Maybe it’s not every game, but it seems like almost every time a youth soccer referee takes the field, they’re going to get yelled at. It could be from a coach or a parent, even a player.
One referee in Weber County, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal, recalled just the most recent incident of parents behaving badly. It started when a player on the home team was knocked to the ground. A parent from his team began shouting at parents on the opposing team and things quickly escalated into a verbal brawl.
“It just blew my mind,” she said. “That we’re comfortable doing that in front of a bunch of kids.”
This referee has officiated youth soccer for about 20 years. But she said the verbal abuse she and other referees get from parents and coaches has gotten worse. Referees as young as 13 have also been verbally assaulted, chased to their cars and even prevented from leaving the field by adults.
To fight back, the Utah Youth Soccer Association issued a zero-tolerance policy against parents and coaches who berate officials. It means that anytime people yell or argue with a referee, their team won’t be able to have spectators on the sidelines for the rest of the season.
To read more, visit KUER.org.
This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aim to inform readers across the state.
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