Working with Coaches and Players

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Working with Coaches and Players
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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 in defusing situations.

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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

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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

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General Game Management

• Back away from a coach if they are being
  aggressive
• Dont let them bump you
• Let coach speak first and remember
• Dont 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
• Dont get into a debate about judgment

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Attitude

• Dont have one
• Be approachable
• REMAIN CALM
• Dont show emotion (anger, frustration)
• Dont take questioning personally
• Be aware of your body language
• Dont be afraid to be wrong but get the call
  right
• If coach has a legitimate point, dont be afraid
  to go to your partner(s) for help

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What are these umpires body language telling the
coach?
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What are these umpires body language telling the
coach?
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What are these umpires body language telling the
coach?
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What are these umpires body language telling the
coach?
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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

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What to say (cont)

• 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.
• Im pretty sure it should be..
• I think the rule is
• Im not really sure what happened..

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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

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How to Say It
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How to Say It
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What to ask you partner(s)

• If the coach has a reasonable request dont 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 dont 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?

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What not to discuss with your partner(s)

• Dont 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

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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 doesnt like
  your answer
• Know when its time to resume play

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How to end discussion

• Always be a calming effect
• Never bait a coach
• One more word and I will
• Dont 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, dont bring it back up later in the game
• But if the coachs behavior progressively gets
  worse, deal with it when necessary

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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?

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What does it take to get removed from a game?
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What does it take to get removed from a game?
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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 its the head coach - either inform them or
  inform an assistant coach
• Once the participant has been ejected let
  partner(s) handle removing him/her

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Once someone has asked to leave the game
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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

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Questions?