All Articles by Barbara Bleiweis

I recently received an email asking for prayers for Coach Brad, a coach I know through the local basketball league. Coach Brad underwent his second surgery to remove a tumor that emerged only weeks after a clean PET scan.  The news of the tumor was disheartening to his family and the many of us who have fought the battle against cancer.  I lost my husband to cancer seven years ago and in the wake of that devastating event  there emerged to me a clear call to action:  Barbara, DO SOMETHING!  And I did.

Officials sometime make the mistake of explaining a rule to a coach in response to a coach's comment or question on a call. There is inherent risk in using rules interpretation as a communication tool.  Firstly, it takes the official's attention away from the players on the court. Secondly, it gives the coach too much information and opens the door for trouble. A coach friend of mine recently challenged an official asking why he did not call a lane violation on a 6'3 player who was gaining advantage by dwelling in the key. The official responded by explaining the rule at length. The problem was, the coach knew the rule better than the official. The verbose and incorrect explanation by the official hurt the crew's credibility on virtually every call in the game.

The 2011 Summer Evaluation Program will come to an end this week and I feel great about my chances for promotion. When I reflect on all that has transpired to get me to this moment, I think of Coach E, a mentor and friend who began preparing me for SEP from the time I became an official seven years ago. This week marks his birthday, and this blog is my birthday card to him.

Ever since I was assigned a prestigious semi-final match for next week Tuesday, I have been mentally preparing to make it my best performance ever.  SEP Games 9&10 on Tuesday followed by three Boys JV summer league games last night, let me focus on three major areas that I hope to nail by Tuesday:

1) Situational awareness:  players, score, fouls, clock. Know the numbers and the tenor of the game and  manage accordingly. 

2) Communication with coaches and players:  Answer questions, not comments, by coaches and players, politely, firmly and without emotion.  Effective communication here keeps coaches in check and the game moving.

A fellow official and good friend of mine, "Julia" recently sent an unusually emotional email advising that her partner of 19 years, "Danielle", had been removed as assistant scout leader for their son's Boy Scout troop. The Boys Scouts of America informed Danielle, that the basis of their decision was that her sexual orientation was" a detriment" to the scouts.