I am a 40+ mother who played extensive basketball. I do not remember the refs when I played wanting to be a part of the game. However I am now the mother of two teenage boys who play year round. They have played since they were 5. They both love the game and yet the reffing seems to decline every year. I have taught them both to be respectful to to the refs and let the coach handle any problems. This last year has been a rough one. I have seen numerous games where the refs should be announced with the teams. They make points of making sure everyone knows they are there.
In my own way I had finally had it a few weeks ago at a local AAU tournament. It was late on a Sunday afternoon. Everyone had played numerous games since Friday evening. It was the last game and the championship game. It was clear from the start that it would be a good game. However, the refs were tired and were calling very little. The game starting getting out of hand. (At a tournament in Nashville the same kind of thing happened and my son ended up with a broken arm because no one was blowing the whistle. So I was obviously concerned.) I did sit with my mouth shut while the ref turned around numerous times and yelled at the crowd in the stands. He also gave three technicals to the bench of our team. One was because while sitting on the bench, the asst. coach yelled foul. At the end of the game my son had a black eye and a bite mark on his arm. ( I didn't know about this until after we got to the car). But our team had seven fouls in the whole game and the other team had one. I was appalled by the lack of control and wanted to either call or write the TSSAA. I walked over to the scorers table and very calmly asked the name of the referees. All heck broke out. One ref got in my face, gave me his first name and accused me of threatening him. The other ref called me a name and said I was not worth there time. They then asked me my name which I gave them, the whole thing. I then walked away was but told later of the things that were said.
I have never threatened anyone and it was my first time even deciding something needed to be said.
But after years of observing I am amazed at how different every game is called. You can't teach a child, youth, anyone what the rules are when the referees call there own game. I also believe that if a child is going to play all weekend long, the parents are giving up there whole weekend, spending lots of money, then no matter how tired a referee is at the end of the tournament it is professional if you are wearing that shirt to call the game. You are getting paid. I do believe there needs to be more oversight on referees. I am much more appreciative of a ref who when being yelled at in the stands just becomes deaf. That is a professional. Unfortunately I don't see too many of those.
