Ridiculed Ref

Throughout the history of sports such as football, soccer, basketball,etc. The referees have experienced disrespect, have been humiliated, and blamed for the way a game has ended up. This is wrong because they take time out of their day to come and be the referee for the games. Also if it’s a local game they most likely volunteered and are doing it for free. If they are doing it for a professional game they would get paid but either way they need to be treated with respect. They are still humans as well and make mistakes like the rest of us.

The referee’s job in a game is to make calls when players do things they aren’t supposed to, when a ball goes out of bounds, or when a touchdown is made, and so on. Many of them have been yelled and cussed at by players, fans, and coaches for the calls they have made and occasionally start fights with the referees which is unnecessary. During games the referees do sometimes make mistakes as I know from my experience playing on the field and can many times get in the way which is upsetting, but the way people treat them is no excuse for them making a bad call.Most people in the end will blame them for how the game ended which isn’t their fault. But we as people like to blame them for it.The referees should be tested though whether they are doing local games or professional games. This should be done to make sure they are able to make the best calls they can for the game and to make sure they are fit enough to run up and down the fields with the players to capture everything that happens. Lastly they need to be tested to make sure they have good enough eyesight to make good calls.

My grandma, Annette Abeyta has been a volunteer referee for the local soccer league Fire FC and has reffed many of my soccer games as well as my sisters when we were younger. She has been yelled at by many upset parents and coaches because they thought she made the wrong calls. “The parents and the coaches were the worst because if the game didn’t go their way they blamed me even when it wasn’t my fault.” said Annette Abeyta. There are many fans and coaches that in any game will blame the referee when something doesn’t go their way and that is wrong. Even when upset with the referee the players as well as the coaches will more often than not shake the referees hand and thank them for their time and that is the respect they deserve throughout the whole game.

Referees are what make the game move along and make all calls that need to be made in a game. While some do make mistakes the treatment of them is often too much and not necessary because we feel the need as human beings to blame each other when something doesn’t go our way. And they make it the refs fault when a team loses a game. Refs are the same as the rest of us and just try to make the best calls they can and to help them do that we need to treat them better and respect them for coming out whether they are volunteering or being paid because they are still people like the rest of us.

Photo By: Fruita Monument HS