More Violence Against Game Officials

So, it looks like it is back to “bad news” blogs for me.  I recently started following a gentleman on Instagram named Duke Baxter.  Mr. Baxter does a lot of training videos for youth baseball/softball, but he also makes quite a bit of content about coaching and officiating in youth sports and how we are losing more and more game officials because of the violence that is aimed at them.

            Sunday, while scrolling Instagram, I came across the following post by Mr. Baxter (credit to Kristi Moore) that stated the following from Ms. Moore: “Ssoooo, this is embarrassing if I’m going to be open and honest about it. But it’s real life and it’s unfortunate that it has gotten to this place.  The next time you go to a tournament, and you only have one umpire on the field…this is why. When you have brand new umpires on the field that may not know everything they should know yet…..this is why. When you don’t feel you have the quality of umpires you should….this is why. When the day comes that your kid can’t play a ballgame because there are no longer officials to call it….THIS.IS.WHY.  Before you post the next “funny” meme about umpires that suck, or are blind, or have missed calls on their phone or whatever it is, before you post about how an umpire was so awful and terrible and lost the game for you…….why don’t you sign up? Get on out there and give it a go.  I got punched coming off a field last night. There is no excuse for this. If you think this is ok, please remove yourself from my friend list.  Umpires are not perfect. We never will be. But guess what? No one is.”

I am absolutely stunned that things like this continue to happen in the youth sports world.  What is going on in the world where youth sports are being turned into a battle ground where officials are being “punched” by coaches and parents while coming off the field (I wrote a blog about this last year regarding an umpire in New Jersey who was punched during a game and had his jaw broken).  Many times, when I dare to read the comments people are saying “well it’s a travel/select/elite game/tournament and the best officials should be officiating the games.”  Well, when are these commenters going to realize that the reason the officiating may be “bad,” their words, not mine, is that officials are being run out of youth sports at an alarming rate. The shortage of youth sports officials has become a significant issue in the United States, with many officials quitting each year due to various challenges.​  According the various sources:

• High School Officials: Between 2018 and 2021, approximately 50,000 high school referees—about 20% of the total nationwide—quit their roles. (Source – Axios )​

• Early Career Dropout Rate: The National Federation of State High School Associations reports that 80% of high school sports officials leave before completing their third year. (Source – Fox News)

• Youth Soccer Officials: In South Carolina, 70% of rookie officials in youth soccer quit after just one season. (Source – Trine University)  

  
  

Primary Reasons for Quitting:

• Abusive Behavior: A significant factor contributing to the high turnover rate is the abusive behavior exhibited by parents, coaches, and players. A survey by the National Association of Sports Officials found that 60% of respondents cited verbal abuse from parents and fans as a major reason for considering quitting. (Source – Scary Mommy)

• Low Pay: Many officials are dissatisfied with the compensation, which often ranges from $12 to $45 per game, depending on the sport and location. (Source – Scary Mommy)

• Aging Workforce: The average age of officials is increasing, with many over 45 years old, leading to concerns about the sustainability of the officiating workforce. (Source – NCHSAA) Impact on Youth Sports:

  
  

The decline in the number of available officials has led to game cancellations and scheduling challenges. For instance, in Ohio, 321 officials were lost between April 1, 2018, and April 1, 2019, affecting junior high through high school varsity-sanctioned sports. (Source – WCPO Channel 9 Cincinnati)

Efforts to Address the Shortage:

Various organizations are implementing measures to recruit and retain officials, such as offering training programs for teenagers, increasing penalties for abusive behavior, and providing incentives like gym credits for students pursuing officiating. (Source – WCPO Channel 9 Cincinnati). In summary, the high turnover rate among youth sports officials is a multifaceted issue, primarily driven by abusive behavior, low compensation, and an aging workforce. Addressing these challenges is crucial to ensure the sustainability of youth sports programs. (Source – iSport360)

            No one wants to officiate games anymore because of the ridiculousness and violence that have become a part of youth sports and that game officials have to put up with.  Think about this for a minute, what adult in their right mind is going to go and referee/umpire a youth sporting event with parents and coaches who think that they are coaching/raising the next professional superstar who will be playing in the World Series/Super Bowl/World Cup/NBA Finals all while putting up with unnecessary abuse and making about $25 to $30 dollars per game.

            I have written before about how leagues have had to cancel games or have a game officiated shorthanded because they do not have enough officials to manage or oversee games.  Now, exactly who does this hurt?  The parent in the stands who is running the officials off with their unruly behavior, or the children who just want to play a sport and have fun with their friends?  The question is clearly rhetorical as it hurts the children and only the children.  Imagine an 8-, 9- or 10-year-old showing up at the field all ready to play a game and finding out that the game was cancelled due to the lack of game officials and imagine further having to explain to those children the reason that the game had to be cancelled.  All I can say is thank god I never had to deal with this issue with my children.  So next time your child has a game cancelled or refereed shorthanded just think about the official that was run off by an unruly parent and what the cost is of losing that game official.