Why Yelling at Officials Hurts the Game

So, there I was, sitting at a neighboring school basketball game this evening, when a set of fans right next to me started to get agitated. Needless to say, their team wasn't doing well, and there was a 'no call' that they didn't like, then a 'call' they didn't like.

Next we started hearing 'Call it both ways!' and 'That's a foul!?!? It wasn't a foul on this end!'

This escalated to the 2 men standing up, leaning forward, you know, so the officials can hear them better, and screaming at the referees. I couldn't hear exactly what the far gentleman was yelling because the near guy was so loud. Our nearest friend yelled, 'Where in the hell did you all find these guys? These idiots are worthless!'

My school's boys basketball team was sitting in front of me, watching the game. They recognized how bad those fans sounded. They also know my stance on this - and they often turned to me to see my reaction when our new friends went off the rails.

I commend the school's athletic director for his actions. He used 'proximity' - he went and sat in front of them for the final quarter of the game and they calmed down a bit. And their team was losing by 25.

Understanding Why Respecting Officials Matters at Every Contest

Officials are essential to education-based athletics. Their role is to create a fair, safe, and structured environment so athletes can compete and grow. When fans choose to yell at officials, it damages the contest, harms the experience for athletes, and contributes directly to the statewide referee shortage. Here are the key reasons we ask our fans to refrain from yelling at officials:

1. Officials Are Leaving the Profession at Alarming Rates

Over 70% of officials report that poor fan behavior is the number-one reason they quit. Every time an official walks away, schools lose another person willing to keep games safe and fair. Respectful fans are part of the solution.

2. Fans Are Emotionally Invested — Officials Are Not

Fans see the game through the lens of their child, their school, and their emotions. Officials are trained to remain neutral and remove emotion from their decision-making. That difference matters, especially in tense moments.

“You see a heated basketball game and there’s a call made. One fan base stands up and screams at the officials in disagreement. The opposing fan base cheers. What’s the difference - the emotion tied to the call. There’s no objectivity in emotion.”

3. Officials Are Trained and Educated — Fans Are Not

Every official completes rule exams, mechanics training, clinics, and ongoing education. Their role is to apply the rules accurately, not emotionally. Most fans simply don’t know the sport at that depth.

4. Officials Have Experience Making Split-Second Calls

Officials have hundreds — sometimes thousands — of reps in live games where plays happen in real time. Experience improves accuracy. Fans don’t get those repetitions and often see the game from a limited perspective.

5. Officials Are in Position to See the Play — Fans Are Not

Officials are trained to move to the correct angle, not just the nearest spot. The right angle, not the closest view, determines the right call. Fans may have distance, poor angles, obstruction, or blocked sight lines.

6. Officials Aren’t Perfect — and Neither Are Fans

Officials miss calls. It happens in every sport at every level. But fans also misinterpret plays, misunderstand rules, or see something differently. Expecting perfection from officials while excusing our own mistakes is not fair or realistic.

Consider The Referee Replacement Spiral: 

What Happens When Fans Drive Officials Away

Picture this scenario:

A veteran, highly skilled basketball official works a heated rivalry game. He’s respected, experienced, and has handled hundreds of big moments in his career. But on this night, one loud, emotional fan base crosses the line—heckling, shouting, and berating him after a call they disagree with.

He finishes the game, but when he gets home, he makes a decision many longtime officials are making: “This isn’t worth it anymore. I’m done.”

The following year, those same two teams meet again. But now the game is assigned to a younger, less experienced official—someone who’s still learning, still developing mechanics, and still gaining confidence. Predictably, he misses a few things that the veteran would have handled with ease. The crowd, again, unleashes its frustration.

And after the season ends, he too decides, “This isn’t worth being yelled at. I’m out.”

Now we enter year three. The same rivalry. The same emotional crowd. But this time the game is given to a second-year official, one of the few still willing to take games that others have walked away from. His judgement isn’t refined yet. His positioning and timing are still developing. He blows the whistle a lot—some calls right, some calls wrong. The crowd goes after him harder than ever.

So what happens next?

Here is the honest answer:

We run out of officials. Games get postponed, rescheduled, or canceled. Younger officials refuse to enter the profession. Veteran officials are gone, and the replacements never stay long. And the quality of the game — the safety, fairness, and experience — declines year after year.

This is not speculation. This is what’s happening across the country right now. For every one referee who enters the profession, two leave it. The pipeline is shrinking, and fan behavior is the number-one reason.

The point of the story is simple and undeniable:

When we yell at officials, we don’t just hurt tonight’s game — we hurt next year’s game, and the game after that, and the future of high school athletics altogether.

Why Parents Should Never Criticize Officials in Front of Their Kids

When parents talk negatively about officials in front of their children, it sends a powerful and harmful message. It signals to the athlete that disrespecting officials is acceptable, even expected, and it teaches them to blame others instead of taking responsibility for their own performance. It gives kids an easy excuse—“the refs cost us the game”—instead of reinforcing resilience, accountability, and growth.

Even more importantly, it erodes their respect for people in positions of authority, a lesson that carries far beyond sports and into classrooms, workplaces, and future relationships. If we want our kids to develop character, humility, and emotional maturity, then we must model those traits ourselves. Respect begins at home, and our athletes will follow the example we set.

Protect the Game by Respecting the Officials

The reality is simple: without officials, we do not have games. Every contest your child participates in depends on men and women who give their time, training, and experience to create a safe and fair environment. When fans yell at officials, it does not change a call—but it does directly contribute to officials quitting, games being cancelled, and the future of sports being damaged.

At West Liberty-Salem, we expect our fans to model the same sportsmanship we demand from our athletes. Cheer for our kids. Support our coaches. Enjoy the game. But under no circumstances should anyone yell at, challenge, or disrespect an official. Not only does it undermine the integrity of the contest—it threatens the long-term health of the very sports we love.

If we want our athletes to compete, we must protect the people who make competition possible. 

Respect the officials. Let the coaches coach, the players play, and the officials officiate. That is how we keep high school athletics strong for future generations of Tigers.