart ass remarks (the above was a weak moment). Just answer a question or, as suggested earlier, something along the lines of "I've heard enough coach" is as far as I go. After that I usually issue "your 1 and only warning coach" and then its a T the next time he crosses the line.

I tend to be less patient than many of my colleagues but I nip it in the bud quick. They will only push you as far as you will let them. Questions are fine, harmless comments are ignored, and everything else gets them more of my attention than they wanted. You'll be surprised at how different they will act the next time you work one of their games if you do this.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Adam

I would never respond to "call it both ways" to a reference to the foul count. It only perpetuates the impression that an imbalanced foul count means anything whatsoever regarding the officiating.

Agree 100%. Rookies should write this down (above), and memorize it.

[BatteryPowered]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I just tell them, "Stop fouling" and leave it at that. If they want to be a smart ass, I can be one too. And that is actually a good way to make the point you do not care and not your job. At some point we have to stop worrying about how coaches take everything. If they want the foul count to be different, they are going to have to find another scapegoat.

Peace

I said that by accident one time...really without thinking (guess my inner self just took over). I thought the coach was going to fall down he laughed so hard. After a couple of times back down the floor we had a dead ball and he told me he liked my attitude. The coach was known to be somewhat of a jerk...we got along beautifully after that and I never had a problem with him again.

Sometimes you just never know...

[RulesGeek]

Originally Posted by billymac

agree 100%. Rookies should write this down (above), and memorize it.

+1

[egj13]

When I worked in my last state last year we RARELY had a coach get to the point of deserving a "T". When a coach said something in that area then you could assume that it was warranted. There were 1 or 2 exceptions out of the ~80 teams we covered but those guys watched more games from the showers than the bench. It was something we covered in our study groups...how to manage coaches. If you let the coach go wild, then the fans start in and then the players feed off of it. Our association took very little from coaches and everyone stayed happy.

Fast forward to my new state where EVERY coach I have had to this point has deserved a "T" at some point in the game. I mean guys stopming floors, slapping bleachers, "3 seconds, Travel, and 1, oh come one, etc" from tip off to final horn. I have whacked 5 coaches to this point and had to toss one and people ask me why my fuse is so short. All partners tell me is "I don't even hear them anymore, I don't care what their opinion is."

What I am trying to get at is if a coach has a reputation for being an jerk it is probably because mots officials are giving him the ability to be a jerk. He clearly has been allowed to act that way because I assume if he got whacked a few games in a row he would simmer down.

[BatteryPowered]

Just my opinion...blast away if you disagree...but I think the biggest problem is that many officials (primarily newer officials) cannot make a distinction between a coach behaving badly and one that is simply competitive and emotionally into the game. It took a while for me to get to that point and in all honesty I got there primarily by watching experienced varsity officials in games and the better officials at the camps I attended. I had always been told that officials were the only ones in the gym that didn't care about the outcome...but that took a long time to sink in. By talking to officials and making note of when they talked with coaches...addressed comments...when they issued warnings and when the went to the T I eventually got there.

Coaches are attached to their players, they see them work hard all the time (hopefully), they want them to succeed, they want to win and are, by definition, looking for ways to make success easier for them. All that means they are watching the action, to a certain degree, with their heart and not their head. My experience tells me emotional coaches get loud and start "working the officials" when things are not going well. That may or may not coincided with when they are losing a game but it usually coincides with when they are getting frustrated with their team. They probably know the foul count is out of whack because their guys are grabbing and pushing because they are not playing decent defense, but getting on them isn't helping. So, they go to the next logical (in their mind) suspect. I have found that in these situations you can often get a coach to settle down if you just acknowledge them and maybe answer a question. Many times a simple "I didn't see it that way coach" or "I'll try to watch for that coach" goes a long way.

Again...just my thoughts.

[pfan1981]

In hind sight, I should have T'd the coach at half. We would begin the second half with the throws and the ball with no arrow change???

I am new to the scene, and don't want to be known as the guy that gives out Ts like candy. Round these parts, I think the coaches get way too long of a leash and I "try" to fit in. I also have very keen hearing, unfortunately. I am working on zoning it out, but I do hear nearly everything on the court from players, coaches, and fans.

I appreciate all of the responses, but I think I'm going with, "That's enough coach." Followed by whack-city where they are the mayor. I like, "I call them, not count them."

I got a chuckle out of a coach when I slipped and said, "Well stop fouling then." I think you would need a relationship with the coach to say this.

[JRutledge]

We all go through what you are going through in questioning our actions about what a coach does from time to time.

I had a coach last night in a freshman game that got offended when I asked him what kind of timeout he wanted, after he clearly was frustrated with his team. I knew I was going to have issues when one of the first calls I made he yelled at my partner to help me on a BC violation where his player stepped into the back court. The coach was throwing up his arms what appeared to be in frustration, but got mad when he thought I could understand his frustration over a proper signal or using his voice to answer my question about a timeout. It later led to a T on him and everything in the game went fine after that moment. The T made the game better and nothing that happened I had personally experienced directly before.

Peace

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

We all go through what you are going through in questioning our actions about what a coach does from time to time.

I would add that some of this is because an action that works with one coach can be throwing gas on the fire with another.

And an action that works FROM one official might backfire if used by another.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

I would add that some of this is because an action that works with one coach can be throwing gas on the fire with another.

And an action that works FROM one official might backfire if used by another.

A lot of what we do is so personal based on our physical features, the coaches we are dealing with, the place we are officiating and how what we do is perceived based on some of those things mentioned.

Peace

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by pfan1981

I think you would need a relationship with the coach to say this.

You must 'couch your words' carefully. Some will cite a rule, some can use sarcasm, some can use humor - others don't have that 'gift.'

[Rich]

Originally Posted by pfan1981

In hind sight, I should have T'd the coach at half. We would begin the second half with the throws and the ball with no arrow change???

I am new to the scene, and don't want to be known as the guy that gives out Ts like candy. Round these parts, I think the coaches get way too long of a leash and I "try" to fit in. I also have very keen hearing, unfortunately. I am working on zoning it out, but I do hear nearly everything on the court from players, coaches, and fans.

I appreciate all of the responses, but I think I'm going with, "That's enough coach." Followed by whack-city where they are the mayor. I like, "I call them, not count them."

I got a chuckle out of a coach when I slipped and said, "Well stop fouling then." I think you would need a relationship with the coach to say this.

Really? Too long of a leash? You're not seeing the right officials, then.

IIRC, you're not *too* far from where I am...

[Matt S.]

I have two standard responses when it comes to a coach bringing up the foul count--my relationship/experience with the coach dictates which one I use.

'Matt, the foul count is 6 to 2'

Option A - 'We're looking at both ends, coach.'

Option B - 'Your team is three times as aggressive (you have to be able to do some simple division to use this one...but it works with the right person!)

[stir22]

Originally Posted by egj13

When I worked in my last state last year we RARELY had a coach get to the point of deserving a "T". When a coach said something in that area then you could assume that it was warranted. There were 1 or 2 exceptions out of the ~80 teams we covered but those guys watched more games from the showers than the bench. It was something we covered in our study groups...how to manage coaches. If you let the coach go wild, then the fans start in and then the players feed off of it. Our association took very little from coaches and everyone stayed happy.

Fast forward to my new state where EVERY coach I have had to this point has deserved a "T" at some point in the game. I mean guys stopming floors, slapping bleachers, "3 seconds, Travel, and 1, oh come one, etc" from tip off to final horn. I have whacked 5 coaches to this point and had to toss one and people ask me why my fuse is so short. All partners tell me is "I don't even hear them anymore, I don't care what their opinion is."

What I am trying to get at is if a coach has a reputation for being an jerk it is probably because mots officials are giving him the ability to be a jerk. He clearly has been allowed to act that way because I assume if he got whacked a few games in a row he would simmer down.

+1.

hey ej, hope you are well. we miss you.

[egj13]

Originally Posted by stir22

+1.

hey ej, hope you are well. we miss you.

Miss you guys too!! There are some very good officials down here and good guys but I don't have to tell you that you are in a VERY professional association. Thankful I got to spend a few years in it!