Let's Give Referees a Break
To the Editor:

As a passionate fan of the game of basketball, I've always looked forward to high school basketball season. I've attended many games this season, both girls and boys, home and away, and have noticed a particular trend that is not very becoming to our area. There seems to be a constant belittling of the referees by the fans and the parents.

In my humble opinion, this is a twofold problem:

First, the belittlement and abuse these refs take is a total lack of respect for their position and themselves as people. Often the refs are people we work alongside or do business with through the week. We would never think about treating these people in those arenas as we do when they are out on the court. Do we get a free pass to be insulting and derogatory when we buy our $4 game ticket?

Ever since the girls and boys basketball seasons have become one, a fear athletic directors have had is a lack of referees. I'm not surprised. Why would anyone subject themselves to that type of scrutiny? These referees are just people who love the game of basketball and want to (a) allow our children to enjoy it, too, and (b) stay a part of the game they love.

They are not trying to cheat your child out of a glory game. They are not helping the other team win. They are human beings, making quick judgment calls in front of a hostile audience. Do they make mistakes? You betcha! Just like you and I would, given the same situation. But in the end, 99.9 times out of 100, the best teams win, because they are simply the best team on that particular night, not because the officiating was bad.

The second fold of this problem has to do with what it teaches our young athletes. When we, as parents and fans, critique the decisions of the refs, we teach our young people that what went on out on the court is not their responsibility, that someone else was in control of the outcome of the game. We release them from looking at their own mistakes and instead, let them concentrate on the mistakes of others. We allow them to have an excuse for each time they lose or fail, instead of having an answer for the errors that they made. This cripples our athletes, it does not empower them. And I, for one, want my children to be empowered, not crippled. I want my children to persevere through the unfairness of life, to move forward, and to know that their destiny is in their hands, not in the hands of an official who might make a bad call or two on a particular night.

So, the next time you're at a high school basketball game, take the time to thank the official for his or her time and energy. (Believe me, he's not getting rich at this!) Keep your emotions in check, remembering that it is the coach's job to protect his team and his players, and consider that your actions could be empowering or crippling the youth in our communities.

Debbie DeWyse

Engadine