Admit Mistakes
 

Just curious on everyone's thoughts on admitting missed calls to a coach. I know a local college official who actually goes out of his way to approach the coach on the sideline to either explain his call or admit fault. He may be opposite side trail/C and at a break he will practically cross the floor and initiate a discussion with the coach about the game. I have watched him work several games and have had him for a clinician and he has explained his philosophy that keeping an open communication with a coach helps keep problems to a minimum. I have no clue why he does this because when he approaches the coach they just tear into him. Thoughts on this philosophy? Also, I can see and hear him talking to players the entire game instead of just calling a foul on them. I understand saying "hands" or "lane" to remind players but he is practically coaching them. Coaches rip him for that too.

If it works for you go for it. For most folks though, I think this approach just opens the door for unfortunate remarks, see the "Fun with Assistant Coaches" thread.

I have no problem admitting I missed or blew a call, but I will do it only 1 time per game. Any more than that and a coach will start questioning your ability...

Again we are not perfect and the players/coaches aren't either. Depending on the coach he/she may accept it and move on and you may have diffused a situation....

With regards to 'coaching' I never do that as that's not my job. I will use my voice to try and talk players out of a foul in a freshman or jv2 game just to avoid a foul fest, but rarely do I do so at the varsity level as they should know better...

I'll admit to a coach that I may have missed the call, but I never come right out and say I missed it. I guess it's because I don't want to appear weak to them, as it could lead to them thinking they can get on me about future calls too. Or maybe it's because I'm stubborn, and don't want to admit a mistake. :D

BTW, I might add that I'll make sure I'm in the best position to see things, too.

What can they say at that point? "Make sure you do that"? LOL

I think it's different for rules versus judgement. If I wish I had a judgement call back I'll tell the coach that if I think he needs to know. Sometimes they don't complain at all, when that happens I don't say anything cuz I don't need to.

If I kick a rule though and I know it I am more likely to admit I kicked it. I kicked a rule last year, looked up the rule at halftime. When I came back out to the floor the coach was standing there holding the rulebook. I stopped him before he said anything and told him I kicked it. He shook my hand and we moved on. And no I did not T him for standing there with the book waiting for me. Still wouldn't.

Yeah, I was thinking only about judgement calls, but you're right. If I make a rule interpretation mistake, I'll let him/her know. No sense in not admitting it at that point, since they can look it up themselves. Rather be a stand-up guy that made a mistake, than a coward that made a mistake.

I'll admit a mistake with the following guidelines:

• Only happening once in a game
• If asked about a call/no-call I was responsible for
• Within a reasonable timeframe after the play (as in the next time I'm by that coach)
• I will not seek out the coach or initiate a dialogue just to admit I missed something

If I kick a rule (not happening :D ), I hope my partners correct me before play begins.

If it is purely a judgment call, I would not say "I missed the call." I might say "I did not have a great angle" or "My partner had a better look" but I do not think you should come right out and say you missed the call. That is dangerous territory and can come with other comments and other questions.

Peace

I think to go along with this you need to know your audience. Meaning, if you know a coach has a history of being a hot-head, admitting that you missed a call to them might not be a good way to keep them calm. There are ways to let a coach know that you may have misjudged or misapplied a rule without actually saying those exact words.

Also, if I were to admit to a coach that I screwed something up, I would allow myself 1 per season to that particular coach... They remember!

This is right on point! Between 3 capable officials, there should be no blown rules!

I have never admitted a mistake in a basketball game. until last night. BV with less than 20 left in the game. Home team was up by 15 and subs were in for both teams. B33 drives and was fouled and I did not call it. B33 said "can I get a f***ing foul" I teed him. The coach asked what did he said and after I told him, I volunteered that I missed that initial call.

How do you know your partner had a better look?

"If it happened the way you say it, Coach, then I guessed I missed it."

Be an adult, and own it. You'll be more respected in the long run.

In 3 person, that is not very hard to know if you understand your primary coverage or where players are positioned. If I do not see the play, someone else had a better angle.

Peace

I agree with this phrasing alot. I find it happens most often when I call/don't call a foul on a rebound and they want to clarify the "over the back." I like to say if for example I call the push and they're arguing, "Coach, I had your player creating contact and pushing from behind, but if he/she did go straight up and just reach over and get the ball then I shouldn't have had anything, that's just not the way I saw it."

I think it shows the coach that I do in fact know what the rule is, and we just have a difference on judgement.

Also, I will base admitting missing some minor things on the immediate repercussions. One example which comes to mind is I missed a blatant walk on white, cannot give you a reason why I didn't blow the whistle but a few seconds later they lost the ball out of bounds to blue anyway. Running down the floor I gave the blue coach a look that said what he already knew, missed that one!