Some fans shout at an official during a basketball game between Baylor and McCallie at Baylor School last Friday. Voicing displeasure is seen as part of the game, but fans who go too far make some officials quit.No matter what level of sport, game officials have heard and seen disgruntled and overly passionate fans take matters too far.
The most unsportsmanlike incidents the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association deals with on nearly a daily basis relate to "fan behavior." Those actions have a direct correlation to the decreasing number of younger officials.
"Across the nation studies have revealed 80 percent of young people who go into officiating quit after two years," TSSAA executive director Bernard Childress said recently. "The number one reason is they can't tolerate the abuse they have to take from the fans. We have to change that culture."
A growing concern is there won't be enough replacements when veterans such as Joe Scruggs and Al Slater retire. Those two have a combined 88 years of basketball officiating (Scruggs) and baseball umpiring (Slater) in the Chattanooga area.
Learning to let the shots roll off their backs is not easy for young officials trying to get their footing, especially inside a gymnasium where voices easily carry.
"You have to pay little attention to the fans," said Scruggs, who never has had to eject a spectator. "I have a job to do every time I get on the court. I don't waste my time with them. It can be a nuisance, for sure, but that's where game administrators come in."
The high school level of play does not even garner the most incidents of verbal abuse, according to Southeast Tennessee Basketball Association assigner/supervisor Walt Kean.
"You would be surprised at some of the calls I get," Kean said. "Most of my issues are at the middle school level. You are trying to start off a new official down in elementary or middle school ball, and they don't know how to deal with the verbal abuse yet."
Administrators and officials agree that while many parents would love to think their son or daughter is a superstar in the making, being a role model in the crowd and cheering in a supportive way is important.
On the baseball diamond, Slater has had to take action to let fans know he is in charge.
"If I am watching young umpires and somebody is getting on them, I am not going to back down," said the 77-year-old Slater, who has never tossed a baseball coach in 40 seasons of umpiring. "It's important to not take the fun out of the game for the kids and everyone who is there."
In some parts of the state, junior varsity and middle school games are being rescheduled or canceled due to lack of officials.
"We are facing the problem where older officials are retiring and there are not enough young ones coming in," Childress said. "Younger people have so many more options these days. They balk when we ask them to give back to the game and officiate, because they don't want to be harassed."
There are 132 active officials in the Southeast Tennessee Basketball Association, of whom "60 to 70" are experienced enough to officiate high school varsity games.
"I am blessed with the number of officials I have, but I will say there are some Tuesday and Friday nights where if we have a person go down I am not sure how we are going to replace them," Kean said. "You can never have enough referees. We are always looking for the next good ref and next young blood."
Fans always will be entitled to their opinions, but the TSSAA and other governing bodies across the country are asking for fan altercations and verbal abuse to cease.
"We have to make adults aware the things they say and do affect the child, the official and the sport," Childress said. "Sportsmanship needs to be an area we all focus on. It does no good for kids to see you being escorted out of the stadium."
Games can't survive without the men and women who make the calls.
Those interested in umpiring baseball and softball games can attend training sessions at Notre Dame High School every Monday at 6 p.m. until the season starts in March.
Individuals interested in learning more about becoming a high school official can also do so online at HighSchoolOfficials.com.
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @PMacCoon.