Game Log 1/11/2006: A nice compliment

Had a JV game tonight, which was a bit unusual...like I said, two days in a row without a varsity game is a first this year. The game itself was quite uneventful. The Blue coach kept wanting fouls on the shot, but I was not going to call them. White was standing still--not even jumping--and keeping their arms straight up in the air. Gimme a break. I will never call that. If there's contact, it's either a nothing or on the offense. In fact, I probably passed on a player control foul or two (glancing contact caused by the offense).

I probably was too assertive for coach management at one point. The second time he shouted he wanted a call like that, I walked up to him from the baseline to say "She was standing with her arms straight up coach." I should have ignored him instead. He didn't say anything that had a question mark on it--therefore I can ignore it. In three man, it might have been different--he may have had occasion to ask something--but in two man, I can't go walking to him.

My partner had a technical on a player for White while she sat on the bench. A ballplayer fouled out early in the third quarter. While she was on the bench, partner had a call, and she repeatedly chirped at him. T on the bench. He explained it to the coach and seat-belted him.

After the game, the White coach came by the locker room to tell us we were the best crew he'd had this season. He was glad partner T'd up the player. He let us know that, just yesterday, she'd gotten in trouble for mouthing off to a teacher at school, and he was really glad we T'd her up. I told him we're glad that she could get that feedback from someone other than a teacher! Anyway, they're going to sit her out of Friday's game.

Although the compliments were a little more directed at my partner than at me, it was still great to have them from a losing coach--and for something that might actually teach a kid a thing or two.

THINGS I DID WELL: Smooth game overall. Refereed stationary defender properly--didn't let coach's garbage influence me. Felt confident.
THINGS TO WORK ON: Coach management...too aggressive. Square up as lead when near key. Get hair gel.
NEXT UP: Two small schools near the bottom of their conference. JV and Varsity. Friday.