How in the world can it be considered necessary to have a law specifically designed to protect referees?
How sad is that?
Indiana State Senators Lonnie Randolph (D-Indianapolis) and Jon Ford (R-Indianapolis) have co-authored Senate Bill 134, seeking to increase penalties for battery against a person certified as an umpire, referee or athletic official.
Long story short, should this bill become law and some (insert insulting name here) hits a ref, instead of six months in jail, the perp would be in the slammer five times that long. If the battery causes injury, instead of a year in the state penn, it’d be more like six.
Fines? Up to $10,000.
The proposal was made after a recreational league soccer player in Detroit beat up a referee who died of his injuries.
I wish I could say I’ve never witnessed any kind of problem with crowds/parents and officials. Two weekends ago, in a basketball league with an emphasis on faith, a confrontation between a crowd member and a volunteer referee got progressively louder until it eventually caused a stoppage in play.
Sadly, I’ve seen a parent try to intimidate a coach into more playing time for his kid. The person in the parent role (I think he was a stepdad) felt like his kid was getting short-changed.
And yes, I’ve witnessed a few coaches in action with what can be easily labeled “character flaws.” Likewise with officials.
Every group of any size has them. Not everyone has the personality make-up to handle the responsibility well.
But c’mon people! Walk a mile in the shoes of a ref before acting.
It’s sad and pathetic to think that a senator has it cross his mind to even propose such a thing. Parents can talk to coaches privately and calmly, rather than screaming at them from the stands or getting in someone’s face behind the bench.
If the General Assembly and Governor Pence feel such a law really is necessary, then I’d argue it doesn’t go far enough.
Where my kids play, many times we’re scouring the crowd looking for a volunteer to call a game where a machine pitches the ball. Those people, who left their homes with no intention of officiating, should be just as protected as the certified official.
And the penalties should be the same for a confrontation with a coach. As a coach, I can say I’ve never had an issue. But the bulk of my coaching was with little kids, and we weren’t keeping score.
Outside of college and professional ranks, coaching and officiating is handled by people who are generally volunteers. Middle and high school coaches and officials have taken on a full-time responsibility for part-time pay that more accurately reflects how much they want to be a part of something bigger than themselves, and/or how much they enjoy their sport.
Berating the referee is a part of sports, and everyone who takes the field understands that. And everyone questions coaching decisions; that’s part of the deal when you coach.
The physical safety of a referee of coach, on and off the field, should never be an issue. It’s sad that it’s come to this in Indiana, or anywhere else in America.
How sad is that?
Indiana State Senators Lonnie Randolph (D-Indianapolis) and Jon Ford (R-Indianapolis) have co-authored Senate Bill 134, seeking to increase penalties for battery against a person certified as an umpire, referee or athletic official.
Long story short, should this bill become law and some (insert insulting name here) hits a ref, instead of six months in jail, the perp would be in the slammer five times that long. If the battery causes injury, instead of a year in the state penn, it’d be more like six.
Fines? Up to $10,000.
The proposal was made after a recreational league soccer player in Detroit beat up a referee who died of his injuries.
I wish I could say I’ve never witnessed any kind of problem with crowds/parents and officials. Two weekends ago, in a basketball league with an emphasis on faith, a confrontation between a crowd member and a volunteer referee got progressively louder until it eventually caused a stoppage in play.
Sadly, I’ve seen a parent try to intimidate a coach into more playing time for his kid. The person in the parent role (I think he was a stepdad) felt like his kid was getting short-changed.
And yes, I’ve witnessed a few coaches in action with what can be easily labeled “character flaws.” Likewise with officials.
Every group of any size has them. Not everyone has the personality make-up to handle the responsibility well.
But c’mon people! Walk a mile in the shoes of a ref before acting.
It’s sad and pathetic to think that a senator has it cross his mind to even propose such a thing. Parents can talk to coaches privately and calmly, rather than screaming at them from the stands or getting in someone’s face behind the bench.
If the General Assembly and Governor Pence feel such a law really is necessary, then I’d argue it doesn’t go far enough.
Where my kids play, many times we’re scouring the crowd looking for a volunteer to call a game where a machine pitches the ball. Those people, who left their homes with no intention of officiating, should be just as protected as the certified official.
And the penalties should be the same for a confrontation with a coach. As a coach, I can say I’ve never had an issue. But the bulk of my coaching was with little kids, and we weren’t keeping score.
Outside of college and professional ranks, coaching and officiating is handled by people who are generally volunteers. Middle and high school coaches and officials have taken on a full-time responsibility for part-time pay that more accurately reflects how much they want to be a part of something bigger than themselves, and/or how much they enjoy their sport.
Berating the referee is a part of sports, and everyone who takes the field understands that. And everyone questions coaching decisions; that’s part of the deal when you coach.
The physical safety of a referee of coach, on and off the field, should never be an issue. It’s sad that it’s come to this in Indiana, or anywhere else in America.