Indianapolis — In December, the N.C. High School Athletic Association voted to raise officials pay in an attempt to address the critical shortage of sports officials in North Carolina.
This is not a problem localized to North Carolina though, it has been a national trend for years.
On Tuesday, the National Federation of State High School Associations, the national governing body for high school sports, held a press conference to discuss the issue on a national level, particularly when it comes to behavior of fans, coaches, and players at games.
Last year, the NFHS held a consortium with stakeholders from the youth to collegiate levels to help address the issue after the organization found 50,000 officials nationwide had left the profession. On Tuesday, the NFHS announced that it will host a second consortium next week.
NFHS CEO Dr. Karissa Niehoff said it was important to point out that the officiating shortage is not just a high school issue — it extends to all levels of sport.
“This all starts at the youth sports level,” Niehoff said, explaining that young officials often start in youth sports, but when they are subjected to poor treatment by parents and coaches, they are driven away from officiating.
Barry Mano, the President of the National Association of Sports Officials, called on sports organizations to “put a line in the sand” and show that certain behaviors are not permitted.
According to the NFHS, that line is beginning to be drawn. Some state associations have begun looking at consequences for unruly fans, including potential 365-day bans for spectators who act inappropriately at games. Some youth sports organizations have reached out to the NFHS about co-branding a new “Bench Bad Behavior” campaign the organization is launching. This could mean parents and athletes will hear consistent messaging about behavior from youth sports through high school sports.
We know that the behavior of fans, coaches, and athletes is a major concern of officials. In fact, a survey conducted by the NCHSAA last year showed that more than half of the officials in North Carolina considered quitting over the previous two-year period, and the top reason given was poor behavior. A vast majority of officials said behavior today is worse than it has ever been.
Niehoff said this is product of the institution of sport becoming less formative and more performative.
Next week’s consortium will take some of the lessons of the first event and make recommendations for state associations, schools, media, and security to help improve the climate around sports.
