Published January 20, 2023 6:13 pm
Referee shortage impacts winter sports
It affects communities across our area: Lack of referees. FOX 5 first reported on the issue over the summer, and checked with a number of organizations now that winter sports are underway. See the article : They Said It: Top Sports Quotes of June 2022 – The Daily Gazette. David Kaplan has the details.
It affects communities across our area: Lack of referees. FOX 5 first reported on this over the summer, and checked with a number of organizations now that winter sports are underway.
Some organizations say that winter sports are not as affected by the shortage because there are usually fewer sports being played and fewer officials are required.
But, the National Association of Sports Officials says that while things have stabilized for now, they still believe it is an “emergency” regime, estimating a 25 percent shortage of what is needed across the country.
The main reasons for this happening: Many older officials have not returned since the pandemic began, Barry Mano with the NASO says it is a “grayed” industry. Younger people have not filled the gap at high enough levels to offset retirements.
The final, key point, many office organizations say that parents have made the job more difficult.
FOX 5 spoke with Jeff Sullivan, the head of all things athletics for Montgomery County Public Schools. He says the current reality is that umpire availability is becoming a bigger part of the equation when scheduling games.
“It’s really spread to a lot of our sports now, and it’s something we have to be aware of, certainly with our schedule. How we schedule games, when we schedule games, to provide that relief and that flexibility for our officials. associations like maybe,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan added that encouraging sportsmanship across all interscholastic athletics has become a priority, primarily to create a good work environment for officials.
On Friday, the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association released a report indicating that the current shortage of referees was unsustainable, adding that more needed to be done to encourage sportsmanship and create a better work environment for officials.
Referee shortage impacting sports world
The National Sports Officials Association is reporting a nationwide referee shortage just as fall sports leagues are about to begin. See the article : LEGO releases Atari 2600 video game console set, honors 1980s nostalgia. FOX 5’s David Kaplan reports on some of the reasons behind the shortage.
Sullivan also said given where things stand with the number of referees now, they will have to consider moving games that would normally be after school to later times, or playing football games on Thursday or Saturday.
“If we had an unlimited number of officers, we could schedule whatever we wanted. Which is convenient, but that’s one of the things we have to be aware of. So we worked with our commissioners and appropriators to look at the big picture, ” “Sullivan said.
The 25 percent shortfall is right in line with Rossie Alston Jr. and the Northern Virginia Football Officials Association.
Alston Jr. tells FOX 5 he has about 170 officers now, can do 200 jobs, but would like to have 230.
“It’s become a challenge over the last few years because, as you can imagine, our numbers are down, and there’s a lot of reasons for that, but we’re working on it,” Alston Jr. said.
Alston Jr. said that the organization works with schools where it can fully hire games, but in the last year, they have had fewer officials in some crews to make it work. Some of the conversations with schools include non-Friday games. Alston Jr. says some schools are more open to it than others at this point.
“We understand where the schools are coming from as far as their need to meet their financial obligations. But the contracts are pretty clear. They say the times and places of these games should be mutually agreed upon between the home school, the visiting school, and the association. So we have to work harder to make sure the schools understand that we’re trying to satisfy our contract as best we can, but they have to work with us and help us reach our goals and meet their goals,” Alston Jr. said.
Alston Jr. said recruitment efforts are underway to attract new officials, especially women and younger people.
FOX 5 also recorded with the D.C. State Athletic Association.
In a statement, spokesman Josh Barr says, “There is still a shortage nationwide, but our games have been covered. We just don’t have an excess of officials that used to exist.”
Is being a referee stressful?
refereeing is a high stress task (Goldsmith & Williams, 1992; Voight, 2009). Sports referees must continuously deal with different stressors that can affect their level of anxiety during competition. See the article : Sports Betting in California: Fact Check.
Is it hard to be a referee? Being the police officer is a tough job. Whether it is the police or the referee in soccer; making sure people adhere to the rules can be as hard a job as it gets. Given the way crime has increased in recent decades, the need for more â and effective â law enforcement has become imperative.
What is the hardest sport to referee?
1 most dangerous sport to perform is hockey. Players fly around the ice with a rubber disc that can leave a stick at over 100 mph. If you’ve ever been hit by a puck without pads, it hurts. These officials are right in the thick of the action, with that puck flying past them at outrageous speeds.
Do refs get nervous?
Channeling Nerves Is Possible Many referees can get very scared and tense up before they carry out their set arrangements, so much so that they dread refereeing. Many can feel very angry during the trip to the place, they can even get sick or in some cases they refuse to ofif.
Why are referees quitting?
In a survey conducted by Officially Human, which is an organization that promotes respect among referees, they found that out of 19,000 referees, 60% said their main reason for quitting is the verbal abuse they take from parents and fans.
Can you make a living as a referee?
Are NFL refs well paid? It is estimated that the average NFL official earns approximately $205,000 per year. The salary of each official will depend on the position they have on the crew, as well as how long they have been in the league.
Can you make a living being a soccer referee?
While most soccer referees do it for the enjoyment of the game, the pay isn’t bad either. It’s not hard to find jobs paying from $50 to $90 per game. Game lengths vary by age, but it is not difficult to earn at least $25 per hour refereeing.
What type of referee makes the most money?
The highest paid referees of any sport are those in the NBA, the world’s largest basketball league. Elite NBA referees like James Capers have a reported salary of $550,000, with the opportunity to earn more by officiating playoff games. Even without postseason games included, the average salary of an NBA point guard is $375,000.
Do referees make good money?
| Average Official Salaries Across 4 Leagues | |
|---|---|
| sport | Average Salary |
| NFL Official | $188,322 |
| NHL Official | $212,500 |
| MLB Official | $235,000 |
What is the average age of a referee?
There are more than 8,794 referees currently employed in the United States. 24.3% of all referees are women, while 75.7% are men. The average age of a staff referee is 31 years old.
What is the most difficult sport to referee? 1 most dangerous sport to perform is hockey. Players fly around the ice with a rubber disc that can leave a stick at over 100 mph. If you’ve ever been hit by a puck without pads, it hurts. These officials are right in the thick of the action, with that puck flying past them at outrageous speeds.
What is the youngest age you can referee?
The minimum age to become a referee is 13. However, center referees usually have to be 2-3 years older than the players and assistant referees have to be able to keep up with the players, so, in general, youth referees can only sign up for. games younger than them.
Do refs get nervous?
Channeling Nerves Is Possible Many referees can get very scared and tense up before they carry out their set arrangements, so much so that they dread refereeing. Many can feel very angry during the trip to the place, they can even get sick or in some cases they refuse to ofif.
What is the most difficult game to referee? Back in the day, yes, the referee was right on the action and could be clipped by a linebacker or defensive back, just like an offensive player. That’s why football is second on the list. With that said, the number 1 most dangerous sport to play is hockey.
How do referees stay calm?
It can be as simple as developing a quick conversation with yourself: Acknowledge the pressure, direct your mind to focus on the game and make sure you are in control in a relaxed, calm manner.
Is there a shortage of referees?
However, youth and high school sports are seeing a shortage of referees and officials, which can have a major impact on the future of youth sports.
Why do referees need to be confident?
Low confidence will stay low and lead to more bad play if you never do something about it. This is why the mental playing skill of confidence is so important for all referees. In fact, confidence is the number one reason officials seek help from sports psychologists and resilience coaches.
