Wash Post article about youth officiating

Discussion in 'Referee' started by GlennAA11, Jun 16, 2017.

  1. GlennAA11

    GlennAA11 Member+

    Jun 12, 2001
    Arlington, VA
    Nothing that will be new or surprising to anyone here. But nice to see some coverage of the problem in a big newspaper.
     
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  2. Pittsburgh Ref

    Pittsburgh Ref Member+

    Oct 7, 2014
    da 'Burgh
    Good article.

    What the heck badge is that guy wearing?
     
  3. Mark Edwards

    Mark Edwards New Member

    Jun 7, 2017
    A high school badge, those are high school teams.
     
  4. mathguy ref

    mathguy ref Member+

    Nov 15, 2016
    TX
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    The article is spot on. And HS crowds can get ugly fast. I've done playoff games with large crowds of close to 1000. When they turn they turn nasty and having to be escorted to your car is not a fun feeling. I will never work any pro or semi pro match but I cannot imagine the feeling of having 40000 people turn on you.
     
  5. MetroFever

    MetroFever Member+

    Jun 3, 2001
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    Croatia
    Two guys I know did a HS game last year where many of the losing team's players waited for them near their cars and needed to be escorted.

    From what I understand, it was a night game so there were more parents in attendance than usual. Despite that, the adults looked the other way.

    This sentence in the article speaks for itself:

    “There’s no moral fiber left in our society,”
     
  6. Pittsburgh Ref

    Pittsburgh Ref Member+

    Oct 7, 2014
    da 'Burgh
    Ah silly me. I'm stuck on HS guys wearing prison stripes :(

    I too have been escorted to my car after HS games. Get a life, people, and that does not mean f'ing with mine. How'd it be if nobody showed up to do Johnnie's/Janie's game?
     
  7. Mark Edwards

    Mark Edwards New Member

    Jun 7, 2017
    I think that has to be a thing that happens more and more, even if it's deliberately done by the referees. There are some schools and people who treat refs badly, and assignors shouldn't assign referees to those games. It would be nice if we had a Refs union or something where we could use collective power to blacklist some teams and facilitate change.
     
  8. Pierre Head

    Pierre Head Member+

    Dec 24, 2005
    Great idea, but will never work. Referees are their own worst enemies.
    There will always be scabs, see for one example, the MLS/PRSA lockout a couple of seasons ago.
    Some guys could not wait to work the games, colleagues and principles be damned!
    The only thing you can do is personally do not accept assignments at certain schools. Let some other
    idiots put up with the abuse.

    PH
     
  9. camconcay

    camconcay Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Feb 17, 2011
    Georgia
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Not to start an argument but there is more you can do, at a minimum make sure your assignor knows the situation. Use your organization and make sure the leadership knows. Yes they have to cover games but if they are not looking out for you as best they can then start to effect change in your organization (not talking about a union, just whatever you are a member of that does high school in your area).

    I realize they probably know, but never assume - make sure they know and then when enough of us let them know and as @Pierre Head said - stop accepting assignments (and let them know why) then maybe someone will do something... maybe.
     
  10. Law5

    Law5 Member+

    Mar 24, 2005
    Beaverton OR
    We had a problem with post game abuse/assault on high school games a number of years ago. When we raised the issue with the state high school association, it turned out that almost every other sport had similar problems. As a result, high schools were ordered by state association rule to provide a game manager, other than the home coach, for all varsity games. The game manager is responsible for dealing with spectator conduct and is supposed to offer the officials an escort to their cars. This significantly reduced the problems. I've been the game manager for football games but I've never had to provide an escort to their cars for six guys. :)
     
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  11. Law5

    Law5 Member+

    Mar 24, 2005
    Beaverton OR
    Been there. Not 40,000 but over 15,000. The trick was that, every time the home team lost, the mascot walked with us to the tunnel, whipping up the crowd. The team knew that the fans wouldn't throw things at us if the mascot was with us and we really didn't care about the fans opinion about why their team lost.
     
  12. Rufusabc

    Rufusabc Member+

    May 27, 2004
    HS is a totally different animal. I was AR2 for a game last fall which was a sectional final to determine who went to play for the state Championship. Girls match in the second biggest group of schools. It was played on a field with no permanent stands. There easily were 750 people standing on my side, thankfully 10 yards away and roped off. But, the vitriol was unreal! I have never had abuse like that hurled my way, ever. And there were two reps from the schools patrolling the sidelines. I never looked anywhere but straight ahead. We got golf carted to our cars and we're met by the police to make sure we got in our cars and away safely. There were a couple hundred people behind each goal too, which caused problems, but we had to have them there because there were no place else to put people. It was an afternoon game on a weekday, and the turnout was way bigger than anticipated. My referee had a tough day, too. One of the home team players was harshly tackled and needed to be carted off. It happened close to me and in conversation I advised that it may have been red, but he didn't even card.
     
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  13. HoustonRef

    HoustonRef Member

    May 23, 2009
    In today's Wall Street Journal Jason Gay, referencing the Washington Post article, also discusses the parent issue. His solution? A 10 x 10 plexiglass box, with airholes, where problem parents are to be placed.
     
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  14. fairplayforlife

    fairplayforlife Member+

    Mar 23, 2011
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Anyone ever been followed away from a game by a car? I have, and it was in Banjo country. After we parked to change the head referee, who is a police officer, pulled out his service piece and set it on the center console.

    The car circled us with squealing tires and screams of profanity were being yelled out the windows.

    I've also had a police officer who was supposed to be there to control fans refuse to act when we asked him to address some spectators. His quote "this ain't my first rodeo".
     
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  15. Law5

    Law5 Member+

    Mar 24, 2005
    Beaverton OR
    One of my friends reported that, when her son's team went to play in Italy, they discovered that any game from U-12 on up is played inside a fenced and locked stadium with barbed wire on the top of the fence. Parents on the outside, players, coaches and referees on the inside.
     
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  16. mathguy ref

    mathguy ref Member+

    Nov 15, 2016
    TX
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Airholes should be optional. ;)
     
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  17. HoustonRef

    HoustonRef Member

    May 23, 2009
    And as I have been reflecting upon the article, I am wondering if 10 x 10 is large enough.
     
  18. RespectTheGame

    May 6, 2013
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Well the world record is 17 people in a VW beetle, so I think a 10x10 ought to do it...

    [​IMG]
     
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  19. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Who would pay to build plexiglass boxes? Parents aren't going to want their school taxes to pay for that.
     
  20. RespectTheGame

    May 6, 2013
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Heck I would pay for them out of my own pocket if i could actually use them...
     
  21. Pittsburgh Ref

    Pittsburgh Ref Member+

    Oct 7, 2014
    da 'Burgh
    Slap an OSI logo on 'em and make 'em part of the Starter Kit
     
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  22. Gary V

    Gary V Member+

    Feb 4, 2003
    SE Mich.
    Take out a loan to pay for them, and those who are assigned to inhabit them need to pay "rent" to cover the costs. If they don't pay the "rent", another air hole is plugged every 5 minutes.
     
  23. psyc1Ops

    psyc1Ops Member

    Jun 22, 2017
    Singapore
    That is too cruel, this may be better method -
    [​IMG]
     

    Attached Files:

  24. MetroFever

    MetroFever Member+

    Jun 3, 2001
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    Croatia
    Wouldn't work in Jersey. Would you want to mess with this cast of characters?




     
  25. ManiacalClown

    ManiacalClown Member+

    Jun 27, 2003
    South Jersey
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Oops, I think my take may have been juuuust a little too hot for this board. [emoji56]
     

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