THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 Page 11 Poor Sportsmanship, Pandemic contributing to shortage of High School Sports Officials Behavior of parents cited as among the worst of all adult spectators at High School games By Dr. Karissa Niehoff Executive Director National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) A s high schools begin a third school year of sports and other activities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, a familiar issue continues to challenge administrators nationwide: fi nding enough individuals to offi ciate all scheduled contests. tivities Association, including the past 17 years as commissioner of offi cials. Although there was a hope that the post-pandemic behavior of parents and other fans would be improved, Pappas said the jury is defi nitely still out as sportsmanship issues have continued to exist. “From some of the early reports, there are still many acts of bad sportsmanship occurring,” Pappas said. “There are with coaches and parents are important, but I think having officials go and address parents and talk to them about rules changes is important. It would be great for offi cials to go and talk to parents and kids so that they understand that they are not just the bad guys in the striped shirts, that they are someone who wants to be a part of the educational process, who’s giving back and there really to help and educate. “There needs to be shift in those expectations and remind parents of what it was like when their kids didn’t have an opportunity to play. Everyone agrees that was not good for anyone last year. And if you continue to abuse offi cials, we are going to be exactly where we were because there won’t be any way to adjudicate these games.” The NFHS has been actively Poor behavior by players’ parents have plagued high school sports for many years and is now being blamed for contributing to a nationwide shortage of game offi cials in nearly every sport. (Courtesy Photo) In some states, Friday Night Lights have become Thursday or Saturday Night Lights as teams consider playing on alternate dates to accommodate the lack of individuals to offi ciate games. The shortage of officials in high school – and middle school – sports has been a growing concern for several years – in large part due to unsportsmanlike behavior by parents and other adult fans. Now, additional sports offi cials are electing to stay on the sidelines because of health concerns related to COVID-19, or they are uncomfortable wearing a mask during games. The challenge for schools and state associations remains two-fold: how to recruit more individuals to become offi cials and how to retain those people currently serving as offi cials. Short of unexpected events like the coronavirus, if a new offi - cial remains active after the fi rst three to fi ve years, the outlook for a long-term career is pretty good. Hoping to make an impact nationally on the officiating shortage and the sportsmanship issues at hand is Dana Pappas, who joined the NFHS staff last month as the new Director of Offi ciating Services. Pappas joins the NFHS staff after 24 years with the New Mexico Acstill people who are going after sports offi cials after games, during games, and it continues to be an adult problem. I don’t think too many of the issues we see are really the kids. It’s generally the spectators, although it can be coaches at times when their behavior incites the crowd. “I think the sportsmanship issue is something that continues to keep individuals from offi ciating, or we lose them because of poor sportsmanship.” Pappas noted that in addition to losing officials due to the COVID-19 concerns and poor sportsmanship, others may have changed jobs during the pandemic, and with some games being moved earlier in the day, they are unable to get free from their jobs to handle offi ciating assignments. While the loss of offi cials because of the pandemic is understandable and uncontrollable, losing individuals from the offi - ciating ranks due to the boorish and over-the-top nasty behavior of parents and other adults is unacceptable. Pappas said many states back the statement: “If you act in an inappropriate manner, you will have to pay.” While these programs are necessary, she also believes proactive plans should be in place as well. “Doing preseason meetings recruiting offi cials for four years through its #BecomeAnOffi cial campaign. More than 50,000 individuals have expressed an interest in offi ciating through this national effort at www.highschooloffi cials.com Most recently, the NFHS has been targeting high school coaches to consider offi ciating another sport in their off -season after previous campaigns directed to other groups. Assisting state associations and schools in recruiting more offi cials is also on Pappas’ To-Do list. “Kids coming out of high school think they have two options – to play sports or to coach sports. They forget about the people who are offi ciating their games! So, how do we make offi ciating something that is at the forefront of their minds? When they are leaving high school or leaving college, they need to understand that there is an entire career path they could follow in the world of high school offi ciating.” As fall high school sports swing into full action this month, let’s respect the men and women who are giving of their free time so that once-in-a-lifetime opportunities of high school activities can continue for our nation’s youth. SAVINGS NOW & DOWN THE ROAD! Auto Loans as low as 1.99% PURCHASE or REFINANCE Apply FAST at massbaycu.org or call (617) 269-2700 APR* SOUTH BOSTON – EVERETT – QUINCY – SEAPORT *APR=Annual Percentage Rate. APR includes a .25% discount for automatic payments. 1.99% APR is for terms up to 48 months. Monthly payment is $21.69 per $1,000 borrowed. 2.24% APR without automatic payments. Monthly payment without automatic payments is $21.80 per $1,000 borrowed. Other rates and terms are available. Up to 105% financing based on NADA retail value. Qualification restrictions apply. 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