@JohnF posted:HS sports officiating supply has been dwindling - even before covid... There's another thread about where hsbbw members sit during games. In that thread you will find a reason why there's fewer umps - parents who don't get it and why we don't sit near them... Feeling entitled to attack the coach/umpire or talk smack about others children - yikes. Administrators / coaches fear for their jobs from parents that will go above their heads. If a player or coach gets ejected from a game, there are repercussions including suspensions, taking anger mgmt / sportsmanship courses, etc. An umpire cannot eject a parent only an administrator / coach could do that. Imagine a coach stopping a game and telling his star pitcher's parent to leave because he's riding the ump for a single pitch his son didn't get called his way. I had to track down an administrator recently who was sitting way away from the "fans" who were riding the opposing pitcher because of his weight. Once he moved closer the jeering stopped, but no other parent or person nearby dared to step in and say knock it off. The coach knew who it was but was not getting involved.
In that thread I said I sat right behind the plate and this ^ is one of the reasons why. When my then sophmore made varsity the first game was appalling (argueing balls/strikes, C'mon man how are you so blind? on close plays, etc). I wanted no part. But instead of moving to the outfield where my husband wanted to go, I parked my unafraid of confrontation butt dead center. When Lefty was pitching and people would try to harrass the ump I turned and said "He missed wide, I'm right behind the plate. When your kid pitches you can argue and make the strikezone shrink, but not when it's mine." I had an umpire ask me in the parking lot after the game if I was the pitcher's mom. He gave lefty some compliments and also thanked me for attempting to control the situation. It took a full season (and some seniors graduating) but I feel like we're finally there. Complaining is said to the people directly around you
and a really bad call gets laughter or a OOOOOh?!?