Thank you John. This is a topic that needs to be brought up more often.
Speaking from the officials side of the equation, yes, we have a massive shortage of officials in every sport nationwide. You do get young officials in their teens or 20s who enjoy learning the intricacies of being an umpire or referee. But they can't handle the unmer…
Thank you John. This is a topic that needs to be brought up more often.
Speaking from the officials side of the equation, yes, we have a massive shortage of officials in every sport nationwide. You do get young officials in their teens or 20s who enjoy learning the intricacies of being an umpire or referee. But they can't handle the unmerciful garbage that parents and fans bombard them with.
Look, sports officials understand people are going to disagree, and at times people are going to say things that quite frankly don't make a lot of sense. Your credibility isn't great when you're halfway down first watching a game and screaming how a pitch was outside. Really?
But some of the horrendous things people say to these young officials, and to make it worse, follow and harass them as they go back to the locker room, or most likely, their car to takeoff their equipment, is beyond just being a fan. Many times their actions embarrass their kids.
Especially at the younger levels, you're not going to get D1 college baseball umpires working your game. Just like little Timmy is learning the game and isn't quite sure where the cut off throw should go, the young umpire, either in age or experience, is learning the game too.
Couldn't agree with you more Dale. It's really sad to see the increasing number of officials quitting and or retiring early from what was their passion. At some point when volunteers stop officiating, it will be those people in the stands who will be the officials, and what a catastrophe that would be!
Dale, I was involved in training lacrosse officials. It was estimated that it took five years to develop a confident, competent high school official.
Driving away youth officials (our next generation of officials) is going to make the problem worse. When game are cancelled, the administrator or coach should remind the parents of their actions at a youth contest on why their kid is not playing today. Won't help but people need to be reminded that actions have consequences.
Thank you John. This is a topic that needs to be brought up more often.
Speaking from the officials side of the equation, yes, we have a massive shortage of officials in every sport nationwide. You do get young officials in their teens or 20s who enjoy learning the intricacies of being an umpire or referee. But they can't handle the unmerciful garbage that parents and fans bombard them with.
Look, sports officials understand people are going to disagree, and at times people are going to say things that quite frankly don't make a lot of sense. Your credibility isn't great when you're halfway down first watching a game and screaming how a pitch was outside. Really?
But some of the horrendous things people say to these young officials, and to make it worse, follow and harass them as they go back to the locker room, or most likely, their car to takeoff their equipment, is beyond just being a fan. Many times their actions embarrass their kids.
Especially at the younger levels, you're not going to get D1 college baseball umpires working your game. Just like little Timmy is learning the game and isn't quite sure where the cut off throw should go, the young umpire, either in age or experience, is learning the game too.
CALM DOWN!
Thanks Dale. You're the best.
Couldn't agree with you more Dale. It's really sad to see the increasing number of officials quitting and or retiring early from what was their passion. At some point when volunteers stop officiating, it will be those people in the stands who will be the officials, and what a catastrophe that would be!
Dale, I was involved in training lacrosse officials. It was estimated that it took five years to develop a confident, competent high school official.
Driving away youth officials (our next generation of officials) is going to make the problem worse. When game are cancelled, the administrator or coach should remind the parents of their actions at a youth contest on why their kid is not playing today. Won't help but people need to be reminded that actions have consequences.