âDonât Stand, Donât Shoutâ Rule Has Cage Coaches Screaming
The National Federation of State High School Assns. decided this year that basketball coaches should be seen but not heard. And they should only be seen sitting politely.
So the federation shaped a national measure--which took effect this season--that has become known as the âbench decorum ruleâ instructing referees to issue technical fouls if coaches get out of their seats and/or direct comments their way. The federation, reacting to incidents--mostly in the East and Midwest--of coaches inciting crowds against officials, instructed referees to enforce the rule closely.
An informal survey of some veteran Southland coaches and officials showed that the rule has affected a few games but that the coaches, though they abhor the rule, are largely behaving themselves and most officials arenât calling the regulation strictly.
Coaches are bothered most by the specter of a technical foul hanging, and are fearful of incurring one in a forgetful moment. The nightmare happened to Cleveland High Coach Bobby Braswell against Dorsey, where his team held a one-point lead with 30 seconds left and was trying to inbound the ball.
âI Stood Upâ
âItâs a very small gym, there was a lot of yelling and screaming, Iâm trying to call a play and the kid with the ball canât see me,â Braswell said. âIâm sitting down trying to call the play and he canât see me, so I stood up. I didnât take a step, just stood up. The second I stood up he (official) hit me with a T (technical foul). I was in a state of shock. For one thing, I had been standing up the whole game and they hadnât called a thing.â
The result: Dorsey made both technical foul shots to take a one-point lead, scored on the possession and won the game. âItâs unfortunate. Itâs a shame,â Braswell said. âThey took coaching out of high school basketball. I canât instruct these kids sitting down.â
Another coach who has been affected is Jorge Calienes, who has put the T in Bosco Tech three times this year. âWe lost to Damien. I got a T with 45 seconds left when I went on the floor to ask them (officials) a question with time out,â Calienes said. âI donât think they themselves know what theyâre doing. Itâs chaos. I have a young team. I need to be able to talk to them and settle them down. It is taking away from the coaching strategy.â
Palos Verdes Coach John Mihaljevich, an inveterate sideline pacer and kneeler, vociferously attacked the rule before the season, claiming it would affect his coaching style. âIâm a roamer. If I sit there with a rolled up program like John Wooden my team thinks Iâve given up,â he said in November.
Threat Is There
Last week he said, âIâve been pleased to see most officials basically are saying, âWeâre not here to officiate the coaches.â I havenât seen coaches getting Tâd for getting up and coaching. (But) I feel like somebody on Death Row who faces an execution, inevitably--you know itâs out there. I hope the situation never develops where a league game turns on a technical in the last minute or two. It could happen. Itâs hanging over your head.
âFor the most part I like what the officials have done. Basically, the officials and coaches are handling it well.â
Another coach who said officials are generally showing restraint is Tom Maier of Chadwick. However, Maier said he got a technical in the Laguna Tournament for leaning forward in his seat. âIf I had a hand grenade Iâd have used it,â he said.
The coaches agreed that consistency among referees is a problem, leaving them unsure of how to act. âNow when I come out I ask the officials how theyâll call it,â Braswell said. âThe older officials say, âYou can get up and coach, itâs a stupid rule.â Itâs not consistent. One game they donât enforce it, the Dorsey game they enforce it bad. It hurts. Thereâs a lot of coaches out there pretty upset. And it puts a burden on the officials. Now they have to watch the bench and the game.â
Consistency Called For
Eugene Perkins, who officiates college as well as high school games, said he instructs partners to be consistent. âIf we let âem do it (stand) at the start weâve got to let âem do it the whole game,â he said. âI havenât called a technical this year. I really havenât had a problem with coaches. Thereâs no reason. They know whatâs going on. Theyâre not pressing it.â
He added, âI donât think many (officials) are enforcing it. Weâll probably be called on it because there are a lot of (supervisors) out watching us.â
Ken Wilson, a supervisor of officials, explained the rule to a group of coaches before the season, saying, âOfficials are expected to enforce it. . . . We donât like it.â
He said the rule appeared to be a reaction to incidents in other parts of the country where coachesâ antics incited crowd problems.
Coaches Object
Several coaches respond that all coaches should not be saddled with the indiscretions of a few. âWhenever rules are made itâs because of a few coaches and a few officials,â said Harvey Kitani of highly rated Fairfax. âIndividual coaches should be policed--donât penalize all of us. Baseball coaches stand. Football coaches stand and go along the sidelines. I donât see why theyâre restricting us to sitting.â
He added, âI donât think this rule will last.â
Glendale Coach Steve Keith, who hasnât gotten a technical foul this year, said he dislikes the rule but âI can see both sides. . . . Itâs a heavy-handed control for a small minority of coaches who make fools of themselves.
âI donât think itâs that big a deal. I just feel theyâve kind of overdone it. It creates problems for the people (officials) it was trying to help.â
âShould Vary Itâ
Bosco Tech Coach Calienes, who officiated for more than a decade, said, âThere are other ways to control the crowd. . . . The rule is for incompetent officials who canât control it. If the problem is on the East Coast they should handle it there. They should vary it a little bit in different areas.â
Braswell said he called a team meeting after several close losses including the Dorsey game, and his Cleveland players told him he didnât seem to be as fiery as in the past. âMy kids told me, âYou used to get on us, pump us up a little bit.â They didnât know about the rule. I told them I canât anymore. They were shocked.
âI donât know how it passed.â
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