There’s no point in sugarcoating it: we have a behavior problem in the culture of youth sports. The phenomenon of animosity towards referees impacts all of us. The link between maltreatment of referees and the national referee shortage is substantial. In Minnesota, the scarcity of officials is heading down a path that leads to scrimmages and canceled games. All told, youth sports will not survive without officials.
Even if you don’t wear a whistle around your neck, your position as a spectator in youth sports fits in with the referee shortage. Our behavior in the stands and the level of respect we give to officials sets the tone of the game environment. Treating officials poorly, throwing out insults and shouting derogatory remarks ultimately sets up a hostile situation that isn’t fun for anyone to play in, much less for kids. To this end, referee maltreatment undermines one of the main goals of youth sports—to have fun. Moreover, youth sports aim to build sportsmanship, self-esteem, problem solving and so on. Poor conduct from the sidelines negates the development of these characteristics.
On a basic level, we need a fundamental shift in our understanding of officials. Why would someone sign up for a job that’s habitually vilified? Simple: for the love of the game. No, not to carry out a personal vendetta against a team or sabotage specific players, but to remain active and involved in the sport they love and want to give back to. Additionally, the job develops practical life skills in a highly engaging way. Officials practice conflict resolution like it’s a walk in the park. Every whistle, call and card requires immense knowledge of the rules, decisiveness, and tenacity. While keeping up with a game’s pace, they’re also ensuring players’ safety. It takes a tremendous amount of character, and we don’t thank them enough for it.
Sports fans are a passionate bunch. Many of our ‘coming of age’ moments happened on the field, ice or court. In order to allot the same experiences to future generations, our conduct needs to reflect our love of the game— and our love of the game has to include referees. At the end of the day, if you don’t have love for referees, you don’t love the game like you think you do.
Local youth, amateur and professional sports leaders have mobilized to address the referee shortage. Working under the name Play Together MN, the collaborative group aims to address the shortage and provide support for officials in Minnesota. Play Together MN hosted their first referee expo in February at the NSC. The event drew in members of the community to learn about the field, talk with assignors, and listen to panelists’ discussion. The next officiating expo will take place on Saturday, April 16 at Target Field in the Delta Sky360° Club. We hope to see you there.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
YouTube
RSS