Handling Coaches

[tophat67]

A fellow referee and I (who I work with a lot) were trying to discuss the best way of handling coaches who constantly call out violations and fouls in an attempt to try and influence our calls. "That's a travel!" "That's a double dribble" "That's a foul!" I usually ignore those comments until it gets to be very vocal and starts engaging/enabling the players and fans. My take on this lately has been to nicely ask/tell the coach, "Coach, we are not going to be discussing every call" or "Coach, please don't be constantly yelling out calls" ---- or something to that affect. I may give them a second such nice warning and then Tee them up if it doesn't stop because usually it reaches a heightened state. The Tech typically quiets down the coach and makes the game more manageable for everyone.

What are people's thoughts on this? How do you all handle such coaches who constantly chirp and get progressively worse as the game goes on?

[JRutledge]

I will tell a coach to either "Knock it off" or "Stop it" if they having something to say on every play. I usually say something like, "Coach we are not wrong on every play, if you have a question on a couple of plays, but not every play." I usually will not say much to a single cry for a call that is a statement, but if it is consistent that we have a comment every play, I think that needs to be addressed. And I will usually accompany with, "If we saw it the way you did, we would have made the call that way" or something in that manner.

I have found in recent years seen these have worked and we get the coach back to coaching which is what I want them to do in the first place.

Peace

[SC Official]

"Coach, you're either going to coach or you're going to officiate, but you're not going to do both." I think you know which one he will pick.

"Coach, calm down and let us call the game."

"Coach, you need to pick your spots, we're not wrong every time."

"Enough."

[Adam]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I will tell a coach to either "Knock it off" or "Stop it" if they having something to say on every play. I usually say something like, "Coach we are not wrong on every play, if you have a question on a couple of plays, but not every play." I usually will not say much to a single cry for a call that is a statement, but if it is consistent that we have a comment every play, I think that needs to be addressed. And I will usually accompany with, "If we saw it the way you did, we would have made the call that way" or something in that manner.

I have found in recent years seen these have worked and we get the coach back to coaching which is what I want them to do in the first place.

Peace

This. /\

[BillyMac]

This past Friday night. First half. I'm the trail standing right in front of the Team A bench, right in fount of the Team A coach. B1, at the top of the key, makes an odd pivot, but doesn't move her pivot foot. Coach yells out, "Travel". I ignore him. B1's next move is to drag her pivot foot, I call, and signal, a traveling violation on B1. As I turn to move upcourt, I say to the coach, "The first move was legal, the second was a travel". Coach says, "I know".

I wanted to say, "Then why did you yell out "Travel" on the first move if you knew that it wasn't a travel?", but wisely decided against it, and just moseyed on my way upcourt. Stupid coaches.

[constable]

Originally Posted by SC Official

"Coach, you're either going to coach or you're going to officiate, but you're not going to do both." I think you know which one he will pick.

"Coach, calm down and let us call the game."

"Coach, you need to pick your spots, we're not wrong every time."

"Enough."

I would never tell a coach to "calm down" or "relax". All that does is give the coach an opportunity to scream " I am calm! " etc.

[Mark Padgett]

OK - here's my serious answer. Just stop, put up your hand like a stop sign and tell him (or her) "That's enough coach". That generally worked for me.

OK - here's my typical answer. "I'll tell you what coach - let's trade places. You come out here and call the game and I'll sit on the bench and act like a jackass." That generally works, also.

[jTheUmp]

Originally Posted by constable

I would never tell a coach to "calm down" or "relax". All that does is give the coach an opportunity to scream " I am calm! " etc.

Reminds me of a story from a football official (who now works in the NFL). Back in his D-III college days, he had one coach who vehemently disagreed with a call right at the end of the first half. Before the officials could get off the field at the start of halftime, said coach was "expressing his displeasure" to another official (who was a first-year college official at the time). Future NFL ref walks over to the conversation, and calmly says to the coach "Come on, coach, you're better than that". Coach immediately replies, as loudly enough for a significant portion of the fans to hear. "NO, I'M NOT!"

[Welpe]

I had that exact exchange with a football coach after flagging his defender for DPI but it was backwards. Coach: "Come on you're better than that!"

"I'm really not coach!"

[SC Official]

Originally Posted by constable

I would never tell a coach to "calm down" or "relax". All that does is give the coach an opportunity to scream " I am calm! " etc.

It all depends on your tone of voice. I've softly and firmly told coaches to "calm down" and it's worked fine.

[JRutledge]

Well tonight I had a coach that did nothing but complain. I had to address it several times because every play was an argument. When he did not shut up, I told him very clearly he needed to "knock it off." He tried to sulk a little but he eventually got the message and did nothing in the second half. He won the game and yes people saw the exchange. But I won because I was able to have my crew call the game and he was sitting and shutting up. We are grown men here and if you want to act like a child I will treat you like one. It is that simple to me and works for me as well.

Peace

[Sharpshooternes]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

OK - here's my typical answer. "I'll tell you what coach - let's trade places. You come out here and call the game and I'll sit on the bench and act like a jackass." That generally works, also.

I wouldn't even dare try this.

[BatteryPowered]

Had a game the other night. A1 goes up for a shot and two defenders attempt a block...one gets all ball, the other gets all arms. I hit the whistle and indicate two shots. As I am moving to report the coach says "She got all ball." I reply "Which player coach?"..."22" she replied. I smiled and said "I agree, however...WHITE...12...HIT...TWO SHOTS." She just looked at me and sat down.