I put this in the controversial forum because of the language and because it applies to every sport.

 

Casey: The abuse of high school officials is driving them away

 

EDITOR'S NOTE: Opinions in this column do not reflect an official viewpoint of CHSAA. Warning: This column contains obscene language.

 

Do you want to be an official?

 

No? Why not?

 

Maybe you don't have enough time. Maybe you don't think you're qualified.

 

Or maybe you don't want to put up with the regular abuse you'll have to endure on seemingly a game-to-game basis.

 

I don't know what it is about sporting events, but they have an enduring tendency to turn its participants, coaches and fans — often grown adults — into toddlers, willing to throw a fit and curse at strangers, and sometimes threaten physical attack because they have a differing opinion.

 

The only other situation I think comes close to this kind of irrational behavior is on the road, where strangers will become blind with road rage.

 

In our world, we have a type of sports rage.

 

Most team sports that CHSAA sanctions has a database where officials file game reports, sometimes after each competition, but also if there's some kind of foul that needs reporting, such as a yellow card in soccer, or an ejection. This means that the office sees a report on just about every incident that happens in a game because it hits the inbox of the administrator who oversees the sport.

 

Not everything is horrible. Sometimes they're funny. (One baseball report: "[The coach] said, 'Go ahead, please eject me.' I obliged his request, immediately.") And there are also many, many comments commending teams, players and coaches for their sportsmanship, even the way they handle participants who are out of control.

 

But a recent game report simply stuck with me, and I'll share it here. It's a perfect example of what's driving officials away.

 

This was a boys soccer game, but I've removed anything that would identify the teams or players. (Warning: The language used here is at times obscene and inappropriate, but I feel it's necessary to show the full picture of what transpired.)

 

SEE LINK - bad language

 

That is horrific. Why would anyone who endured this ever want to officiate ever again? Most of the officials in the state are involved because they really enjoy the sport. It's not as though they're making thousands upon thousands of dollars. It's a side job for most, or even a hobby.

 

There are countless of instances in these game reports of players, coaches and fans cursing at officials, or flipping them off.

 

Here's an example from a football report:

 

SEE LINK - bad language

 

Another one:

 

SEE LINK - bad language

 

There are many other instances of participants charging officials as if to fight. Check this out from a basketball report:

 

We had to be escorted to our cars by police since [a player's father] was waiting for us after the game.

 

Or from a baseball report:

 

After the games, [another umpire] and I were approached by a male adult fan (and assumed wife). He verbally harassed us about our calls. I told him to "move on" several times. He demanded our names. [The other umpire] threatened to call the police. After a few more insults, they drove off.

 

If you're in a grocery store, and someone puts the apples under a "delicious" label, are you going to go find the store manager and flip them off because you disagree?

 

Perhaps a better analogy: If your daughter's teacher gives her a B+ on a paper you think she deserved an A on, are you going to wait for the teacher after school and verbally berate them? Or threaten to fight them?

 

No, because that's irrational. It's inappropriate. It's unacceptable by any measure.

 

Besides, from a purely logical perspective: Do you think the level of officiating is going to improve if you drive all of the experienced officials away?

 

Listen, this isn't a complete across-the-board defense of officials. They are obviously flawed at times, and yes, there are some who take their power too far. But that's not the point. In no situation is it ever OK to take this kind of abusive approach towards another person who happens to be officiating the game you're involved in.

 

The reality is that Colorado's heading toward a crisis when it comes to officiating numbers. Out-of-control fans, coaches and players in situations such as these are only exacerbating the problem.

 

There's data to back that up. The CHSAA office conducted a survey of 1,359 officials from all sports who opted to not re-register from 2015 to 2016, and asked why. Of those who responded, 21.41 percent said it was because of poor sportsmanship by either coaches and players, or spectators.

 

One respondent wrote that "many coaches and players are disrespectful and intimidating." Another said that it "gets worse and worse every year and nobody is willing to do anything about it."

 

Finally: "I was followed to my car after a few games. This takes the enjoyment out of officiating. I decided not to do anything I don't enjoy, not enough money to take the risk."

 

I recently heard of an organization that keeps dozens of extra striped officiating jerseys on hand at youth games. If there's a parent who is constantly berating officials, someone from the organization simply walks up, hands them a striped jersey and nods toward the field: "You're up."

 

The parent never takes the jersey.

 

Perhaps they should. Shoot, we may soon need the bodies.

 

 

 

Officiating Information | Kentucky High School Athletic Association

Great article and so true.

You can see the effects of this across Kentucky, especially in areas outside of Lexington, Louisville and NKY.

I could never be an official. I would get arrested. Hell, I keep the scoreboard and God forbid I get caught up in the game and make a mistake I'm cheating, stupid, etc. My fuse is getting shorter by the year. No way would I be able to handle being an official taking it from both coaches and the fans? Hell nah.

I could never be an official. I would get arrested. Hell, I keep the scoreboard and God forbid I get caught up in the game and make a mistake I'm cheating, stupid, etc. My fuse is getting shorter by the year. No way would I be able to handle being an official taking it from both coaches and the fans? Hell nah.

 

No kidding, been there done that too.

I listened to my Uncle get booed by 19,000 people at Rupp Arena...AND he made the right call. Takes a special breed to do that.

Usually the only time I have any real issue with an official is when he/she seems to be going out of their way to insert themselves into the game; trying to make the game about them. Every ref is going to blow a call or two, every ref is going to disagree with a coach, but I usually don't get too worked up about it. The only thing I really look for is consistency in their calls.

And for those who complain to the refs, they should try to be a referee once, it aint that easy.

The absolute worst are Little League football or basketball parents.

The absolute worst are Little League football or basketball parents.

 

That's when they are starting to face the reality that Little Johnny is crap and has no business on the field/court. :lol2:

Some people spend the entire game fussing at the ref. I don't understand how your joy could be in that. Watch the game!

I haven't yelled at an official since around 1981. I was 22. What's the point, anyway?

Some people spend the entire game fussing at the ref. I don't understand how your joy could be in that. Watch the game!

 

Bingo!

I haven't yelled at an official since around 1981. I was 22. What's the point, anyway?

 

Some folks make a complete "donkey" of themselves. I have never understood what folks think they are going to accomplish by yelling at the Ref.

I saw a coach one time in football grab the flag that was hanging out of the sideline officials pocket and throw it on the field once.

It is tough just sitting in the stands watching basketball games. Fans comment on every call. At one game last year, I finally turned around to a fan and said, "Really every single call against your team is wrong? You have to yell on every call?" That actually quieted them down for the rest of the game, which surprised me a little. I figured I was going to be in the line of fire for the rest of the game after saying that.