Go to any High School or junior high contest of any kind, and you will see men and women in stripes doing their best to make sure the contest is played fairly. You will also notice that there are a lot more, shall we say, elderly officials than before. They love the game, do their very best, and for all their years of experience, still get the crap beat out of them by parents on the sidelines, for little money and respect … every game. Only if you have tried officiating can you understand why they put up with it so long.
There are two reasons: first, they just love the game and the athletes. That is always the first reason… they played the sport in high School or college and just wanted to stay in touch with it. They love it, no matter the circumstances. And two, they don’t have much choice anymore… people don’t want to do it nowadays.
Why? Ask them and they will tell you because of the travel, the pay (although it is better now), the lack of early schooling for young students who want to officiate, and the crowds. People have been driven out of officiating just because of parents. It is a nationwide problem. This problem has been talked about before, but has anybody really proposed a solution? Well, I have one, and most people will not like it, but I feel it must be done.
First, the travel issue; as most of you have observed, we don’t see many familiar faces when we go to our games here. Most are from Dayton and beyond. Why? Because Darke County has dropped the ball, we only have seven officials here in the County! Therefore, those ladies and gentlemen have to travel a ways to do games here… and they get NO pay for their travel time. Some come as far away as an hour or more…..and why do that when schools down south of here are plentiful and much closer. Schools in our area must put in a travel voucher for officials. I might also suggest giving them a voucher for a sandwich or something after the game from a local establishment.
I am sure someone to donate that could be found. Yes, it will cost more, but quality officials are needed! Another easy way to really help this problem is to have every school in Darke County offer an officiating class. Students as young as 14 can learn AND get paid for officiating Jr. High games. It is easy to do….make the class part of physical education classes! That would go a long way toward alleviating the problem of not enough officials. A simple solution to a big problem, will it happen? I don’t know…but it should!
Paying officials has always been a problem. When I officiated, it was like pulling teeth for the Greenville AD at the time to get him to even match other schools for Jr. High games. Darke County is not convenient to get to for those who now do most of the officiating here, and they need to be reimbursed for their travel, and paid a fair wage for the game. Schools like to keep their money for important things… but isn’t this important to our student athletes? Schools want students to compete in sports, so get them the best we can get them in facilities, equipment, coaches, and officials. They are just as important!
Finally, and probably the biggest reason for the lack of quality officials is the crowds. Parents and followers of their teams are always at our games, pulling for their team. But it is always one or two that let it get out of hand. Accosting officials after the game, threatening them, and even their families, has got to stop! It is ridiculous for any school athletic director or School Board to allow it. So, the simple solution only takes a little guts; ESCORT THEM OUT AND DO NOT LET THEM ATTEND ANOTHER GAME THAT SCHOOL YEAR! Harsh? I don’t think so.
If parents and supporters can’t show other schools and participants common courtesy and decency, then something drastic has to be done. Banning people from seeing their sons and daughters, grandchildren, and friends compete after those same kids have worked hard to get to play might be the only solution.
There it is, the solution to a problem. Will everyone like it? Of course not! Will schools want to give out a little extra money for officials who most never even think about? NO WAY! Will schools actually grow up and act like adults and get rid of the bad apples at the games? Oooh, that’s scary… we might get sued!
Yes, these are easy but difficult for most schools to do. But I have not heard one school official offer any other solution! So, let’s try it my way for a while…what have we got to lose, other than better competition and officiating, and a better look for our schools, and being recognized as school systems that do the best for their students all the time? To me, this is all a win/win!
That’s the way I see it… from the sidelines.
