A coach’s job is to teach the athletes how to be better at the sport they choose, but coaches also have to defend the athletes.
How far is too far when defending athletes?
“Once you become the team that argues with the ref everyone knows who that team is, you don’t want to be that team,” Chloe Neff said.
A ref’s job is to watch the game or match with a close eye and make the calls they think are right.
“Treat them with respect. They are people too,” Athletic Trainer Madison Walker said.
Coaches are going to be right there watching every call that is made and are typically ready to jump up when a bad one is made.
There are a lot of arguments with coaches and referees especially when the coach disagrees with a call.
“I had a coach, he said some very disrespectful things and it changed the whole momentum of the game,” Lovie Weil said, “In the long run it did hurt us in the game because the referee was not gonna put up with the disrespect or attitude.”
There are different ways to argue a call and different coaches go about it different ways.
Lakeland High School coaches are some of the best at defending their athletes.
William Edelblute is known for actively advocating for his wrestlers.
“I have been defended numerous times there’s been times where the referee just makes an incorrect call,” Dylan Scott said.
When a questionable call is made, he is quick to inquire about the reasoning behind the decision. He is a coach who stands firm in his beliefs, and his interactions with referees can sometimes lead to spirited exchanges.
Similarly, Edelblute’s assistant coaches share this commitment to supporting their athletes. They consistently ensure the accuracy of the scoring by monitoring it themselves and asking for clarifications when needed.
“I do not believe that our coaches ever go too far,” Scott said.
Caleb DeFabiis, the Lakeland boys’ basketball coach, is another example of a coach who is dedicated to his team.
“Yes, our coaches defend us. He definitely gets his point across,” Jake Larcher said, “He gets the ref’s understanding, but then teaches us what to do differently to not get that called on us.”
He is always prepared to stand up for his players and remains persistent in defending their interests.
“You have to pick your battles, let some go and fight for some,” DeFabiis said, “You have to go about with a sense of maturity and your tone is a big thing. It’s not about what you say, it’s about how you say it.”
The girls basketball coach Caelyn Caulifeild said, she is still learning because you want them to see what you’re seeing and make the call, but you want them to want to make that call for you. So as a coach she is still learning where the line is on where to talk to the Referee.
Al Bevacqua, the head baseball coach, addresses questionable calls with a calm and measured approach.
“It is a negotiation tactic,” Bevacqua said.
While he does not overlook such decisions, he communicates with the referee in a composed manner, differing from some other coaches who may take a more outspoken approach.
“Number one you don’t embarrass them, number two you find the meaning of the play and from there you try to negotiate it to go your way,” Bevacqua said, “Number three I feel as though I shouldn’t go and challenge referees, because we shouldn’t put it in their hands in the first place.”
Volleyball is definitely a different ball game when it comes to talking to a ref as much as coaches want to defend their athlete the captain typically takes the role of defending their teammates.
“Kelsie is really good if it’s a small point move on, but big points send the captain up and ask for the why on the call, but if it’s really big she talks to the down ref herself,” Neff said.
The coaches set a standard on how athletes talk to refs and how they should go about speaking to them.
“I am not a big talker to the referees unless I need to,” Caulifeild said “But if I overstep I will always tell the girls I messed up. I make sure they know they have to be respectful and do not get to jump up and talk to refs.”
Bevacqua said his boys know that if they get disrespectful with a referee they will be getting benched.
Is there a right way to talk to a ref and where is the line drawn?
“The coach should never get in the referee’s face,” Jake Larcher said.
Coaches and refs typically are not best friends especially during those intense moments.
“Don’t think yelling is the way to go about it because the athletes and parents see that adn it’s just a display of your character,” Walker said.
The referee has the cards in his hand for what calls are made, so the coaches need to stay on the good side of the ref.
“You have to be mindful and cautious of what you’re saying because they hold the power,” DeFabiis said.
