When the Calls Don’t Go Your Way
Every coach has been there. The whistle doesn’t seem balanced, the foul count stacks up, and frustration bubbles in the gym. Your players look at you for a reaction. The crowd feeds off it. And in that moment, the game isn’t just about the score, it’s about whether you lose control or set the tone.
The truth is, referees are human. They’ll miss calls. Sometimes they’ll miss them badly. But dwelling on it won’t change the scoreboard. What you can change is how your team responds when the breaks don’t go their way.
When the officiating feels lopsided, your players will mirror your behavior. If you unravel, they’ll unravel. If you burn your energy chasing calls, they’ll do the same, instead of locking in on defense, communicating, and running the sets you’ve drilled. But if you stay composed, they’ll learn to shift their focus back to what they can control: effort, execution, and resilience.
That doesn’t mean you stay silent. You still advocate for your team, but do it with purpose, not emotion. A calm, direct word in the right moment often carries more weight than shouting across the court. Show your players that you’ll fight for them, but that you’ll never let officiating dictate how you lead.
The best teams are built to outlast bad breaks. They rebound harder. They defend smarter. They push through the momentum swings that come from calls they can’t control. And that mindset starts with you.
Practical Tips for Coaches
Choose your moments. Don’t react to every whistle. Save your voice for the calls that truly impact the game, and deliver your point firmly but respectfully.
Redirect your players. If they’re fixated on the refs, pull them back into the huddle and remind them of the next play, not the last one.
Use timeouts wisely. Sometimes a timeout isn’t about the play, it’s about cooling emotions, resetting focus, and giving your team space to breathe.
Model composure. Body language matters. If you’re calm, collected, and focused, your players will be too.
Reframe it as a challenge. Turn adversity into motivation: “We’re going to win despite the calls. Let’s control what we can.”
Your players don’t need you to win arguments with referees. They need you to steady the ship when the tide feels against them. Games are rarely decided by the officials alone, they’re decided by how a team responds when the calls don’t fall their way.
