How many times have you, fellow referee, driven home after some particular tough game thinking constantly, “That coach was unbelievable today. No matter what happened, he was never satisfied. Is it possible that he cannot understand the game at all?”
If one is really honest, then one cannot deny that such instances occur regularly, whatever the level of play. Yet, whilst at junior levels one expects coaches to be maybe not that conversant with the latest rules and techniques, the same cannot be said when dealing with the ‘higher’ levels. Here one always expects that coaches are dedicated people who study the game and are always up-to-date with the latest technical trends (does this occur? That is another issue which we referees cannot delve into as out job is primarily to be in the best possible shape and frame of mind so as to give a fair and unbiased service from the first second of the game right up to the final horn or whistle).
Certainly, at times, referees (especially those who take the task seriously and who prepare themselves well in all aspects, be it technically, physically and psychologically) get frustrated by coaches for good reason.
I do not want to beat round the bushes but it is also true that there are coaches who should not be coaches and should be rejected when applying for a renewal of licence.
However, there are then good coaches who really put a lot of effort in their job. Some of my local colleagues tend not to believe me when I state that a referee can also learn from a coach. Yet I stick with what I say and would like to see more interaction between coaches (the real ones) and referees (ok, some of the coaches who read this column may be fuming right now as they believe some referees should be removed. I cannot deny, as I have many times stated before in this column, that as in everything in life there are always black sheep roaming around. Some referees do not put much effort, which is the truth. Many state that we need a certain quantity in our sector but I believe that it is better to have a limited quality of referees than just a quantity).
Coming back to coaches, even if referees do not want to learn from coaches, should we at least try to understand their game views to help in game management?
In thinking about this latter question, some thoughts spring immediately into my mind.
The real coaches expect their players to take each game seriously, so should the referee. Some of us have been guilty of "easing up" on a game at one time or another. If we do, we are creating the impression that we are not treating the assignment as seriously as the players and coaches. If the coaches believe that, whether it’s true or not, the referee might be in for a long night at the game.
It is no secret that certain games result in a whitewash (for example a 4 goal margin in football or a 30 point lead in basketball) and it is natural for the referee to ease up in his concentration. Yet he should try to call the necessary infractions so as not to let the game slip out of his control
One must also remember that games occur in an emotional atmosphere. Dedicated coaches and ambitious clubs would have invested weeks and months in preparation, and their emotions could be so focused that anything that might deviate from that focus will create an atmosphere where frustration could be manifested.
After having said all this I definitely am not implying that referees should start kneeling and bowing down before coaches. But understanding how they see the game could make our game administration easier. Both of us have our roles to see to. Both roles carry responsibility and pressure and both have to take place on the same court at the same time. Thus we (always assuming that referees and coaches are dedicated and aim for the best I all aspects) need, as much as possible, to create the right reciprocal respectful environment. Any lack of respect will then have to be handles by the rules.
To conclude I would like to quote a phrase by a top American football coach, “When a referee says it does not really matter to them who wins, I believe that, but they have to understand that it really does matter to me.”
That is true in many cases. Referees have no interest in who wins but then we have to respect the professional (repeat, professional and not the amateurish type of attitude) coach who has a big interest in seeing his team win.
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