Dear Mom and Dad: Cool it Column (Idaho).pdfHeadline: Dear Mom and Dad: Cool it By Karissa Niehoff,...

Headline:DearMomandDad:Coolit

ByKarissaNiehoff,ExecutiveDirectoroftheNationalFederationofStateHighSchoolAssociationsandTyJones,ExecutiveDirectoroftheIdahoHighSchoolActivitiesAssociation.

IfyouarethemotherorfatherofahighschoolathletehereinIdaho,thismessageisprimarilyforyou.

Whenyouattendanathleticeventthatinvolvesyoursonordaughter,cheertoyourheart’scontent,enjoythecamaraderiethathighschoolsportsofferandhavefun.Butwhenitcomestoverballycriticizinggameofficialsorcoaches,coolit.

Makenomistakeaboutit.Yourpassionisadmired,andyoursupportofthehometownteamisneeded.Butsoisyourself-control.Yelling,screamingandberatingtheofficialshumiliatesyourchild,annoysthosesittingaroundyou,embarrassesyourchild’sschoolandistheprimaryreasonIdahohasanalarmingshortageofhighschoolofficials.

It’strue.AccordingtoarecentsurveybytheNationalAssociationofSportsOfficials,morethan75percentofallhighschoolofficialssay“adultbehavior”istheprimaryreasontheyquit.And80percentofallyoungofficialshanguptheirstripesafterjusttwoyearsofwhistleblowing.Why?Theydon’tneedyourabuse.

Plus,there’sarippleeffect.Therearemoreofficialsover60thanunder30inmanyareas.Andasolder,experiencedofficialsretire,therearen’tenoughyoungeronestoreplacethem.Iftherearenoofficials,therearenogames.Theshortageoflicensedhighschoolofficialsissevereenoughinsomeareasthatathleticeventsarebeingpostponedorcancelled—especiallyatthefreshmanandjuniorvarsitylevels.

Researchconfirmsthatparticipationinhighschoolsportsandactivitiesinstillsasenseofprideinschoolandcommunity,teacheslifelonglessonslikethevalueofteamworkandself-disciplineandfacilitatesthephysicalandemotionaldevelopmentofthosewhoparticipate.So,ifthegamesgoawaybecausetherearen’tenoughmenandwomentoofficiatethem,thelosswillbeinfinitelygreaterthanjustan“L”onthescoreboard.Itwillbeputtingadentinyourcommunity’sfuture.

Ifyouwouldliketobeapartofthesolutiontotheshortageofhighschoolofficials,youcansignuptobecomealicensedofficialatHighSchoolOfficials.com.Otherwise,adultrolemodelsathighschoolathleticeventshereinIdahoarealwayswelcome.

SPORTSMANSHIP MATTERS

Your Team

Your School

Your Community

Our State

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INTEGRITYTEAMWORK

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