Officials

How do you interact with officials?  Are you the one complaining about every call?  Is your philosophy to say nothing at all? 

The goal is to give your team the best chance to win and with officials being human and an unknown variable to every basketball game you need to have a plan when it comes to interacting with them and understand every official is different.  The size of the crowd can also play a role in what you can say to officials.  Its easier to yell your point across if no one else in the gym can hear you due to crowd noise.  Personally I do very little complaining especially if I don't have a prior relationship with the official and its early in the game.  I might ask an official what the player did wrong or add from my angle it looked like we were vertical and they initiated contact, but mostly I try for our early interactions to be positive and often in a joking manner.

I've found one the best places to foster good relationships is during summer camp games.  We always go to team camp where our officials association is having their training and I make a point to never complain about any summer call and spend as much time developing a positive relationship.  I don't know if it helps us or not, but as a coach who always wants to be in control of the environment having a plan makes me feel better.