Working with Coaches and Players

• Although nobody can tell you how to deal with every situation your personal strengths will aid you when working with coaches and players.

• This presentation is meant to give you some general guidelines to help reduce conflict and assist you in defusing situations.

Summary

• General Game Management

• Attitude

• What to say

• How to say it

• What to ask your partner

• How to end the discussion

• What does it take for you to remove someone

• Once someone has been asked to leave the game

General Game Management

• When a coach requests time

- Grant time when all play has ended• Allow the coach to come to you

- This gives you time to replay the situation in your head and gather your thoughts

- Keep discussion to a “one on one” meeting- Partners keep other participants back

• Only discuss a play with a “calm” coach- “Coach, calm down and talk in a normal voice and we

will discuss this”

General Game Management• Back away from a coach if they are being

aggressive– Don’t let them “bump” you

• Let coach speak first and remember…– Don’t give them ammunition to use against you– If he/she has a question about the play, let them

ask it• What piece of information does he/she think you

missed on the play, not just that you missed the call

• Don’t get into a debate about judgment

Attitude• Don’t have one• Be approachable• REMAIN CALM

– Don’t show emotion (anger, frustration)– Don’t take questioning personally– Be aware of your body language

• Don’t be afraid to be wrong but get the call right– If coach has a legitimate point, don’t be afraid to go to your

partner(s) for help

What are these umpires body language telling the coach?

What to say

• Remember more is less– Say as few words as possible to make your point

• Use rule book terminology as much as possible– Not as easy to twist your words if you quote the

rule book

• Never forget the J word– Judgment can not be protested– You must have good judgment

What to say (con’t)

• Use positive language– “From my angle this is what I saw…”– “Here is what we have based on …..”

• Stay away from open ended answers– “I think I saw….”– “I’m pretty sure it should be…..”– “I think the rule is…”– “I’m not really sure what happened…..”

How to Say It

• Remain Calm

• Speak softly– Makes people focus more on your words– Shows that you are in control– Never get into a yelling match with a

coach/player

• Remain on Topic– Only address the items that have to do with the

call/play in question

What to ask you partner(s)

• If the coach has a reasonable request don’t be afraid to go to your partner(s)– “It looked like there was a tag on the back side”– “It looked like the ball came loose on the tag and I

don’t think you could see it from your angle”

• Discuss the coaches request for more information with your partner– “Did you see a tag from your angle?”– “Did you see the ball come loose during the tag?”

What not to discuss with your partner(s)

• Don’t get into discussing/changing a purely judgment call– Did the ball beat the runner or did the runner beat the

ball

• Only discuss items that your partner might have seen that you were blocked from seeing– Stick to what piece of the puzzle the coach thinks

you are missing

How to end discussions

• Tell the coach the results– Either from meeting with your partner(s)– Or from rethinking the rule/play

• There will be times when the coach doesn’t like your answer

• Know when it’s time to resume play

How to end discussion

• Always be a calming effect– Never bait a coach

• “One more word and I will…”

– Don’t “chase” a coach• If they are walking away let the conversation end,

unless comments are made that need to be dealt with

• Have a short, but “good” memory– If there is a heated argument in the first inning,

don’t bring it back up later in the game– But if the coach’s behavior progressively gets

worse, deal with it when necessary

What does it take to get removed from a game?

• What does it take to get thrown out of a game your umpiring?– Know your line and what it takes to cross it– Never bait a participant (coach or player)

• What is your line– Cussing?– Aggressive behavior?– Showing you up?

Once someone has asked to leave the game

• Remain calm– No need to “show up” the coach/player being

ejected– Look for the path of least resistance

• Inform a coach of the ejection– If a player - inform the head coach– If it’s the head coach - either inform them or inform

an assistant coach

• Once the participant has been ejected let partner(s) handle removing them

Filing report with IHSAA

• Go to www.ihsaa.org and obtain an Unsporting behavior form for officials

• Complete form and return to IHSAA within 48 hours of the completed contest

Questions?