At what point do you acknowledge fans/parents?
 

So, I was working a 7/8 girls doubleheader tonight and in the 2nd game we ran into an unruly group of parents. There was about 20 of them total and 10 or 12 were the type to complain about any and every call/no-call. They were screaming at us EVERY TIME down the floor. The insults were getting personal and it really angered me that they would display this type of sportsmanship in front of the impressionable girls.

Towards the end of the game, I was very close to having game management take care of it, but decided to hold off. Just a very frustrating night, I've only been a referee for 3 years but it was the worst I've seen at any level. And it was a junior high game!

At the point which I ask game management to remove them. Until then I ignore them.

A Coach's View
 

I would ask the coach of those fans to intervene. After that, get them out

Do you give them a chance to knock it off before doing so? It also must be noted that they were still yelling when the game had been long decided (*their* team was ahead by 20-25 points through most of the 2nd half).

Perhaps it would be easier if I would just quote what it says in the NFHS rules book.

2-8-1 NOTE: The home management or game committee is responsible for spectator behavior, insofar as it can reasonably be expected to control the spectators. The officials may call fouls on either team if its supporters act in such a way as to interfere with the proper conduct of the game. Discretion must be used in calling such fouls, however, lest a team be unjustly penalized. When team supporters become unruly or interfere with the orderly progress of the game, the officials shall stop the game until the host management resolves the situation and the game can proceed in an orderly manner. In the absence of a designated school representative, the home coach shall serve as the host management.

Interesting. Obviously that's something I want to do as a last resort, I just wanted to get others' opinions. Oddly enough, neither of us heard a peep out of the coach all night, it was just this one group of fans.

Thanks for the input.

Fans? ......... What fans?

Seriously, I completely ignore them unless they cross the line, at which point 2-8-1 comes into play per Nevadaref's post.

At the minimum, say something to your assignor, and perhaps he/she can talk to the AD or the league about working more on sportsmanship.

If they are getting personal, I think it's over the line. If they get abusive or specifically insulting as opposed to just loudly disagreeing, it's over the line. Then you need to stop the game and have game management take care of it.

The advice to "ignore them until they cross the line" doesn't really answer the OP's question, which asks where to draw the line.

I think that the PPP rule is still in effect, with 2 provisos: one, I really don't hear the crowd much, so they're going to have to be pretty loudly personal or profane to get my attention; two, prolonged is rather longer for fans than for coaches.

With coaches, nip it in the bud. With fans, ignore it as long as possible.

Hope that helps with drawing the line!

The biggest question to me at that level is what impact are the idiot parents having on the girls? Are they inciting the girls to do things that are having an impact on the game? As long as the game is under control in my judgement, the parents can yell and scream all they want (obviously without profanity, etc)....

Took me a couple seconds, but I figured it out!

My opinion is if it's affecting your ability to concentrate on the game, it needs to stop. If it's getting personal and you can't tune it out, it needs to stop. It's up to you.

Some refs never hear the fans. I tend to listen for the entertainment value, but eventually tune them out as the game progresses.

Again, though. If it's personally abusive, or if it's affecting your ability to concentrate on the game, have game management deal with it. GM may very well give the fans a chance to calm down before giving them the boot.

I heard the "I am blind, I am deaf. . ." chant over the weekend. That was fun. :)

Not always recommended, but:

At one frosh game early in my career, I had nearly the same situation. I waited until one egregious comment (the fan wanted 3-seconds on a multiple try / rebound / try ... "play" with all 10 players in the lane), stopped the game when one team gained control, pointed to the fan and said, "You're gone" (giving my best baseball ejection mechanic). After he left, I explained the rule to the rest of the parents. There were some "ooh -- I didn't know that" comments and the rest of the game went smoothly.

I've found that I really tune out the fans during the game. Not consciously, though. I just get so focused on the action that I don't hear it.
It would really have to be personal , profane and prolonged to get my attention, and luckily its never gotten to that point yet.