Referee shortage nationwide and some of the reasons why

[bronco man]

We have been reading about the officials shortage in this state on Edgy for the last several years. Reading the following articles, the official shortage is not limited to the State of Illinois or football.

"From 2018 to 2021, an estimated 50,000 high school referees — roughly 20 percent — quit, said Dana Pappas, the director of officiating services for the National Federation of State High School Sports."

• "60% of officials surveyed in 2020 said their top reason for quitting would be verbal abuse from parents and fans.
• Sadly, verbal abuse isn't even the worst of it: Last year, a high school football player tackled a ref; three weeks ago, kids and parents attacked a basketball ref. The list goes on.

Why it matters: This exodus has led to canceled games across the country, threatening youth sports just as they've begun returning to normal after two pandemic-stricken years."

"The problem is that, as parents spend more time and money on children’s sports, families are “coming to these sporting events with professional-level expectations,” said Jerry Reynolds, a professor of social work at Ball State University who studies the dynamics of youth sports and parent behavior."

Bad Behavior Drove a Referee Shortage. Covid Made It Worse. (Published 2022)

For years, unruly parents have turned youth sporting events into a toxic environment. The cancellation of games and entire seasons over the last two years hastened an exodus of referees.

www.nytimes.com

Massive referee exodus hits youth sports

It has led to canceled games across the country, threatening youth sports just as they've begun returning to normal.

www.axios.com

 

[lukeirish]

As someone who just recently began his officiating career, I understand this totally. It happens more at the youth games than in high school, but I've heard my fair share of abuse from coaches and players on the high school sideline as well. I make mistakes. I miss calls. I admit it. We all do. It's becoming more and more of a problem though.

 

[jotapepe]

As someone who just recently began his officiating career, I understand this totally. It happens more at the youth games than in high school, but I've heard my fair share of abuse from coaches and players on the high school sideline as well. I make mistakes. I miss calls. I admit it. We all do. It's becoming more and more of a problem though.

Genuine question - what crosses the line? As a former official (for youth games for a short time, I’ll admit), the coaches and players will gripe somewhat when a call doesn’t go their way. I get that. How far is too far? Obviously fact-specific, and officials deserve at least some respect.

 

[Sparty Jones]

Imagine a stranger coming to yell at you at work for something they thought you did wrong.

One way to fix the problem is for the refs to start yelling at coaches for bad decisions. Or yell at parents for their kids screwing up. That would fix things quickly.

 

[boonman1]

ADs need to take a stand and suspend there own coaches for abuse of Officials !

 

[corey90]

ADs need to take a stand and suspend there own coaches for abuse of Officials !

I agree Boonman. Coaches are role models for these kids and a verbally abusing a ref in front of players, parents and fans does not set a good example regardless of a play call. Yes the coach can question the call and let the ref know they disagree but losing their cool is not the right way to handle it. They need to act as a leader and be professional. Some coaches have trouble handling their emotions and someone like the AD needs to keep them in check. If a parent or fan personally verbally attacks a ref they should be removed from the stadium. IMO.

 

[johnndoe]

The profanity from the sidelines, directed at various recipients, heard high into the stands makes me shake my head a few times a year, too. No excuse for such, period.

 

[Blue Ruin]

Imagine a stranger coming to yell at you at work for something they thought you did wrong.

One way to fix the problem is for the refs to start yelling at coaches for bad decisions. Or yell at parents for their kids screwing up. That would fix things quickly.

 

[stripes13]

I recently read about a soccer tournament that made teams pay a $750 behavior deposit. They’d get the money back if the parents behaved themselves.

 

[ClownBaby]

I recently read about a soccer tournament that made teams pay a $750 behavior deposit. They’d get the money back if the parents behaved themselves.

Every year at my youth football parents meeting I tell my parents no one is to talk to the refs or the other teams players and if they do I will call them out from the sideline and embarrass them in front of the other parents and the kids. Every year the look on the parents face is priceless when I tell them this and I have never had a problem with anyone keeping their mouth shut. If you’re the coach you’re responsible for your sideline.

 

[ignazio]

The pay for officials in Illinois is a joke.
And the irony is that it’s the ADs from the wealthiest school districts who fight against any pay increase.

 

[CCfan]

Imagine a stranger coming to yell at you at work for something they thought you did wrong.

Work retail for a few hours. You don't even have to be involved in whatever the beef is.

 

[corey90]

Work retail for a few hours. You don't even have to be involved in whatever the beef is.

That’s why I have never worked retail or with the public. I have coached youth for years and understand what the Refs go through especially from the parents and fans. A few coaches would lose their cool which I never agreed with or would allow to happen from my teams.

 

[stl705]

It starts with the schools, the park districts, travel leagues, etc…. There MUST be a zero-tolerance policy. Sounds like many coaches in this forum have such, but it should be extended throughout the state for under 14 leagues.

A coach wants to argue with refs? They are suspended next game. A parent wants to complain and disrespect an official? They are asked to leave and banned from the park for a week. Make every parent/guardian and coach sign a waiver that they understand the repercussions of such.

I also think the same parties need to up the pay for officials as well, and if that means incorporating official’s fees as part of fundraising efforts, so be it.

 

[ClownBaby]

It starts with the schools, the park districts, travel leagues, etc…. There MUST be a zero-tolerance policy. Sounds like many coaches in this forum have such, but it should be extended throughout the state for under 14 leagues.

A coach wants to argue with refs? They are suspended next game. A parent wants to complain and disrespect an official? They are asked to leave and banned from the park for a week. Make every parent/guardian and coach sign a waiver that they understand the repercussions of such.

I also think the same parties need to up the pay for officials as well, and if that means incorporating official’s fees as part of fundraising efforts, so be it.

The problem with youth coaches is many programs struggle to find them just like refs, if you have a deep pool of coaches to choose from you can pick coaches that will represent your program well but quite often many youth programs are scrapping the bottom of the barrel for anyone that is willing to take a team.

 

[sporthog9er]

Genuine question - what crosses the line? As a former official (for youth games for a short time, I’ll admit), the coaches and players will gripe somewhat when a call doesn’t go their way. I get that. How far is too far? Obviously fact-specific, and officials deserve at least some respect.

As someone who umpires, I can say that part of this does come down to understanding what goes into it. Part of officiating is understanding there will be complaints by fans and coaches. And arguments. It's part of the game. More of my colleagues need to have thicker skin. Somehow we have morphed into this expectation that fans and coaches can't argue or complain. Sorry, that's just life.

Physical altercations and clear-cut verbal abuse (excessive profanity and more) can cross the line. Obviously. But we need guys that have to have thicker skin and ignore the complaining.

Biggest issue for me is pay. Gotta pay more. Make it competitive. And pay quickly. Some guys aren't getting paid until weeks later.

 

[brucealmighy]

Part of officiating is understanding there will be complaints by fans and coaches. And arguments. It's part of the game. More of my colleagues need to have thicker skin. Somehow we have morphed into this expectation that fans and coaches can't argue or complain. Sorry, that's just life.

It is not part of the game. Coaches that complain or allow their fans to are why this is a problem. Making it acceptable as an official only allows it to get worse. Eventually there will not be enough officials because it is not worth it to be criticized by high school or younger players, coaches and fans that don’t even know the rules of the game. Thicker skin is not a valid argument.

 

[corey90]

Agree
This is why I said question a call. That’s different than going on a rant in front of everyone. Coaches need to set the example in how to act. Sure in the heat of the moment it can be hard but that’s when it is important to keep your head. Questioning the call is fine and quite frankly expected, going on a verbal abusive tirade is not acceptable. Coaches are leaders and the players and fans will follow their lead good or bad.

 

[sporthog9er]

It is part of the game. Because it is human nature. A missed call, an error in judgement, people have the right to complain and question. Or have a knee jerk reaction. Completely valid. It shouldn't cross the line after that though. If you can't take people complaining or yelling at you, being a ref isn't for you. It's part of the job.

Arguments over calls, fans complaining does not equal verbal abuse, physical abuse. Us refs need to learn to differentiate the two.

 

[corey90]

All I am saying coaches, players and fans can not cross the line and make it personal. I have witnessed to many times where a ref has been threatened. You can say what you want about having thick skin but their has to be a line that they can’t cross. If you allow people to cross the line it can get ugly in a hurry. We have all witnessed it.

 

[FCHS2019]

I worked an AAU tournament over there weekend here in Nashville, a mom ran across the court to yell at my partner, when we asked for her to be removed from the gym, they refused because she was in charge of the group that had a lot of teams.. kids see that behavior and think its ok.. we ended up with 5 techs, kids made 9 of 10 from the line.. that won the game and of course its our fault the team lost..

 

[William Foster]

High school football teams and conferences in the greater Chicago area will be / have been informed that varsity schedules will include Thursday nights and Saturdays. There are currently not enough crews to fill all Friday night games. The GCA has 30 less crews (150 officials) than last year. More conferences are asking varsity officials to cover the prelim Soph game at a time when most are 50 years of age and older. Veteran crews will decline that request and be replaced by new / less experienced officials only because it accommodates the assigners.

 

[HRCJR]

Interesting sports officials reading

 

[GhostOfTheGhhost]

High school football teams and conferences in the greater Chicago area will be / have been informed that varsity schedules will include Thursday nights and Saturdays.

Did someone say Thursday and Saturday football? CPL! CPL! CPL!

 

[LTHSALUM76]

All I am saying coaches, players and fans can not cross the line and make it personal. I have witnessed to many times where a ref has been threatened. You can say what you want about having thick skin but their has to be a line that they can’t cross. If you allow people to cross the line it can get ugly in a hurry. We have all witnessed it.

Corey, he pointed out that line and I agree with him. If we start with coaches and umpires/refs, etc., I see it as a two way street. Sometimes it's just a lack of mutual respect. For instance, I have seen coaches look at the umpires they are going to have for a game and may say something like, "oh sh*t, those guys again!" And umps do the same thing when they know they have to call a game that "that team is playing." So, a negative attitude is already set before kickoff or the first pitch.

Most of the articles I see defending officials are situations where coaches and fans have already crossed the line. I agree with Sporthog9er 100% that some of these people doing the officiating need to do something else if they don't have a thick skin. Again, I am not talking about abuse or criminal behavior. Just people disagreeing with calls.

But with that said, some parents are and have been out of control. I had coffee early Friday morning with a friend I have known since 1st grade and played Little League, Grade School ball, HS ball, Football and Connie Mack ball with. We both went into our memory banks and neither of us could recall even one time where parents got totally out of control, or threatened umpires, refs, etc. Not once. We certainly never saw a parent go onto the field, court or ice. Our coaches would yell at an ump or ref about a call, but it was nothing to what is out there now.

I don't know Corey, something happened from the time I stopped playing and when I first took my kids to play. The world I knew before my kids were playing was gone. Even when my son was 5 years old and playing there were a few parents who were nuts. I had no idea things had gotten that bad. Here I am coaching 5 and 6 year olds and parents are screaming about umps calls and the score. Hell, at that age, if you can get through a couple innings without a kid coming up to you saying they have to pee, you're doing fine. LOL.

 

[LTHSALUM76]

It is part of the game. Because it is human nature. A missed call, an error in judgement, people have the right to complain and question. Or have a knee jerk reaction. Completely valid. It shouldn't cross the line after that though. If you can't take people complaining or yelling at you, being a ref isn't for you. It's part of the job.

Arguments over calls, fans complaining does not equal verbal abuse, physical abuse. Us refs need to learn to differentiate the two.

I have to tell you a funny story. Wasn't funny then, but is hilarious now. I used to ump a men's softball league decades ago in Lockport at Dellwood park whenever I had time. I didn't do many games. But one night my older brother called me to see if I could fill in for him. I accepted.

So, I was paired with a guy we all knew pretty well. He was a few years older than my older brother and a real badass. Good guy, good softball player and a very good ump. You just didn't want to cross him. We had two games to do.

In the second game we had a real loud and obnoxious team playing. I was on the bases. So, there was this one guy on that team who was really getting on this ump about balls and strikes. It started right away and just didn't seem to stop.

Finally along about the 6th inning this ump comes calmly walking out to me. He handed me his indicator and said, "you finish this game. I quit." Then he walked over to the bench and looked at the guy, pointed, and said, "you and me are going to the woods out there now. And only one of us is coming back." That guy about sh*t his pants and didn't say another thing the rest of the way.

The guy didn't quit umping, he finished. But after the game we met for a beer at the old Tow Path bar downtown. I told that story to the guys who were down there at it became legendary.

 

[LakeCtyNewt]

The pay for officials in Illinois is a joke.
And the irony is that it’s the ADs from the wealthiest school districts who fight against any pay increase.

Pay for football officials is going up statewide this fall.

 

[stripes13]

High school football teams and conferences in the greater Chicago area will be / have been informed that varsity schedules will include Thursday nights and Saturdays. There are currently not enough crews to fill all Friday night games. The GCA has 30 less crews (150 officials) than last year. More conferences are asking varsity officials to cover the prelim Soph game at a time when most are 50 years of age and older. Veteran crews will decline that request and be replaced by new / less experienced officials only because it accommodates the assigners.

Can I ask where you are getting those numbers?

 

[WBWarriorWatcher]

High school football teams and conferences in the greater Chicago area will be / have been informed that varsity schedules will include Thursday nights and Saturdays. There are currently not enough crews to fill all Friday night games. The GCA has 30 less crews (150 officials) than last year. More conferences are asking varsity officials to cover the prelim Soph game at a time when most are 50 years of age and older. Veteran crews will decline that request and be replaced by new / less experienced officials only because it accommodates the assigners.

Wow. Well there it is. Direct impact. Theoretically a crew could do 3 varsity games in a weekend now. I suppose they could before with a CPL Thursday game in there. But I’m sure it wasn’t common. Let’s hope that this “extra opportunity“ doesn’t factor into the more pay question. All officials in all sports should be getting more pay.

 

[William Foster]

Can I ask where you are getting those numbers?

From a Chicago area assigner. The hope is to restructure those retiring crews with members still interested in officiating into 10 new crews.

 

[LakeCtyNewt]

From a Chicago area assigner. The hope is to restructure those retiring crews with members still interested in officiating into 10 new crews.

It’s accurate. There are not enough officials to cover games on Friday nights alone let alone if there are prelim and varsity games. It’s a real problem and it’s not just about money.

The abuse the officials take from fans in the stands who have no earthly idea what the rules are or how to enforce them is insane.

As an official, sitting in the stands it’s embarrassing listening to people yell at coaches and officials and have no idea that they are inaccurate.

Coaching and officiating are thankless jobs that everyone thinks they can do until the time comes to do them and they get humbled real quick.

 

[stripes13]

From a Chicago area assigner. The hope is to restructure those retiring crews with members still interested in officiating into 10 new crews.

Thanks.

I obviously know numbers are down, but I have not seen actual figures.

Saturdays are fine, but just say no to Thursdays.

 

[LWPops]

All I am saying coaches, players and fans can not cross the line and make it personal. I have witnessed to many times where a ref has been threatened. You can say what you want about having thick skin but their has to be a line that they can’t cross. If you allow people to cross the line it can get ugly in a hurry. We have all witnessed it.

Agreed.
The first time a coach at ANY level threatens an official at all should be immediately ejected. In HS sports, that also gets the disqualified participant suspended for the next contest as well.

There has to be some common decency as well. Most of us don't have 'thin skins' but we shouldn't have to worry about our physical well-being because of a coach, fan or players' mistaken interpretation of the rules.

 

[Panthers1211]

NISOC came up with these pay increases for officals. But not one assignor or some of the top officals had a seat at the table when these increase where finalized.

 

[William Foster]

NISOC came up with these pay increases for officals. But not one assignor or some of the top officals had a seat at the table when these increase where finalized.

Do we know what these pay increase amounts are? Varsity levels

 

[eireog]

There are quite a few D3 teams playing in the area. I’ve often wondered why the IHSA doesn’t recruit these kids to ref Friday games. Most D3 teams play Saturday.

 

[johnndoe]

It would not be very much of a stretch to expect $6 a gallon gas by the football season. That would be a big nut to swallow for an official, seemingly.

 

[FCHS2019]

In Tennessee, officials pay is set by the TSSAA (their IHSA) and is the same for the entire state.. I was getting $55-60 for JV games in Illinois, I get $75 here in Nashville.. and the best part is the 3:30-4:30 start times in which I can be home by 6.. Also in TN, they go 7 man football crews in the playoffs..

Guess the point is, Illinois is lagging in officials pay

 

[dieter]

I have been teaching a new officials class here in the Chicago area for over 10 years. The average age of a new football official is about 42. Usually dads who coached their kids up to a certain point and now want to stay involved. Very few young (under 25) new officials make it past 2 years. Your first year you get freshman games on the practice field with parents standing next to you. It will be even harder now. Anyone who can breath will get varsity games in their 2nd year. No one is ready for that their second year. The increased pay will be a small help but there are much bigger issues.

 

[LakeCtyNewt]

I don’t think it’s been formally announced but pay is going up in Illinois this fall. Also most conferences are moving to single games on Friday due to lack of officials. Can only think of a handful of conferences that are still doing doubles on Friday’s.