Dealing With Coaches Part 2: Important Questions

Had tons of feedback a year or two ago when I listed 4 categories which cover how coaches deal with officials. Everyone liked it. Had some recent experiences/stories from others that prompted me to post on this topic again.

First off, if you do not have to deal with a coach, don't! A good rule of thumb is, "Don't make an issue where there is not one." Don't explain what he doesn't ask about. Coaches will let you know if they want to know something. Be approachable, but don't approach them unless you need to. Took me a long time to find that balance, and that spectrum goes from not dealing with issues to being a complete ass kisser. The first one gets you in serious trouble, the second one will erode the respect your receive from other officials and the visiting coaches. You'll see both of these, trust me. Be in the middle.

There are 4 different things to consider when you have to deal with a coach. Each coach has a different temperament/philosophy in dealing with officials, each official has different charismatic ability, each game is different, and each situation is different. You need to think about all of these, to deal with coaches effectively on a consistent basis. Judgment is always of paramount importance, but game management, which comprises with dealing with coaches and players, comes best from experience. Can't fake it. Hopefully, this will help you navigate through those experiences a little easier.

1. First Q: What is the coach like? Don't tell a very aggressive coach, who is a Screamer or Mindfu&*er, as described earlier in the blog, to "calm down", "mellow out" or "relax". Remember Jeff Spiccoli and Mr. Hand from Fast Times at Ridgemont High? They are a race car on red, you have to compete with them or say the minimum and get away. On the flip side, if the coach is mellow, an he starts yipping, you might want to lend a sympathetic ear. They usually either have a point, or are nice mindless souls who just need to be heard once in a while. Don't wave red flags in front of raging bulls. And don't ignore a squeaky wheel that is usually quiet. Common sense rules. Use it.

2. Second Q: How charismatic are you? Are you the life of the party who can make players and coaches laugh via personality and credibility? Are you the Nazi who can quote the rulebook by number and who has no problems playing "T" ball? Are you generally laid back and not a conflict fan? Knowing what your role is, much like when you were a player, is very important. Nothing more painful that a bad communicator trying to explain something to an angry coach, or when the R who doesn't get along with Coach Y feels the need to deal with everything. Learn to use what you bring to the table, and use your partners when you need to. There are officials I work with now that get chewed up by certain coaches, for whatever reason. There's no shame in that, just know who brings what the party, and let them serve it. Just like when we played--some guys shot 3's, and some guys set picks. Know your role and when you are needed--and when to give it up to your partner.

3. Third Q: How important is the game? Is it a non-conference game? Tournament? Does one team have something to prove? Some games are revved up more than others, and the coaches will rev up accordingly. Some coaches rev up every game before the tip. I watched Dick Cartmell T up Mark Few last year with 5 minutes left and Gonzaga up by 35 against an overmatched opponent. "What did I do?" whined Few. "Doesn't matter, we're moving on," said Cartmell, barely looking at him and walking away. I doubt that happens in a NCAA Tournament game that exact same way.

4. Fourth Q: Does the coach have a legitimate gripe? I love that term. Every time I have used it to acknowledge a bad call that I or a teammate has made, it has worked like a charm. I hope I did not jinx myself, but since it is genuine and the truth, it shouldn't. Something looks bad? It may have been. "Coach, I am frustrated, too. You have a legitimate gripe there, but it's not correctable, but we heard you." Big difference between a coach having a real point, or possibly a real point, and a coach trying to make a problem where is not one. Just like we need to avoid that, if a coach goes there, you put up the stop sign and get on with it. Hopefully, you can steer him clear of those.

Not Sure On Intentional (Hard) Foul? Ask For Help!

Had a fast break play tonight where a defender crushed an offensive player gong in for a fast break layin. He went for the ball, but also came across with a full body block. Hard foul, offensive player crashed to the ground hard, groaned, writhed in pain, and stayed down for a little bit.

I know the defender fouled him hard, but he also made some play up top for the ball. I almost put the cross up for Intentional, and I would have called it as a "Hard Foul". I hesitated as I tried to compute the situation quickly enough. Partner 1 cruised in to to in close proximity to the crash site. "Upgrade? What do you think?" He looked at me and said, "I don't think so." Other partner: "No." So I stayed with a common foul. With 2.5 votes out of 3, probably the right call.

If you have a borderline intentional or flagrant, it never hurts you to get a second opinion. You can always upgrade the foul: "Coach, we both thought it was 'excessively hard contact' so we upgraded the foul!" "Coach, he swung at him, and we both saw it. That's flagrant and he's out." It is a lot harder to downgrade.

Last year, we upgraded a foul where the kid got flipped and cut his head wide open on a fast break. I do not think it was intentional or malicious, but by upgrading the foul as a crew we prevented any retaliation or escalation that the bloody scene could have ignited. It was the right thing to do. "Hard foul, 2 and the ball."

Unless you are certain on an intentional or flagrant, quick crew decisions may be a great tool for you.

Double Foul, Your Friend

Had a scrimmage last night, which tends to get really fun when you have overly-aggressive players with little experience and no potential foul trouble...After a never-ending stream of off-ball fouls in the post, where players resorted to hand-to-hand combat and wrestling instead of actually using their feet to get to and establish a post-up position, my partner came out with the double foul, our old friend. Worked like a charm. Both get personals, point-of-interruption penalizes nobody, and the game goes on. In real life, if they do not adjust, they go to the pine in foul trouble. If they do adjust, problem solved and everyone is better for it.

Best call of the night, best lesson of the early season. The double foul in the post is a great friend to you, especially early in the game, and early in the year. Save the wrestling matches for the Octagon; enforce BSQR in the post.