It is August 2023, and another high school sports season is about to begin. During the past few years, we have seen quite a bit of athletic events postponed due to not being able to find referees or umpires for the events, and this has forced schools to reschedule the events as well, the way things are going it will likely be an issue again this school year. We see this happening more so in Freshmen and JV events but don’t get me wrong it does happen to Varsity events as well, quite a bit.
What is the reason for the Official Shortage?
There is one main full reason why there is an official shortage, and it is the words abusive and crazy parents, there is no doubt about it. There are tons of parents out there who seemingly forget that if there are no referees the game does not happen, and they will sit throughout the game and continue to heckle officials in several situations had made officials have been escorted out of the game after the event which is an extremely sad case when they are just at the game to do there job.
Notable Referee Shortage in August:
The one referee shortage that lots of people are talking about is in the Green Bay, Wisconsin area having to do with High School Football, where quite a few teams are playing more Thursday night games than they have in the past just to accommodate a full staff of referees. When I talked with a fellow broadcaster in the FRCC Conference in the Green Bay area he told me that “we are playing several games on Thursday this season, due to the referee shortage, more than we normally would”.
Are High School Sports in Jeopardy?
According to an article posted by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in 2022, the sports consisting of soccer, volleyball, hockey, basketball, and softball have all seen the number of available officials drop by more than 30%. Another example in 2022, WIAA Executive Director Stephaine Hauser told FOX6 News in Milwaukee, “Right now, we are in such dire shortage of our game officials, and without them, we can’t play the game.”
Legislative Involvement:
In 2020, a bill was proposed in the Wisconsin State Assembly by Representative Don Vruwink (D-Milton), that would allow a $10,000 fine to be issued to a person who harasses a referee with potential jail time was included in the bill as well and would be considered a Class A Misdemeanor to harass an official. According to the NASO in 2020 and Spectrum News 1, 47% of Male and Female referees felt very unsafe at athletic events. Several team members who work in the WIAA office drove down to Madison and testified in front of one of the committees about this potential bill. Unfortunately, two months later the Covid-19 pandemic came about and this bill lost its eyes while the State Assembly and Senate along with Governor Tony Evers were trying to sort out the pandemic.
Are Court Challenges Hurting Referees?
Lately, in the past few years, we have had a few court challenges come up within Wisconsin either involving referees or the WIAA deciding to not allow a team to compete in the postseason due to a rule broken or a big one ineligibility. We have seen a big fight in a postseason high school basketball game in Milwaukee, and also have seen a team told they have to forfeit a football game because of having ineligible players playing throughout the season. I believe these court challenges are hurting referees because they are sick of someone challenging them almost every way they go with a call or decision, you name it.
How to become a referee for High School?
Below are some links attached on how to become a referee for high school sports. Head on down to the Official Licencing to read more about becoming an official with the WIAA.
Official Licensing (Click here to get started)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Follow Matt Peck for more high school and professional sports content on Twitter, he also radio broadcasts high school sports in Wisconsin for MaxPreps for a part-time job.
