If the alleged adults that go to games would act like civilized human beings there would be no need for the administrators. Chicken or egg?

 

Someone has to be in charge b77 and it is the administrators.

 

And you are definitely disagreeing with the authors, the Commish said it is systematic. :thumb:

We had problems during the regional tourney in 2010 of the opposing cheering section harassing our players and coaching staff. It was very bad.The adms of the host school did nothing to correct the problems. This has been going on for awhile.

I do have to agree that its getting worse. I do not have a child that plays now (my children have all graduated high school). I just really enjoy high school sports but sometimes it's very annoying when someone criticizes literally every call. I wish there could be a "cry room" for them and they could all listen to each other and us other fans could enjoy the game!

I agree that this is a problem and that is likely getting worse. With that said, are there any schools, individual programs, or referee associations that are doing anything about it?

 

Sadly, it not too far of a stretch to make this comparison, but something like getting police officers and the community to come together. Or something like the Bengals do with the ladies program and introductory classes by having something for fans to attend.

 

Of course the ones who need it wouldn't show up but a Q&A for fans on some of the basics and most often misunderstood calls might help a little.

 

I know this isn't possible at the high school level, but I've been to a couple youth soccer games where the center ref will come over to the fans at halftime and do a Q&A on the rules. They were very informative lessons for the parents, and the second half, you didn't hear a single parent yell. In both instances, the official clarified rules, did some demonstrations, and allowed the parents to ask them questions.

If you see how some administrators allow the teachers in their 'own building' to be talked to and criticized by students and parents alike, it would make you understand exactly why they won't have backbone in a public setting.

This happens in some places, but I don't think it is as widespread as it might appear. I am in my 24th year of teaching. That has been in two schools and with six principals. Never once has a principal not "had my back" with disrespectful students.

We have a rivalry game at our school tonight. At the end of the school day, our principal addressed the students over the intercom, reminding them of our expectations for them as fans. She has done this on more than one occasion. I'm not sure how/if she addresses it with parents.

I know this isn't possible at the high school level, but I've been to a couple youth soccer games where the center ref will come over to the fans at halftime and do a Q&A on the rules. They were very informative lessons for the parents, and the second half, you didn't hear a single parent yell. In both instances, the official clarified rules, did some demonstrations, and allowed the parents to ask them questions.

 

Your situation isn't going to happen but you can have refs and umpires at a scrimmage or preseason practice and they would likely be willing to talk to players, coaches, or parents.

I do have to agree that its getting worse. I do not have a child that plays now (my children have all graduated high school). I just really enjoy high school sports but sometimes it's very annoying when someone criticizes literally every call. I wish there could be a "cry room" for them and they could all listen to each other and us other fans could enjoy the game!

 

I was at a game a couple years ago sitting in front of a "call cryer". As you said, every single call against his team was wrong and he yelled about it. Finally in the second quarter I turned around and looked at him when he yelled about a call that was very obviously right and I said, "Really? Every single call is wrong? Really?" To his credit he was good the rest of the game after I said that.

 

Many times watching games with my own team's fans who I know I hear friends yelling about calls I think were accurate calls, even though they were against our team. I often speak up and say that was a good call.

 

If fans yell about every call, they become the boy who cried wolf.

Not sure the firm solution to this, but something needs to happen to stop this behavior. It is absolutely inexcusable.

No matter how poor one thinks a call or the overall officiating is, it does warrant the ridiculous behavior of those sitting in the bleachers.

Self-policing among fans would be the biggest way to get a handle on things. Kind of like the situation @EyeOfTheTiger was explaining... When we experience situations like that, we need to tell that parent/fan to cool it.

 

If I were a coach, I'd have a parent meeting before the start of each season, go over this kind of thing, and have them sign something saying if they act a fool, they acknowledge they can be removed from any game and not allowed back if necessary.

I'm sure this post will draw the ire of all the referees and referee apologists on this site, but the first people to recognize bad and inconsistent officiating are the players themselves . . . the 15 - 18 year old kids. It's not the parents who see it first. It's the kids who are in the arena, on the front lines dealing with refs who are not in position, inconsistent, and sometimes appear to have an agenda based on familiarity with a particular coach or school who they have worked years with. Referees, just like any other workplace, form a bond and familiarity with their peers and that influences their decisions/calls as well. They cover for each other. This is accentuated this time of year when these kids are playing their last games as high school players, and sometimes their last games in organized basketball. You'd love to expect well-called, consistent officiating at the district and regional level . . . hopefully getting the best of the best to do these games. Unfortunately that is simply not the case.

 

Blaming crazed parents is often a cop-out for referees who face little accountability and grading by supervisors or peers. Just like there is no place in high school basketball for a verbally-abusive, violent, cussing parent in the stands, there is also no place in the sport for a referee with an agenda, grudge, or skin too thin to survive an Upward Basketball game let alone a career-ending district or regional game. I'd much rather see a two-man crew of honorable, fair referees than a three-man crew with one weak link or hot-headed ref who makes the game about him/her or goes out of his way to affect the game.

I'm sure this post will draw the ire of all the referees and referee apologists on this site, but the first people to recognize bad and inconsistent officiating are the players themselves . . . the 15 - 18 year old kids. It's not the parents who see it first. It's the kids who are in the arena, on the front lines dealing with refs who are not in position, inconsistent, and sometimes appear to have an agenda based on familiarity with a particular coach or school who they have worked years with. Referees, just like any other workplace, form a bond and familiarity with their peers and that influences their decisions/calls as well. They cover for each other. This is accentuated this time of year when these kids are playing their last games as high school players, and sometimes their last games in organized basketball. You'd love to expect well-called, consistent officiating at the district and regional level . . . hopefully getting the best of the best to do these games. Unfortunately that is simply not the case.

 

Blaming crazed parents is often a cop-out for referees who face little accountability and grading by supervisors or peers. Just like there is no place in high school basketball for a verbally-abusive, violent, cussing parent in the stands, there is also no place in the sport for a referee with an agenda, grudge, or skin too thin to survive an Upward Basketball game let alone a career-ending district or regional game. I'd much rather see a two-man crew of honorable, fair referees than a three-man crew with one weak link or hot-headed ref who makes the game about him/her or goes out of his way to affect the game.

 

What game did you go watch tonight?

I’d rather not identify the game, as I know refs monitor this site from time to time and I don’t want to bring even more adversity to a particular school.

I'm sure this post will draw the ire of all the referees and referee apologists on this site, but the first people to recognize bad and inconsistent officiating are the players themselves . . . the 15 - 18 year old kids. It's not the parents who see it first. It's the kids who are in the arena, on the front lines dealing with refs who are not in position, inconsistent, and sometimes appear to have an agenda based on familiarity with a particular coach or school who they have worked years with. Referees, just like any other workplace, form a bond and familiarity with their peers and that influences their decisions/calls as well. They cover for each other. This is accentuated this time of year when these kids are playing their last games as high school players, and sometimes their last games in organized basketball. You'd love to expect well-called, consistent officiating at the district and regional level . . . hopefully getting the best of the best to do these games. Unfortunately that is simply not the case.

 

Blaming crazed parents is often a cop-out for referees who face little accountability and grading by supervisors or peers. Just like there is no place in high school basketball for a verbally-abusive, violent, cussing parent in the stands, there is also no place in the sport for a referee with an agenda, grudge, or skin too thin to survive an Upward Basketball game let alone a career-ending district or regional game. I'd much rather see a two-man crew of honorable, fair referees than a three-man crew with one weak link or hot-headed ref who makes the game about him/her or goes out of his way to affect the game.

 

Bingo.

It's a job full-time or part-time, it's a job. So get it right or find another job period. These kids work very hard, coaches work very hard, parents pay the fees and taxes spend money to travel back and forth all over the state. When referees are not doing their jobs! What should happen to them? Just my opinion, i'm tired of watching kids get hurt, teams lose a game because of bad officiating also.