You are here: Home / Archives for Coaching

Uses of the Technical Foul

It’s important for every ref to understand the uses of the technical foul in basketball. Too often do officials these days hand out technicals in the heat of the game that ultimately effect the outcome. No official should effect the outcome of the game because that is not their job. Their job is to keep the game safe, and fun for everyone on the court. Knowing the appropriate time to call or not call a technical can be beneficial to the both the safety and integrity of the game. Also remembering that technical fouls are not a tool to reprimand an athlete that has hurt the officials feelings is important.

Uses of the Technical Foul

1. Set Rule Infractions- Several rules in the game of basketball require that, if the rule is broken the official remind the team the first time, and if the infraction occurs again to then proceed to give technicals. This is an appropriate time to give a technical because it upholds the fairness of the game. Often, if these rules are broken it means the other team is cheating.

2. Physical Altercation- Throwing the ball at a referee or other player, or physically fighting with another player is grounds for a technical. There is no rule in the game of basketball that allows for another player to punch or hit another player.  Likewise for the official, if he or she is assaulted by a player in any way, a technical should be called.

3. Excessive Language- Because basketball games, whether youth or professional, are family events, players should never be allowed to use excessive offensive language on the court. In the event of a player using excessive language towards a referee or other player a technical should always be called.

Knowing when to call a technical or not, is the most effective way for a ref to keep an intense game under control.

Filed Under: Coaching, Sports Tagged With: , ,

Go Crazy for Online Sports Betting

Sports betting has been a viable source of entertainment since the first competition. People who can’t participate in the event enjoy wagering on the outcome. A variety of things can affect whether a team or an individual wins, including new rule changes, player injury, the coach, the conditions, the officials, and statistics.

All these variables can make sports betting an interesting endeavor, but at its most basic form, sports betting is really as simple as picking one team or individual as a winner. This means that any fan can take a chance on making some cash off his or her favorite sport.

If this sounds like fun, you just need to follow a few simple steps to get started:

  • First, find an online casino. While many people only associate virtual casinos with games like poker, using online casinos can be one of the most accessible ways to place a wager on a sporting event.
  • Second, you will need to determine what type of bet you want to place. The online sportsbook can help you with this. You can locate events by sport or by team. Once you pull up the information for the event, you can see what betting options the casino is offering.
  • Third, take advantage of the tools provided by the online casino. You can find tutorials for placing bets or read “help” boxes that will explain unfamiliar terms or options.
  • Fourth, transfer money to the casino and use the available funds to place your wagers.

With just a few steps, you can take your love of sports to a new level. Sports betting is actually easier to do than playing fantasy football. Plus, with the popularity of sports, it’s possible that online casinos may handle more sports transactions than poker games in the future. If you haven’t tried your hand at making money from your favorite pastime, then it’s time to go crazy for online sports betting.

Filed Under: Coaching, Sports Tagged With: , ,

Tips to Dealing With Unruly Parents

It’s hard to officiate a game when parents are yelling and upset about the events that unfolded during the course of a game. It is a fact that some of the parents at youth and high school sports get very involved and emotionally invested in their children and their team. Understanding how to deal with these parents can make the difference between a good experience for the children and a bad experience. The job of a referee is not to control the parents, but often in youth sports it becomes the job of the official in order to keep the game moving smoothly and safely. Here are just a few tips to dealing with unruly parents.

Tips to Dealing With Unruly Parents

1. Calm voice- Never yell at a parent in the stands. Instead use a calm voice and ask the parent or fan to please keep it down. Never chastise a parent in front of their child or other parents. Remember the role of the referee is to officiate the game and if needed control parents who are out of control. The referee is not a disciplinarian.

2. Thick Skin- The parents and fans in the stands do not know the officials personally. The official often becomes the punching bag for which parents hurl insults but it is not personal because if it were another referee the situation would most likely be the same. Let comments go and worry about the game.

3. Mediation- A great way to calm a parent down with out causing any problems or altercations is to pull the coach or school official from the fans home team to the side and explain the situation and ask for the coach or school official to calm the fan down. This is great way to quell the insults and problems in a quick, easy manner.

Filed Under: Coaching, General Tagged With: , ,

Importance of Knowing the Rules

One of the hardest things to watch as a former ref is a referee’s who simply do it for the money. It is not uncommon today to attend a youth or high school sporting event and see thing referee miss blatant calls because they simply do not know the rules.

It is understandable that in the heat of the game with so many things going on at once that a referee will miss a call, but to people sitting in the stand a blatantly missed call is a missed call anyway you look at it. These missed calls can add up and can effect the game or cause the referees to lose control of the game. Knowing the rules is important for the fun and safety of all the children. Here are a few reasons why knowing the rules is important.

Importance of Knowing the Rules

1. Safety- When a referee misses calls they can lose control of the game. Athletes become agitated and begin to play more erratically and fans get angry. This is not the kind of intensity that wants to be brought to any sporting events. By knowing the calls and being consistent the referee will ensure that the players and fans will only be worried about the game and not the officiating.

2. Effecting the Game- A referee should never effect the outcome of a sporting event. They are simply there to help each opponent to observe the rules. When a referee does not know the rules then calls are missed or made that should or should not have and at that point the referee has made themselves part of the game and have a chance to effect the outcome.

If the official does not know the rules the game could be effected or the safety of the players could be put in jeopardy.

Filed Under: Coaching, Sports Tagged With: , ,
Newer Posts »