Talking to players

Originally Posted by Coach Bill

As a coach, I don't think it's right for refs to talk to players in ways that give them an advantage. For example, "watch the 3 seconds", "watch the handcheck", "keep still on that screen". Just call it. Why are you coaching/advising them?

I'm glad you asked! Here are our four objectives as officials:

1. Ensure player safety
2. Ensure games are played fairly, according to the rules
3. Help players develop skills and knowledge of the sport
4. Promote sportsmanship

If a player is setting a marginal screen I will pull them over and let them know that by rule they cannot be moving. We are not just enforcers of the rules, but teachers and communicators of it, especially at the development levels.

Originally Posted by JetMetFan

To follow up on Coach Bill's comment, I know at NCAAW's camps I've attended they're telling us to get out of the habit of talking to the players while the ball is live and I've carried the habit into HS games. I'll say "keep moving" to get players out of the lane but apart from that I don't say much. The feeling is the player has already committed a foul by the time we say "hands" or "get set on that screen" so you might as well call the foul. Also, if the opposing coach hears you (s)he will probably say, "Just call the foul!"

I would say that is exactly the college philosophy. HS may be different however.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by AremRed

I'm glad you asked! Here are our four objectives as officials:

1. Ensure player safety
2. Ensure games are played fairly, according to the rules
3. Help players develop skills and knowledge of the sport
4. Promote sportsmanship

Who do you mean by "our"?

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Rich

Who do you mean by "our"?

I was thinking the same thing, but I was going to just let it go.

Peace

[Rooster]

Originally Posted by AremRed

...let them know that by rule they cannot be moving.

Uh-oh. I need more...

[APG]

Originally Posted by AremRed

I'm glad you asked! Here are our four objectives as officials:


3. Help players develop skills and knowledge of the sport

According to whom?

[deecee]

Originally Posted by AremRed

I'm glad you asked! Here are our four objectives as officials:

1. Ensure player safety
2. Ensure games are played fairly, according to the rules
3. Help players develop skills and knowledge of the sport
4. Promote sportsmanship

I disagree with the last 2. I am not their coach and/or mentor and I enforce sportsmanship standards. The coach and school district needs to promote it.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by deecee

I disagree with the last 2. I am not their coach and/or mentor and I enforce sportsmanship standards. The coach and school district needs to promote it.

The first one is also untrue. We can't "ensure" safety -- players get hurt on legal plays and on illegal plays that we can't prevent.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by AremRed

I'm glad you asked! Here are our four objectives as officials:

3. Help players develop skills and knowledge of the sport

I would say that is exactly the college philosophy. HS may be different however.

Why do you say stuff like this? If that's something you want to have in your job description, I suggest you take up coaching. This is NOT the college philosphy, and not the HS either.

Honestly - I can only see that applying if you're working a youth league somewhere or at the VERY most 7th grade B&C games.

[BryanV21]

If I don't deem contact to be sufficient enough to warrant a foul, I may say something about cleaning things up to avoid it escalating into pushing or fighting-like activity later. It's not necessarily to avoid one or both of them drawing fouls. IMO, it's more important to avoid a fight than to possibly give one or the other coaching-like advice.

As for talking players out of things, as I get into sub-varsity and lower levels, such a thing will happen more and more. All of which gets into the part about helping players develop skills and knowledge of the sport.

[Pantherdreams]

I get the preventative officiating is important and plays a role. I think at a HS level you've got to read the level of the game, players and coaches involved to make preventative decisions. Anything higher then high school though unless you are cleaning up borderline plays that may escalate. You have to make calls or let it be.

With kids/coaches/teams who know the rules they are playing at the edge of the rule intentionally. Accidents/crossing the line they expect to have called. Coaches in those games don't want you telling kids not to reach or clear the lane. They either want their kid to keep playing the way they are playing or make an adjustment once you've called it a couple of times.

[Coach Bill]

Originally Posted by AremRed

I'm glad you asked! Here are our four objectives as officials:

1. Ensure player safety
2. Ensure games are played fairly, according to the rules
3. Help players develop skills and knowledge of the sport
4. Promote sportsmanship

If a player is setting a marginal screen I will pull them over and let them know that by rule they cannot be moving. We are not just enforcers of the rules, but teachers and communicators of it, especially at the development levels.

Help players develop skills? Really? I think you're messin with me.