Respect and sports
As I sat in the stands at the gymnasium during a recent wrestling match, I became disappointed and embarrassed by the fans.
Everyone had just listened to the short speech concerning athletics being an extension of the classroom, and that all fans, coaches and athletes should show respect and sportsmanship.
Most people believe in those ideals, but the vocal minority just let that go over their head. They are not there to support their team but to show everyone how loud and rude they can be in their efforts to berate and question the referee's calls, judgment and sometimes even their ethics.
Very often, even the ones who are not so vocal are cheering on the boorish behavior of the loudmouth fans and congratulating and patting them on the back.
Whatever happened to the idea that sports was intended to teach teamwork, sportsmanship and to help young people to learn to work hard to reach a goal? I heard, "Why don't you call it both ways?" and many other similar ignorant comments which were meant to suggest that the referee was leaning toward making calls "for" one team and "against" the other team.
Hogwash. I have been involved in officiating of sports for more than 40 years and have helped officiate football, wrestling, fast-pitch softball and baseball and have participated and helped coach in all of those sports. In all those years, I do not believe I have ever seen an official who went into a contest with the idea of trying to help one team to better than the other.
When an official is on the mat, field or court, they have only one goal, and that is to do the best he/she can possibly do to make every call correctly and fairly. The MOA officials of all levels of Montana junior high and high school in every sport are required to attend many meetings with their fellow officials to discuss rules and methods of officiating each sport.
They are tested to determined levels of expertise and, after a number of years, are then considered ready to do varsity matches. Officials miss out on family outings and meals and are often watching other people's kids when they might rather be with their own family.
Many sacrifices are made, but only because they love the sports and enjoy being involved in helping young people and want to help the young athletes of our communities to have a chance to learn how to reach a goal and to learn sportsmanship.
When the parents sit in the stand and berate the official, and also do the same at home over the dinner table, they are teaching their kids that it is OK to make excuses and to blame others for having not succeeded.
Instead, fans and parents should support officials of all sports and teach their children to respect them because they are giving their time and energy to help young people and are working hard at a job that often brings them sleepless nights and stomach aches.
To end, I would invite any of the loudmouth, mean-spirited people from the stands to sign up to be an official in the coming year. If you have the guts to make an honest commitment and put in the many hours necessary, you might learn something about sports and might even get a chance to have your integrity, judgment and knowledge of rules questions.
Karl Sorenson
Columbia Falls