Started going through my files, and found an Excel file that logged every game I ever worked. Since I keep getting a lot of e-mail from first-year guys asking questions, I have a few more things that stood out when I saw the games I worked as a rookie.
One of the lasting memories was getting assigned to a particular coach 7 times, which equated to 13 games since, most of those assignments were freshman games where each school had a freshman A and freshman B team, so you called 2 games. Richland was, and sort of continues to be, a cool place where the former varsity coaches, who were extremely successful during their turns as the Varsity coach of RHS, would coach the sub-varsity teams at Richland, and also the junior high schools that feed Richland. It established a pipeline of kids that maximized their talents, and fostered extreme success for the school. My first year of officiating, the freshman coach at Richland had been a State Championship coach at 2 schools and also coached the local CC team. He was a great big bear of a man, who wore a perpetual scowl and growled all the time. Absolute intimidator. Combine Bobby Knight and Walter Mathau, and this was the guy.
First game with this coach, after my initial fun scrimmage, was with another crusty old guy who was short on people skills. I'm sprinting around, trying my best to hustle, and work on a couple of basic things. Richland is dismantling another opponent by about 40. All of a sudden, the Richland coach doesn't like a few of my calls. I pretty much start to put him on ignore as he gets madder at me. I don't really know what to say, anyway. Them, one of his players makes another poor decision and turns the ball over. "Time out!" he bellows as he glares straight at me. He could have been heard for a mile. I hit the whistle, made the signal, and then realized that something was strange. The opposing coach was yelling, but my partner was right in my grill. "Don't you know you they have to have the ball to get a TO, you f&ck^&^g idiot! Jesus!" I felt pretty small and pretty stupid. I also saw the contented smirk from the Richland coach. Embarrassed and angry at everyone, I finished my games.
Next week, same deal. Same yelling. Same attempts to intimidate. I vowed never to get unnerved again, and I did not, but I really hated working those games. The reason I hated it? I knew that I was making mistakes, and I hated getting called on it that loudly. I had little basis for giving him a T, unless I wanted to get back at him for pointing out mistakes or 50/50 calls that did not go his way. I asked my assignor why I had so many of those games with that school. My assignor said, "George, keep working. He's making you better." Year 2, I had 12 more games with that coach. By the end of year 2, he was killing my partners and kind of leaving me alone. Year 3, I didn't really work freshman games any more.
Point to new guys? Understand that you make tons of mistakes. Don't look to penalize coaches because of them. Tough coaches are not fun to deal with--I still have assignments that I know are not going to be much fun--but as a new guy think of what they are communicating more so than how they say it. Some of these guys can teach you an awful lot. Don't miss the message through the yelling or sarcasm. Embrace the adversity that your mistakes can create, and learn from it.
This coach is now retired, but he is a fixture at basketball games, and still scowls all the time. However, he is always willing to give opinions, good or bad, about games and officiating. I've had the chance to watch major college games with him, and he is incredibly observant an intelligent about basketball. He has helped me to this day be a better official. I would have never thought that in a million years during my rookie campaign. Think about that.
Have a great Christmas!
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