As someone who is just getting back into high school football, I have consistently heard the issues with referees and the shortage of them. Where is this most prevalent outside of city limits?
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Everywhere but from what I have been told it’s less of an issue for schools who pay quickly instead of hanging guys out for 30 days.As someone who is just getting back into high school football, I have consistently heard the issues with referees and the shortage of them. Where is this most prevalent outside of city limits?
No chance -Is there any chance high school age kids are doing varsity games? Seems like a real way to make these kids not want to do it
Amen. The same people screaming at the refs all game will be the ones most confused when there aren't refs for their games in the future.One of the keys to this adding to the ranks is that the fans, coaches and players treatment of the newer officials. Like Ignacio says above…..what could go wrong
Thank you!! Once THIS issue is seriously addressed and CONTROLLED, young people will NOT subject themselves to the SENSELESS criticism and beratement.I am all for the IHSA adding the Provisional License for young officials. One of the keys to this adding to the ranks is that the fans, coaches and players treatment of the newer officials. Like Ignacio says above…..what could go wrong
Whats your answer for the ref shortage?HS-age officials with partial responsibility for making concussion-related decisions on the field?
The biggest problem with youth sports is the lack of control coaches have over their parents. Too many coaches are scared to be confrontational with their parents, I view them as part of the team so I have no problem telling them to shut up.Amen. The same people screaming at the refs all game will be the ones most confused when there aren't refs for their games in the future.
I have no experience with football officials, but my son has umped youth baseball and softball games as his summer job for a few years now. He has the right personality to deal with the idiots. Last summer, my one daughter wanted to try doing softball (she has played travel softball for 7 years and had a decent grasp of what to do going in. 4 or 5 games in she told me she was done. The amount of crap she took from coaches and parents, while umping completely meaningless 10u and 12u softball games was more than she wanted to deal with.
I coach my daughters team. One of the most enjoyable summers was during covid. As part of "social distancing", most of the tournaments/parks we played at weren't allowing parents/fans anywhere close to the dugout/backstop area. Maybe it was just because people were happy to be outside, but it was much more relaxing atmosphere.
Nor should anyone.young people will NOT subject themselves to the SENSELESS criticism and beratement.
Are you talking about telling the parents to shut up or the coaches? The problem with telling parents to shut up is you might get that one guy who doesn't take to kindly to that and confronts you about that either on the field or afterward in the parking lot. Some of these crazies have been known to pull guns on officials after games. Heck, one coach killed another coach on the field after a game because of a dispute. A fan killing an official after a game is not out of the question. Maybe you can tell your coaches that you hold them responsible for their parents' actions. They get a warning and then coach is gone and after that game is over - forfeit. It makes the coaches police the parents. I"ve seen that done at tournaments.The biggest problem with youth sports is the lack of control coaches have over their parents. Too many coaches are scared to be confrontational with their parents, I view them as part of the team so I have no problem telling them to shut up.
Holding a coach responsible for another adult's actions is insaneAre you talking about telling the parents to shut up or the coaches? The problem with telling parents to shut up is you might get that one guy who doesn't take to kindly to that and confronts you about that either on the field or afterward in the parking lot. Some of these crazies have been known to pull guns on officials after games. Heck, one coach killed another coach on the field after a game because of a dispute. A fan killing an official after a game is not out of the question. Maybe you can tell your coaches that you hold them responsible for their parents' actions. They get a warning and then coach is gone and after that game is over - forfeit. It makes the coaches police the parents. I"ve seen that done at tournaments.
This is pretty much the problem in a nut shell parents run wild because everyone is afraid to tell them otherwise. If you have a parent that is out if control you just tell them and their kid to move on, instead of everyone wanting to cater to little Johnny’s dad since his son is good at hut hut. You set the expectations for behavior by parents in the preseason and if you do it right you won’t have problems 95% of the time.Holding a coach responsible for another adult's actions is insane
No words have been better spoken. There is a chain of command, and believe me, it works!This is pretty much the problem in a nut shell parents run wild because everyone is afraid to tell them otherwise. If you have a parent that is out if control you just tell them and their kid to move on, instead of everyone wanting to cater to little Johnny’s dad since his son is good at hut hut. You set the expectations for behavior by parents in the preseason and if you do it right you won’t have problems 95% of the time.
I agree with you 100%. Parents are supposed to be adults. Coaches should be responsible for their players and that's it.Holding a coach responsible for another adult's actions is insane
I agree. Setting ground rules with parents before practices start is the best thing to do. However, some parents still bend or break them. When that happens little Johnny is gone. If you are going to draw a red line you had better enforce it when it is crossed.No words have been better spoken. There is a chain of command, and believe me, it works!
Administration
Head Coach
Assistants
Players
Parents
Fans
And it's leadership by example. If the AD and Coach exude professionalism and discipline, then it usually only takes a look at someone acting otherwise to change the behavior. Change in behavior is the only way we avoid this problem and encourage more people to consider officiating.
I'm not saying "don't say anything", I'm saying you shouldn't be on the hook after the fact. There are rules against people drinking in the stands, but people still do it. Should we kick coaches out when this happens, or should we just take it up with the individual not following the rules?This is pretty much the problem in a nut shell parents run wild because everyone is afraid to tell them otherwise. If you have a parent that is out if control you just tell them and their kid to move on, instead of everyone wanting to cater to little Johnny’s dad since his son is good at hut hut. You set the expectations for behavior by parents in the preseason and if you do it right you won’t have problems 95% of the time.
The bourbon was medicinal.Regarding drinking in the stands, many containers are not carrying hot chocolate or coffee when the weather gets cold and carry-in gear is hard to thoroughly inspect. I will resist outing one high-profile 8A school in this regard.
OK. So is telling someone you don't know to shut up. In today's day and age that can get your dumb ass killed. So go try it sometime.Holding a coach responsible for another adult's actions is insane
So you favor officials yelling at fans and telling them to shut up. That's just as insane. You have no idea who you are confronting. That person might meet you in the parking lot and shut you up. For good.I agree with you 100%. Parents are supposed to be adults. Coaches should be responsible for their players and that's it.
What are you talking about? As others have mentioned, this is the responsibility of the administrators of the team hosting the game. Putting this on a coach makes zero sense.OK. So is telling someone you don't know to shut up. In today's day and age that can get your dumb ass killed. So go try it sometime.
On thing I’ve noticed about fans is they often mirror the team on the field. Teams that I would consider low class with the cheap shots and trash talk on the field tend to have lousy stands, the culture set by the coach tends to spread to all parts of the program. There are always exceptions to rule it’s just what I’ve noticed in general.All.... I will be the first to admit having at times diarrhea of the mouth at football games. But I get it all out of my system at the tailgate. In the stands if "unhappiness" enters into my mind during the game I will quietly with a covered hand express it to one of the regular group I hang out with sitting near me. Where I sit there are usually parents of kids playing watching the game.
Having watched hundreds of games I can only recall one incident several years ago. It was a Cyclone/Rocket game in Rochester. Some parents no less with high profile kids on the team sitting down low in the stands within ear shot of the benches started yelling at the coaching staff yapping they weren't using their kid(s) enough and in the right way. At that time the game wasn't going so well for SHG. I remember several coaches turning around and giving this vocal group the dagger stare.
Several fans in the stands yelled at the antagonists telling them to shut up. That is the worst incident I have seen. I would bet a few days later a team and parent meeting was held. As a rule the SHG crowd is pretty behaved. Quiet as well. They don't cheer much like in the old days. Odd. I suppose that is better then booing and getting crazy. Ratsy
ClownBaby,On thing I’ve noticed about fans is they often mirror the team on the field. Teams that I would consider low class with the cheap shots and trash talk on the field tend to have lousy stands, the culture set by the coach tends to spread to all parts of the program. There are always exceptions to rule it’s just what I’ve noticed in general.
Who said I am in favor of that? Maybe the officials should keep their ears in the game and out of the stands.So you favor officials yelling at fans and telling them to shut up. That's just as insane. You have no idea who you are confronting. That person might meet you in the parking lot and shut you up. For good.
They are humans…Who said I am in favor of that? Maybe the officials should keep their ears in the game and out of the stands.
Maybe you should post less dumb sh!tWho said I am in favor of that? Maybe the officials should keep their ears in the game and out of the stands.
Struck a nerve didn't I? The minute the umpires/refs start to engage with fans in the stands is the minute when they lose. No one is saying the job is easy. And it isn't easy to ignore people sometimes. But as an official you simply can't engage with a fan unless the fan is on the field and becomes a threat there. Then it can become open season because fans don't belong on the field. And refs and players don't belong in the stands. You have a line between the two and it shouldn't be crossed by either party.Maybe you should post less dumb sh!t
So should we wait until the follow us to our cars after the game? If the AD and coaches don’t take care of it, we will if it gets bad enough.Struck a nerve didn't I? The minute the umpires/refs start to engage with fans in the stands is the minute when they lose. No one is saying the job is easy. And it isn't easy to ignore people sometimes. But as an official you simply can't engage with a fan unless the fan is on the field and becomes a threat there. Then it can become open season because fans don't belong on the field. And refs and players don't belong in the stands. You have a line between the two and it shouldn't be crossed by either party.
Words are words and you have to let it go. No easy but engaging is the worst mistake.
Not really, I knew you’d respond to it showing it’s not easy to just let ignorant comments(which that was, I usually appreciate your commentary) directed your way just slide.Struck a nerve didn't I? The minute the umpires/refs start to engage with fans in the stands is the minute when they lose. No one is saying the job is easy. And it isn't easy to ignore people sometimes. But as an official you simply can't engage with a fan unless the fan is on the field and becomes a threat there. Then it can become open season because fans don't belong on the field. And refs and players don't belong in the stands. You have a line between the two and it shouldn't be crossed by either party.
Words are words and you have to let it go. No easy but engaging is the worst mistake.