question about captains meeting

[refinks]

Hey guys, I would like to get your opinions on something. I'm not a varsity high school official, but I hope to be one day after I take care of a few personal issues.

Here's my question, I've been around the game for many years, so I've seen how it's done at the varsity level and up. Hit the court at 15, captains and coaches meeting around 12, check the book around 10, meet with table, etc etc.

I try to be as professional as I can be at the level I work, and I am of the mindset that we should follow protocol even for a non-varsity or middle school game. A very high percentage of officials I work these games with would just as soon hit the court with a couple minutes left, go straight to the table, and skip the captain/coaches meeting. Am I crazy for wanting to do it the right way, even at the JV/freshman/middle school level. What is the accepted protocol at that level?

Also, a follow-up question to that, and the topic about jackets. I also prefer jackets, and I like to have one for my games. If my partner has one, we'll wear em, if not, it's not a huge deal. However, I appear to have lost my jacket and I have my first high school game Friday. I know it's a longshot, but what would be the chances of me being able to order a jacket from somewhere and have it by Friday? And where would I even order one. The only jacket I ever have worn I received free of charge from an officials association. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Originally Posted by refinks

Hey guys, I would like to get your opinions on something. I'm not a varsity high school official, but I hope to be one day after I take care of a few personal issues.

Here's my question, I've been around the game for many years, so I've seen how it's done at the varsity level and up. Hit the court at 15, captains and coaches meeting around 12, check the book around 10, meet with table, etc etc.

I try to be as professional as I can be at the level I work, and I am of the mindset that we should follow protocol even for a non-varsity or middle school game. A very high percentage of officials I work these games with would just as soon hit the court with a couple minutes left, go straight to the table, and skip the captain/coaches meeting. Am I crazy for wanting to do it the right way, even at the JV/freshman/middle school level. What is the accepted protocol at that level?

Also, a follow-up question to that, and the topic about jackets. I also prefer jackets, and I like to have one for my games. If my partner has one, we'll wear em, if not, it's not a huge deal. However, I appear to have lost my jacket and I have my first high school game Friday. I know it's a longshot, but what would be the chances of me being able to order a jacket from somewhere and have it by Friday? And where would I even order one. The only jacket I ever have worn I received free of charge from an officials association. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

You're not crazy. I do a coaches and captains meeting at every level from middle school on up and I think you'll find that's standard. What you describe sounds like an anomaly. If you are ever doing a single game (or two MS games) you should do things by the book, obviously when I'm working 4 games in a row with one game each hour I skip most of the formalities.

I would suggest checking out Purchase Officials they have pretty fast default shipping in my experience. You could certainly get a jacket from them by Friday.

[Rob1968]

[QUOTE=AremRed;945027]You're not crazy. I do a coaches and captains meeting at every level from middle school on up and I think you'll find that's standard. What you describe sounds like an anomaly. If you are ever doing a single game (or two MS games) you should do things by the book, obviously when I'm working 4 games in a row with one game each hour I skip most of the formalities.

I agree. And because I do so much mentoring, of newer officials, I carry two jackets with me, and lend one to my partner if he/she doesn't have one - to reinforce the propriety of following prescribed protocol. Already this season, I did so with a partner.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by refinks

Am I crazy for wanting to do it the right way, even at the JV/freshman/middle school level. What is the accepted protocol at that level?

You don't want to be "that guy" who enforces every little rule at the MS level. So, the question becomes, is this one of those situations. Only your association / assigner can answer that.

I know it's a longshot, but what would be the chances of me being able to order a jacket from somewhere and have it by Friday?

Any officials supply place should be able to have one to you by Friday -- but you night have to pay for express shipping. Honigs, Gerry Davis, Purchase, Lesters, Ump Attire all come to mind.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by AremRed

You're not crazy. I do a coaches and captains meeting at every level

Agreed. Now, granted, the meetings may be a little different depending upon the level, but I like do them too as it helps teach the junior officials I work with during Rec ball

[JRutledge]

This is an area driven issue. Middle schools where I live are the Wild Wild West. You do not know what they will even do to play games or what kind of structure. Not sure I can think of many middle schools that do a complete 15 minute structured warm-up.

I have done captains meetings and I have not done them most of the time. With almost no governing body but a local conference, we can often do whatever works for the teams.

Peace

[OKREF]

12 years, and I've never done a captains meetings in Junior High. Captains meetings are only required for High School Varsity contests here.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

I make every effort to have a Captains' Meeting before each game in a JrHS DH. It is easy for the 7th Grade games but it not that easy for the 8th Grade games depending whether the game is in Michigan or Ohio. In Michigan the ADs want only ten minutes between games and while I like to get home as soon as possible I do like to have a break between games. In Ohio the ADs will put up at least 15 minutes between games.

We like to have Captains' Meetings for two reasons: 1) It prepares young players as to what to expect as they get older; and 2) it gives young officials practice at conducting Captains' Meetings.

Heck, I conducted Captains' Meetings in AAU and YBOA National Championship Tournaments (even in pool play).

MTD, Sr.

[junruh07]

As a ref in KS as well, I will tell you what is done in my small area. I will do a captains meeting before every A team JH game. Sometimes I will do them before the JV HS and B or C team JH games, but not always. It very much depends on who I am working with. I like to do them for the reasons that others mentioned. It helps the players learn, and it helps me and other officials learn how.

Unfortunately, I don't think anyone pays attention. I had a three game night last week. The same coach for the first and third game. We had a meeting before each game and told the coaches to look over the book. She had a book T in both of her games.

[refinks]

So it sounds like the consensus is that maybe the 15 minute on the court protocol for non-varsity games is a little excessive. Which makes sense considering in my location, non-varsity and middle school usually only get 10 minutes between games.

But I still feel that a captains meeting and officials checking the book should happen at those levels. I think I would try to have the captains meeting as soon as possible after the 10 minute mark to give both coaches a chance to check the book, then the R checks the book. I know my assignor wouldn't like it if we passed on a book technical because we elected not to check the book before the game started.

junruh07, I agree with you about nobody paying attention during the captain meetings, especially the captains, which is why we are instructed to keep that part of the meeting short and sweet. Normally the coaches do a little better job at least acting like they are paying attention.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by refinks

So it sounds like the consensus is that maybe the 15 minute on the court protocol for non-varsity games is a little excessive. Which makes sense considering in my location, non-varsity and middle school usually only get 10 minutes between games.

But I still feel that a captains meeting and officials checking the book should happen at those levels. I think I would try to have the captains meeting as soon as possible after the 10 minute mark to give both coaches a chance to check the book, then the R checks the book. I know my assignor wouldn't like it if we passed on a book technical because we elected not to check the book before the game started.

junruh07, I agree with you about nobody paying attention during the captain meetings, especially the captains, which is why we are instructed to keep that part of the meeting short and sweet. Normally the coaches do a little better job at least acting like they are paying attention.

Totally area specific. Here, we do the meetings in all scholastic games. I've worked in other areas where the meetings just aren't done at the MS level because you're lucky to have both officials on site 15 minutes before the game due to scheduling and pay (you just can't ask much of the officials at 12.50 / game). Find out what the expectation is.

[BillyMac]

We do captains meetings for all games assigned by my high school assigner (high school varsity, junior varsity, freshman, and middle school). We have never done captains meetings for any of our Catholic middle school games, assigned by our Catholic middle school assigner. I don't work them anymore, but we never did captains meetings for any youth recreation, travel, or men's recreation games. I seldom work them, but I don't do captains meetings for AAU games.

[constable]

Captains meetings for all HS contests here. Required by IAABO. They also want us to invite the coaches to the meeting... I asked twice.. had refusals both times.. stopped asking.

The captain meetings are the biggest waste of time if you ask me. One thing FIBA does better than the North American rule sets- no damn captains meetings!

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by constable

They also want us to invite the coaches to the meeting... I asked twice.. had refusals both times.. stopped asking.

Connecticut ...

Captains-Head Coaches-Officials pre-game meeting should occur prior to start of game. If the head coach
refuses to attend the meeting, notify Board Commissioner, who will notify the school athletic
director and CIAC.

Originally Posted by constable

Captains meetings for all HS contests here. Required by IAABO.

I just did a quick NFHS rulebook search and discovered that pregame captains meetings are not required by the rules. I can't find any reference to said meetings. Why did I think that this was a NFHS rule? Was there ever such a rule? Is it, or was it ever, in the NFHS mechanic manual?

[dsqrddgd909]

Officials Manual:
"Pre-Game Conference: Officials shall conduct a pre-game conference before each contest at center court
which the head coach of both teams (not a representative of the head coach), each team’s captains, and all the
officials much attend to discuss sportsmanship, game procedures, etc." 1.7.2 C.4