“I Don’t Talk to Assistant Coaches..."

I worked a game last nite where a 5’6’’ player drove into the key and jumped into a 6’5’’ player and then crashed to the floor.

The player’s Assistant Coach hollered out, “How can THAT NOT be a foul?!”

Being near the bench at the time I said, “It’s NOT a foul because your little player jumped into the biggest player on the court, who had established a legal guarding position, and got the short end of that stick! I would not recommend doing that again.”

When the Assistant Coach continued to protest, I blew my whistle and reported a “Bench Personell Warning.”

After getting a Bench Warning, any other problem with anyone on the Bench and it could be a Technical Foul on the Head Coach!

Then the Head Coach said, “What was that for? He didn’t say anything bad!”

I replied, ”No, he didn’t say anything bad, but he has been constantly complaining about calls all nite. If YOU have a question, as the Head Coach, I’m happy to talk to you about it. But I’m not talking with your Assistant, it’s annoying for him to keep yapping, I’m tired of hearing him and he’s done refereeing from the bench for tonite!”

Did not hear any more from the Assistant all nite. I think the Head Coach realized the next thing his Assistant might say would likely be a Technical Foul and in a game that had a maximum lead of 6 points either way all nite he did not want to risk that!

Also, since more than one of his players were trying the crash into the defense & then crash to the floor technique and NOT getting any fouls called,  he realized we knew what they were doing and did not want to press the issue?

As to the Assistant Coaches talking to the Ref’s, one veteran referee once said, “I don’t talk to Assistant coaches. In my games they do not exist. I only talk with Head Coaches.”

I have a rather low tolerance for Assistant coaches who want to referee from the bench, too……

High School Girl’s Basketball