Can You Believe This???

[snrmike]

This communique was sent to me by a fellow official. I am completely appalled. Now I remember why I hate officiating youth athletics....

Comment as you see fit.

From: "STEPHEN GARBACIAK"
To All IHSA-Registered (Illinois) Officials in the South Suburban Area:

I believe the information I have to pass along is critical to our continued safety as working football officials.

On Saturday, September 14, a football official working a game in the Southwest Midget Football League was verbally and physically attacked by two coaches. The police were called to the scene to ensure the safe exit of the official and a police report was filed. Due to conflicting witness information no charges have yet been filed. The National Association of Sports Officials has been alerted to the situation and will hopefully be providing guidance to the official involved concerning his options in pursuing legal recourse. The official sustained no physical injuries.

The purpose for this message is to further inform you that the Southwest Midget Football League Executive Board, comprised of the athletic directors from the teams in the league (representing the Dolton Bears, Glenwood Cougars, Homer Stallions, Joliet Titans, Midlothian/Crestwood Panthers, Mokena/Frankfort Burros, Monee/Peotone Junior Devils, New Lenox Mustangs, Oak Forest Raiders, Orland Park Pioneers, Palos Stars, Steger Wildcats, and Tinley Park Bulldogs) held a meeting on September 25 at which they voted to suspend only one of the two coaches involved in the assault. During this meeting they took no testimony from any of the three officials working the game where the incident occurred, yet they allowed parents and other witnesses to testify in support of the coaches. The coach who had to be restrained by several assistants, who screamed obscenities including threats of physical harm at the official, has been reinstated to his coaching duties after a one-week suspension. This is an unconscionable course of action that all officials should take notice of and react to immediately.

The group of officials who regularly work in this league, some of whom have worked it for over 20 years, believe working conditions in this league are now fundamentally unsafe, and will refuse any future assignments in the league, beginning this Saturday, September 28. Until safe working conditions are reestablished, I am asking all of you to support us in this effort and refuse any assignment you may be offered to work for the above mentioned teams. If you are an assignment chairman, I ask you to likewise please refuse to assign officials to games in this league until safe working conditions are reestablished. Please pass this message on to our fellow officials who may not have access to e-mail. If we all cooperate we can ensure that no official will have to take his personal safety in jeopardy when he walks onto any football field.

[Mike Simonds]

Is this league a chartered member of the National Pop Warner Association? If they are there should be a complaint made to the appropriate higher league authorities and the appropriate penalties imposed.

[snrmike]

...that they aren't.

Many youth leagues don't join the "real" Pop Warner organization because of the high standards they require to become a chartered league. Sad, but true.

Thanks for the suggestion though. It could prevent these dufus's from successfully applying!

[Kelvin green]

I hope the officials find a good lawyer, that names the coaches in a civil suit for assault, battery, nails the board members and association for negligent supervision and takes them for all their worth!

[snrmike]

The offender has loads of money. Made his fortune in construction. This guy has a swelled head and is way too full of himself.

The reasons he's kept around are for all of the wrong reasons.

I'm putting this out on a national forum to make others aware, so that they'll avoid this situation and give the game back to the kids.

[BoBo]

This is a sad situation many of us are encountering way to often anymore.

Nice role model for the kids. Too many of these parents/coaches or trying to live their lives, which for most lacked athletic success,through their childrens lives.

We need to make sure as officials and parents that the kids remember it is a game and to enjoy the moment.

[BktBallRef]

May I suggest that you post this on other national discussion boards as well. Here are links to 3 others.

http://www.gmcgriff.com/refonline/ww.../football.html

http://football.refs.org/footballboard/

http://www.nfhs.org/cgi-bin/Ultimate.cgi

Also, there is an IHSA board for officials.

http://www.illinoishighschoolsports....ultimatebb.cgi

[snrmike]

I have posted on the suggested sites. Thanks for the support too!

This particular league is bringing pressure to bear on the offending team. The team's director, who is also one of the coaches implicated is being forced to step down. The referees involved are still seeking a video record of the game for possible litigation and / or criminal charges.

The sad thing is, the people who have tapes are afraid to come forward for fear that they'll be found out and cause retribution towards their children who are still in the programs. Time will tell!

[stars98]

my coach never hit the ref and i dont like u calling him all these names

[don16954]

We have the same problem in Southern Illinois. Twice this fall we have had problems with coahces and parents in one of the St. Louis Metro East football leagues. The game started with the home team upset about us enforcing IHSA rules with the stated exceptions, as instructed. He was not familiar with the rules. He procedding to scream and yell how it was our fault that his team was being penalized for rule violations, and not being allowed to do certain practiced plays, that were not allowed by league rules. Then, during the 2nd quarter the visiting coaches was cussing at the kids he was coaching. After being warned about this, he started complaining about calls bing missed on his side line. We were working a 3 man crew, and I advised him that this was a $35.00 call, making it quite clear that for another $35.00, they could have four officals on thefield. Shortly after this, I broke down field on a pass play and the Referee did not call an aleged blcok in the back. THe coach came on the field yelling to him that "was the worst f---ing call he ever seen." When receiving an unsportsmanlike, he appropriately replied, "Wrong, that was the worse f---ing call." Second unsportsmanlike and ejection from game, removal from the park where games are played. After my collegue made it quite apparent that these people were not out here for the kids, becuase we had not heard a word all day from any player, but were out here for their own glory and that we were leaving, for we had wives and children at home,that we could be with, rather than being present so their kids could play. Home team, though not being the instigators, panic as the league rules state they must have three officials, two of whom are registered with the IHSA, or be fined $100.00 a game pled for us to stay, and the problem would be properly addressed. Then, two weeks later, after being told the problems were solved and there would be no more problems, we have a coach get upset over a false start(team's third in the 1st Quarter), and approached the official to strt trouble. Smartly, we asked the coach to leave the field without incident. The funny thing was that another coach thanked us, stating this paretn-coach had been a problem all year. The only unanswered question was why that team and/or football club address this sooner.
I agree that we need to take action to get control of this now before officials get hurt, and more importantly before these kids get into school programs and believe that it is alright to conduct themselves in this manner during school functions.

[Rick Vietti]

What is also sad is the fact that there is all this whining about officiating at the college level. This will trickle down to the lower levels if the supervisors at those levels do not get a handle on it.

Once they let Joe Pa, chime in with not just a little criticism but a stream of weekly whining, then all of the coaches are jumping on the band wagon.