Most Hurtful Thing You've Ever Heard From a Coach

[Rich]

Originally Posted by fiasco

Yes, I know I'm dredging up an old thread, but it's late and I'm sitting in my wife's hospital room after her surgery, what gives...

I wouldn't say there's anything a coach has ever said that has been hurtful, but there is one thing I've heard several times that has stuck in my craw for several days. Working JV games and having a coach or fan say to me "That's why you're not a varsity ref." for some reason that one always just stings.

Luckily, tomorrow night I officially get to call myself a varsity ref and, in a way, get to tell all those coaches and fans to stick it.

That kind of comment just gets a smile from me. They know not what they are saying. As deecee said, the same could be said about them.

In football, we work *everything*. On Monday I'm a JV official, Tuesday a middle school official, Thursday a freshman official. Difference between me and those coaches is that on Friday night I'm a varsity crew chief and they might be assistant coaches, maybe.

Last season I filled in at the end of a sophomore boys game (played before a varsity game) when a JV official went down with a hammy injury. Play was all over the place, coaches were all over the place (mainly because of lack of experience and a lot of excitement), and all I could think to myself was that I'm glad I don't have to deal with that on a regular basis. In many cases, the JV game is harder to work.