Referee Abuse...some one needs to be made an example of.

[TristanDSP]

As a youth referee who's been thretened by parents with pit bulls and bats for petty disputes such as this, it's somewhat difficult to stomach whenever a parent doesn't get jail time for assaulting a ref. By law, I, as a ref, CAN'T fight back, or else I CAN GET SUED. If I have to bitch out like that and take the hit or else it'll cost me (and don't think I won't sacrifice my freedom to protect myself and my pride), then these problem parents deserve more than work service, probation and anger management classes.

This isn't like pro sports where heavy fines are handed out. There's so many crazy psycho parents and players who don't get that it's just a damn game, and would act just like this moron would.

Sorry to vent, but you have to look at it from the ref's angle, as much as you'd hate to. Yeah, it's the ref, but a bad call or procedural call doesn't warrant that.

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/news/story?id=2113242

Alvarez pleaded no contest to two charges
Associated Press

RICHMOND, Calif. -- A former soccer coach who beat a referee bloody during a game for 8- and 9-year-olds was sentenced to 30 days of work service and ordered to attend anger management classes.

Mauricio Alvarez, 33, pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor charges, each carrying a potential sentence of a $2,000 fine and a year in jail.

Alvarez must also write a letter of apology to Bruce Greenlee, 59, who suffered cuts over his eye in the Nov. 20 attack. The referee had forced Alvarez's team to forfeit an end-of-season game because he had no proof that one of his players was younger than 10.

Judge Carol Brosnahan ordered Alvarez to stay away from Greenlee and pay a $100 fine plus attorney's fees.

"The sentence is perfect," Greenlee said Wednesday. "But I would hope there are also ways to make sure he doesn't go near a soccer field again."

Alvarez refused to comment after the hearing. But his lawyer, Juan Hernandez, told the court: "Mr. Alvarez wants me to say he apologizes for his actions. He says he should have known better. He accepts his responsibility."

[Zillini]

Some parents behavior is simply appalling, btw I'm a parent myself. If I were a ref and attacked by a parent, I'd file a civil suit. Should be plenty of witnesses who could testify.

[JenMarie]

My dad deals with this all the time as a youth soccer ref. It gets worse in high school though, because some of the players can actually be bigger than you are.

I used to play soccer and my teams would always give the refs crap when they made bad calls. And sometimes we just had bad refs. But I don't think any of us would have thought to beat the guy down. You take the hit and move on.

[Lady Pi Phi]

Last year there were more than a few incidents of parents abusing hockey coaches and referees.

Some were beaten by parents. One had hot coffee thrown all over him Some where just plain ridiculous incidents. One mother decided that she was pissed off so she bared her breasts to everyone in the arena.

I agree that thins kind of behaviour has no place at a sporting event, especially one that is for children. There definitly need to be harsher punishments laid out.

[moe.ron]

What are they teaching their kids? If you disagree with somebody, beat them up?

[Rio_Kohitsuji]

This is why my dad no longer coaches t-ball, softball, or soccer, because of stupid parents!!

Also, why quit being a coach for a PEE WEE team

I just don't know why some parents are like this, it's just a damn game! Your kid probably won't even remember losing by next week anyway

[ADPiAkron]

They just ran a long story on this topic in my local paper!! Check it out in the Akron Beacon Journal!!

http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/12153974.htm

(Please note in the first paragraph that CYO stands for Catholic Youth Organization!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I used to play for CYO at my catholic grade school and keep score for the games in HS--- the parents are NUTS!! And this organization is supposedly founded on religious ideals!! Good old Catholics!! Gotta love us!! )

[Kevlar281]

This was my favorite rule when I was a linesman.

Rule 14 – Captain of Team

(a) One Captain shall be appointed by each Team, and he alone shall have the privilege of discussing with the Referee any questions relating to interpretation of rules, which may arise during the progress of a game. He shall wear the letter “C”, approximately three inches (3”) in height and in contrasting color, in a conspicuous position on the front of his sweater.

In addition, if the permanent Captain is not on the ice, Alternate Captains (not more than two) shall be accorded the privileges of the Captain. Alternate Captains shall wear the letter “A” approximately three inches (3”) in height and in contrasting color, in a conspicuous position on the front of their sweaters.

Ice Hockey actually has a substantial amount of rules regarding conduct towards officials. Sometimes I think it’s because of the violent aspect of the game.

One season I was on a very high scoring team in an in house league. The rink had a bar upstairs and during the rougher games the place would become a zoo. It got so bad at one point that the whole team would have to walk out of the locker room together to insure each other’s safety. To many parents looking to settle things off the ice.

[AGDee]

At my daughter's parks and rec softball game last week (girls ages 9-12), one of the coaches on the other team didn't like the call at first and slammed his clipboard onto the bench and was hollering at the top of his lungs at the ref. It's the first time I've seen such behavior at a kids' sport (from a coach anyway) and I've coached soccer and both my kids have played softball for years. It was really appalling. The ref told one of the other coaches for that team to let the offender know that if he did it again, he'd be out of there. I complained to the rec department and I hope that guy doesn't coach again next year.

[moe.ron]

I think a lot of these parents are trying to revive their glory days or trying to find their glory days through their kids. The kids are supposed to have fun.

[KSigkid]

Originally posted by moe.ron
I think a lot of these parents are trying to revive their glory days or trying to find their glory days through their kids. The kids are supposed to have fun.

I've found this to be true in every league I've played in, coached in and been involved with. The parents that seem to complain the most and abuse the referees and coaches the most are also the first ones to yell at their kids for having a poor game. You can tell after the first few practices which parents are going to be problems for everyone.

It seems like the incidents are getting more and more violent, the parents more and more aggressive.