By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

Basketball games are emotionally charged environments.

The competition is fierce.

The coaching is intense.

Parents and fans are on edge.

It is a mixture of excitement and nerves, with hopes to see student-athletes, who are family and friends, find success and find a love for the game.

In the right climate, all of those emotions are positives and make for an atmosphere we have all come to love about high school sports.

There is another side to it, though, too.

Sometimes games can go upside down.

All of the same emotions that can make the environment so healthy and enjoyable are also the same emotions that can rob the game of its charm.

In a recent conversation with a pair of veteran local basketball officials, who requested to remain anonymous to protect their public identity at future games, opened up about how they have seen the life of an official change on game night since they first started in the profession many years ago.

“The behavior of parents and coaches toward referees in youth basketball is a well-known issue that significantly impacts the officiating community and quality of the game,” one of the anonymous officials said. “This problem stems from heightened emotions, unrealistic expectations and a lack of understanding of the referee’s role.”

The anonymous officials focused on a series of key factors they felt, which have also become common talking points amongst their peers, their experienced positions in the area have begun to contribute to negative behavior.

UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS

• “Parents and coaches often expect perfection from referees, even though we are human and make mistakes. Many youth referees are young, learning the craft and officiating under challenging circumstances. Unrealistic demands can create unnecessary tension and conflict.”

EMOTIONAL REACTIONS

• “Basketball is an emotional sport and parents and coaches sometimes lose control during close games or controversial calls. These emotional outburst can escalate, leading to verbal abuse and public confrontations.”

LACK OF RESPECT

• “A lack of respect for the role of the referees fuels poor behavior. Referees are there to enforce the rules and ensure fair play, but they are often viewed as adversaries rather than neutral parties.”

ROLE MODELS

• “Parents and coaches set the tone for how players view and treat referees. If adults exhibit disrespectful behavior, players may mimic it, creating a toxic environment.”

One of these factors, or the combination of any, have a direct impact on the game, the competing teams and fans in attendance. The result has led to a decline in game quality, negative experiences and a shortage of referees, among other negatives.

Officials have long been held to a critical standard from the bleachers and sidelines. However, the anonymous officials indicated that the harassment has increased and the language has become strikingly more profane.

And a new element has emerged: Harassment on social media platforms during and after games.

In some cases, situations locally have escalated to unsafe, including a parent who confronted an official by entering the court, an on-court fight amongst players that injured an official and a coach refusing to leave the court after being ejected for unsportsmanlike behavior.

Just as the deterioration happened over time, restoring more games that avoid it will probably also take time through education and awareness, zero-tolerance policies, support for referees and keeping the spotlight and focus on the players.

Your next game is your next chance to promote this change.