At Omaha

[IndyBison]

There definitely is a shortage of officials, particularly basketball referees here in SW Minnesota. I officiated tonight in Adrian, MN; Thursday night I'm in Edgerton, MN, Saturday I'm reffing in SF. I could be working 4 to 5 nights a week if'n I wanted to, but I don't. My brain doesn't want me to, my body doesn't want me to, my wife doesn't want me to. Im 71 yrs old; I should not be working as much as I do. Some how, some way, for some reason, we've lost a whole generation of sports officials, not just basketball officials, but also baseball umpires and football officials. There's a new emphasis by the Minnesota state high school league regarding the recruitment of young people (notice I said young people) ........ladies, this goes for you, too. I hope the MSHSl is successful in their efforts to get more people involved in sports officiating. The pay is decent; the exercise is good for you; I'm just at a loss as to how to get more folks involved in officiating. South Dakota is experiencing the same dilemma.

The issue is the lack of respect which leads to abuse of the officials. Those of us who have been doing this for awhile can get by that because we are too involved to let it affect us. But someone who is just starting isn't there and aren't willing to tolerate that abuse. Parents and coaches at the youth and subvarsity level have lost their minds and the #1 reason we can't retain people. The problem is they don't see what they do as abuse. They feel justified in their "complaints" because they feel they know the rules and the official is just getting started and actually learning the rules.

I'm not sure how much the constant berating of professional and major college officials contributes. I do feel it creates a culture of criticizing and abusing officials that is acceptable and maybe that filters down to the lower levels. How much that directly contributes to officials leaving I'm not sure. There is definitely a major lack of respect towards officials though.

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