Anyone who has been to youth sports knows the trials and almost abuse the officials and umpires take on a daily basis. Standing in there wearing a referee or umpire uniform is a thankless job that is often criticized and almost never applauded. Grown adults across the country have been known to spoil the sport for the kids because of their treatment of these officials.
It has gotten so bad that leagues are having a hard time filling the spots for officials and those in charge are starting to speak out. “I don't know how much money it would take to be able to stand there every day and take criticism and abuse from people when they need you, just trying to do a good thing,” Section III Athletics Executive Director Jay Czarny said.
Now there might be some repercussions. The new proposal is led by Republican State Assemblyman Scott Gray, which says it should be illegal to harass and/or assault a sports official. Gray took to social media to express his stance on the subject and had an outpouring of support.
Gray wrote “Our scholastic sports programs depend on these officials, who work tirelessly to ensure that games are played fairly and safely. Regardless of whether we agree with their calls, we must respect the difficult job they are there to perform. Recent incidents of physical contact and intimidation toward officials have come to my attention. That is unacceptable and will only exacerbate an already serious shortage of referees and umpires across the state. If we do not strive to curtail this behavior, more games will be canceled, and fewer young athletes will have the chance to compete.”
The dwindling of officials has reached a boiling point and there is concern that it will get even worse. This year basketball and hockey games were canceled due to a lack of available officials and on baseball diamonds in Suffolk County there is only one umpire working games.
Legislation was previously introduced to address assaults on sports officials, and they will now try and get this passed to protect those who allow us all to have sports in the first place.
Gray continued “I will collaborate with legislators from both sides of the aisle to pursue solutions that safeguard our officials and preserve the integrity of high school sports. However, this issue cannot be solved solely through legislation. It requires a cultural shift, starting with all of us setting a better example for our young athletes.”
Assemblyman Gray encourages schools, leagues and local organizations to strengthen policies that support officials and educate parents and spectators on proper conduct. “It is up to all of us to create an environment where sportsmanship, respect and integrity thrive. Our student-athletes deserve nothing less.”