Include a registered coach in a team

This discussion has an associated proposal. View Proposal Details here.

Comments about this discussion:

Started

The Basketball Committee addressed the fact that coaches in team sports are currently not really taken into account in the rulebook, which many basketball coaches find very unsatisfactory. It was therefore discussed in the Main Committee that coaches should become more visible in the rulebook and be perceived as part of a team. To this end, the following definition should be added to the first chapter:

Head Coach: A leader of a team in Basketball, Hockey and Large Group Freestyle. A competitor who may or may not be riding in the event but is able to speak on the team’s behalf with Judges and Directors.

In the basketball part of the rules, this “head coach” should be considered as follows:

15.B.3 Team Composition 

A team consists of 5-12 players and may include one registered Head Coach. A team must provide at least 4 players on the court to start a game in a tournament.

 

I think it would be nice to also include a "Head Coach" somwhere in the hockey section of the rules.

Comment

Thanks for informing us about this discussion. I have a few questions.

What would be the rights and obligations of these head coaches? And what would be the difference compared to a "normal" player?

What is meant by "judges"? In hockey, we have no "judges" but only referees? Do these count as judges and is this defined anywhere in the rulebook? I didn't find anything like this.

In my opinion, we can add such a head coach in the hockey rules, but I first would like to know a bit more. 

Comment

> What would be the rights and obligations of these head coaches? And what would be the difference compared to a "normal" player?

Basically, there is no difference to a normal player.
However, the Basketball Committee has raised this issue because non-unicyclists often act as coaches in basketball and therefore do not feel included in the current rules and would not even think of registering as part of their team. In order to simply make the coaches more visible and to show at rulebook level that they are also part of their team as non-unicyclists or non-active players and are welcome to register with their team, they should be made more visible in the rules.

> What is meant by "judges"?

If you want to keep it very general, then I would say it includes the people mentioned in the section “C Judges and Officials Rules”. But of course you are right that in hockey (and basketball) there is not one position “Judge”.

But as I said, the rule is not intended to define specific rights or obligations, but simply to make coaches more visible in general.

Comment

If the coach is added to the rulebook, should they then be registered on the team and pay competitors (or at the very least non-competitors) fees?

Comment

If they want to register as part of the team they would also need to pay the fees. However, this would already be the case right now if a coach wanted to register as part of the team without the coach being explicitly mentioned in the rules.

Comment

Can they coach without being registered currently? I assume yes. I am thinking that the parents who are coaching their kids at high jump are not paying at the moment.

If they are acknowledged as having official duties in the game in the rulebook, do they become official and are then required to pay?

Comment

> Can they coach without being registered currently? I assume yes. I am thinking that the parents who are coaching their kids at high jump are not paying at the moment.

It might be that parents who are coaching their children are actually not necessarily registered - but without being registered as a participant for a competition, there is basically no guarantee that you can move freely around the competition venue. There may well be restrictions that certain areas can only be entered by participants and then the parents of the children simply cannot go there. Wherever spectators have access, people who are not registered for a competition have access.

But once again: The rule is not intended to define specific rights or obligations, but simply to make coaches more visible in general. If a coach does not want to register, nothing changes - in this case the coach is simply a spectator at the competition and can do everything that a spectator can do - no more, no less. If he registers as part of the team (which he can already do), then he has of course the same rights as every other competitor.

 

Comment

Thanks Jan

Comment

Thanks for all the additional information. I am in favor of increasing the visiblity of the coach and would even suggest to also give him some rights similar to the captain (specifically requesting the tactical time-out (if it passes) ad discussing with the referees). Here a first quick suggestion how to change the rules (building on Proposal 55):

14B.4 Players and Team Officials

A team consists of at least three players and may include one registered Head Coach. A team on the field consists of up to five players with a team requiring a minimum of three players to begin a match. Each player can be the goalkeeper at any time. The goalkeeper has no special rights.

14B.4.1 Captain (moved here from Rider identification)

One Captain shall be appointed by each team, and they and the Head Coach alone shall be authorized to consult with the referees regarding any queries on rule interpretation. Change of the team captain shall only take place in case of injury, illness or penalty box for the remainder of the game. The team captain shall wear an armband, which shall be worn on the upper arm and be clearly visible.

14B.4.2 Player Registration 

[...]

14B.4.3 Player Substitutions

[...]

Comment

I would use only "team officials" for persons belonging somehow to the team (The teams may call themseves, coach, headcoach, trainer, team manager, team medic or what ever.) Usually (but not needed) this persons are non-players and non-audiance and are situated outside the playing field next together with the substituts to the sideline. This persons should be registrated (and paying a fee). 

I we have registrated and named team officials the referree may punish them e.g. in case of "14B.8.5 Insults" (Here the team officials should be included beside the players.) with a sent off.

Comment

I'm not sure what exactly you are suggesting Herbie - is it to use “team officials” instead of “head coach”? In principle, it is of course possible not to use the term “head coach”, but it should be kept in mind that this term is to be added to the definitions in Section 1 of the Rulebook.

Comment

@herbie As Jan said the Headcoach is used in the 1st section of teh rulebook. To have a consistent wording i think we also sjuold use Hadcoach.

@Nicolai i like your suggestion. Please bring this to a proposal if you can do that or some one else. To find the final wording i think there is enough time on the review stage.

Comment

My words "team officials" is not new, we have it already in the current rulebook (14B.9.5 Penalty Box, 5 minutes: "Violent conduct against other players, their team officials or spectators.") A headcoach may be a part of the group of team officials. Members of Team Officals should be allowed to be next to the playing field (audience not). Members of Team Officals should be punished by a sent off in case of "Violent conduct against members of board of referrees, players, their team officials or spectators."

#Jan: Medalparade: One extra medal for the "group of team officials" would be nice.

 

 

Comment

@Nicolai: Good suggestion.

I would stick to the term headcoach.

Team officals are nowhere in the whole rulebook defined yet (except for 14.B.9.5). Who are they and how many?

@Jan Vocke "team officials" in 14.B.9.5 uses a special (latex) compound letter for the "ff" and is therefore not searchable.

Comment

@Jan or @Steven: Would you be so kind to make a proposal out of this (if you generally agree)?

Comment

@Nicolai: I have created an official proposal based on what you have written.

If there are any adjustment suggestions, please let me know.


Copyright ©

IUF 2025