What would you do?
 

We are getting ready to start our basketball referee classes and we have an applicant who has been a parent of 5 athletes over the last 14 years. And he has done nothing but berate the officials year after year after year. Now that his children have grown it is decided that he wants to become a Referee. He is well into his fifties.

Has been thrown out of numerous ball games over the years because of his behavior.

Would you allow him into the refereeing ranks? Is there anything to stop him from becoming a referee?

Who, Me
 

That sounds like me. Once I got to understand the real rules and underlying philosophies, I came around.
Someone should take him aside and encourage him to forget what he thinks he knows and concentrate on the actual rules.
He deserves a chance to prove himself and turn over a new leaf.
Worked for me. Now I've got two kids drawing NBA paychecks...

I got recruited into refereeing after a guy in the stands saw me get a technical foul after my 5th hour and then I went and kicked a water fountain. This was in intramurals on a military installation. What's funny is the guy who gave me the fifth foul and tech ended up being a good friend of mine and went on to be a D1 official for a while.

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That idiocy stops, with the vast majority, once they've been trained and have experienced the other side of things. Many in various associations can attest to this. I can, too. In fact, I don't think I'd have been welcomed into the local officials association where I once served as a coach. But now...... :)
Give him/her a chance. You might be delighted.

This is the best punishment that he could possibly get.

Stick his butt out there and let him get screamed at by some idiot parent. Payback, baby!!!

He may change his tune or he may not. It doesn't matter because the problem will fix itself as he will either see a new perspective or quit quickly.

I concur. I taught, for years, the OhioHSAA required class for new officials. One would not believe how many former players that I had officiated while they were in high school tell me that until they took this class, that they thought I was a terrible official (I still am, LOL.) but after taking the class they didn't realize how correct I and my fellow officials were.

MTD, Sr.

Hey You Kids, Get Off Of My Lawn ...
 

I can't count how many times I've had officials, coaches, or parents, say to me, "Hey, I remember you from when I played in high school". I also can't count how many times I've punched them in the face after saying that.

Thanks everyone for your replies.

I'll keep you informed as to what happens.

Can we vote if folks here care or not?:D

Sure, you can vote. But it won't make a difference because he was too late to joining the class, and was told he'd have to wait till next year to begin training. Next year he will be 60 years old.

How many of you have members join at the age of 60 or older?

I worked a game with a partner with whom during our pregame "small talk" was just all too proud to "bragg to me that he was retired after 40 yrs at the motor plant [I chagrin at hearing about your retirement cause I am working my as* off every day but I digress]any way dude told me he was 82 yrs old and had been reffing for 60 yrs. He did move in a shall I say more slower gated manner and his mechanics on his calls at times appeared to me as 'smooth' slow-motion-like" but it got the point across--he shared with me some his wisdom [and humor] on "gray/subjective" aspects officiating ----good partner for real though.