Can Refs Help Improve Youth Play (Videos)

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by ccrroo

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Honestly, I'm absolutely amazed that a defender can smack a dribbler across the chest and it not be a foul (video 2)...

If I heard this extreme hyperbole from a coach after that play, I would cease answering any further questions from that coach the rest of the game, because he could no longer be trusted to have an honest conversation.

[Rich1]

Contact is not a foul unless it is judged to e illegal. In short, contact is illegal and should be dalled a foul if it "hinders normal defensive and offensive movements". The refs may see the exact same contact tat you see but view it differently. If your team is "playing through contact" refs may choose to let it go.

For reference, the following places in the rule book may help: 4-7, 4-18, 4-19, 4-23, 4-24, 4-26, 4-27, 4-37, 4-40, 4-45, and 10-6.

Refs are required to make quick judgements involving contact all game long and depending on your angle, focus, perspective, experience, bias, and other factors you may disagree. Complaining from coaches, players, parents isn't going to change what we call. The best thing you can do as a coach is teach your players to adjust to how the crew is calling the game.

[Rich1]

Refs get paid to officiate rules, coaches get paid to teach the game. This is my mantra for sanctioned school games and I say this as someone who is both a ref and a coach. I don't want you telling my players what to do or how to adjust -- that's on me.

However, for rec leagues where you are dealing with parent coaches and younger kids it is ok to help kids understand what they are doing wrong but I still avoid too much coaching.

I also feel excessive ref coaching slows down the game and can make you appear biased if you spend more time "helping" one team over the other. It really isn't why we're there.

[ccrroo]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

If I heard this extreme hyperbole from a coach after that play, I would cease answering any further questions from that coach the rest of the game, because he could no longer be trusted to have an honest conversation.

What part is hyperbole? Ok, maybe "absolutely amazed" is. But the defender did hit the dribblers chest. Now the offense has to change their game for the rest of the game to be on guard for this. It didn't affect that play, but it affects all others.

[Rich1]

I had a coach this week yell to his players "look out, these guys are calling EVERYTHING." It seems that parents/coaches are constantly complaining that we aren't calling enough fouls and then complain that we call to many.

As a ref I don't care who wins, who fouls out, what the foul count is, etc. I only care about enforcing the rules using my judgement and experience. I always "call it both ways", I know how to "count to three", and "yes coach, that really was a foul".

When I was coaching basketball I got T'd up regularly for "working" the refs too hard. Now that I'm on this side of the game I realize I was out of line most of the time and wish I had a better understanding of advantage/disadvantage, RSBQ, illegal contact, and the rules in general. It would have made me a better coach.