Official Shortages Causing Athletic Issues - Time Out #325

Oklahoma high school football season is culminating with the state championships held the next 2 weekends, as the 2021 season is completed.

It certainly has been season full of challenges, not the least of which is an acute shortage of on-the-field football officials.

Racine, Wisconsin's, Barry Mano began publishing Referee magazine in 1976, and also organized the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) in July, 1980. I am a initial subscriber and charter member of both organizations, since I have been a sports official since 1967.

I vividly recall Referee magazine beginning to write about officiating shortages in all sports before the turn of the new century. It surprised me at first, since I have always had an absolute passion for sports officiating, and thought anyone would enjoy this unusual avocation, continuing it for many seasons, once begun.

As the years have gone by, the officiating shortage in all sports has grown and grown and grown. The reasons are varied, but a good summation of the principal reason is our overall American society. Our society has become less and less tolerant of authority figures in all walks of American life.

Need a little more explanation, dear readers in Our Town and far beyond?

A few years back, the then current president of the Greater Tulsa Officials' Association (GTOA) conducted an extensive post-season football survey. He wanted to find just why first-year football officials chose not to return for their second-year to officiate games as members of our organization? Because a great deal is required of football officials, the main reasons were varied; health, family obligations, job demands, relocation, etc. etc. etc. However, the #1 reason 2nd year officials failed to return were the little league (i.e., pee wee) games they worked. The new officials could not believe, nor could they tolerate, all the fan/coach abuse they experienced during those games, even considering being paid generous game fees. Instead of enjoying their pee wee game assignments, the new football officials dreaded officiating those specific games. They also voiced many problems with junior high level and sub-varsity assignments, the very assignments that are meant to provide them with valuable game experience, so they can gain necessary confidence to officiate varsity Friday Night Lights games.

Yes, in 55 years of officiating high school football, I have witnessed and endured lots of harassment. I certainly developed "thick skin" in routine dealings with disgruntled coaches and players, but it has usually been the "so-called" fans that have caused most of the game-site issues. And, yes, unfortunately, these problems have certainly gotten worse from one season to the next season. Many fans practice little self-control of their actions.

Underneath it all, I feel it is an overall problem with our society. The issue with authority has been under constant attack, and in many cases, I feel people believe it is their responsibility to be upset over many things sports officials do. The public has become more and more vocal in expressing their "right-to-do-so" at sporting events. Of course, even more upsetting, is the example these adults set for our youth, basically showing the younger age group it is all right to be an absolute fool and/or crazy person as a spectator or coach during any athletic contest. In many situations, the public anger toward officials carries over to television and radio announcers, in addition to media writers, too. Each negative opinion contributes to our society's issues with officials.

Officials are an absolute requirement in order to play a game.

Our numbers are shrinking as I write this week's installment.

Society (i.e., WE) can do better.