[PublicBJ]

My letter to Les and the editors:

This is in response to the above referenced column from February 13th:

TO LES WINKELER AND THE EDITORS:

I'm sure that the coach was completely forthright and included all of the pertinent facts when she "recounted" the exchange. If I am silly enough to believe that, and that the events happened as the coach explained it, then the technical was probably not have been warranted. I wasn't there to say for sure. But I highly doubt that we're getting the whole story. We're getting one side of it, and if these other veteran officials that you consulted with are worth their salt, they would qualify their answer in the same way. Unfortunately, most referees are prohibited from ever giving their side of the story.

In my years of officiating (and watching) high-school women's basketball throughout this country, I've never perceived a double-standard on how male and female coaches are treated by officials. Do they exist in some isolated cases? Almost certainly, referees are human and have faults like anyone else. But not in general.

I've heard many stories from coaches about mistreatment, and over 90% of the time, they're leaving something out. I'm sorry for the valid rare occurrences of unfairness or mistreatment, but take comfort in knowing that officials' organizations are constantly striving to improve themselves and their membership. The standards of being an official are high, professionalism is a must for success, and the people that stick it out are cut from a rare cloth, and they live with little gratitude from the participants of the sport.

Unfortunately, it's significantly easier to become a coach.


BRIAN JOHNSON, RETIRED BASKETBALL REFEREE
OKLAHOMA CITY