Referees call for action on violent parents
Actions and consequences
Sports referees urged Nebraska lawmakers on Wednesday to impose stricter penalties for spectators, parents and coaches who physically or verbally assault officials during athletic events. During a legislative hearing at the Capitol, referees highlighted an increase in incidents of abuse and called for harsher penalties, suggesting that assaults should be classified as felonies with potential jail time to deter such behavior and address the growing referee shortage. “Fans are really crossing the line, and it’s happening as early as third grade,” stated Montsho Wilson, who organizes referees for the Metro Conference and youth sports in Omaha. Wilson reported that since October, officiating crews had removed 26 individuals from events due to threatening or abusive actions, with three of those incidents involving physical violence, as he informed the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee. “We’ve lost the sense of decorum… it’s becoming quite unreasonable,” remarked Scott Earl, a former referee and now deputy Sarpy County Attorney.
State Senator Bob Andersen of Gretna has introduced a bill proposing that assaults against sports officials be classified as a Class III-A felony. This designation would result in penalties including up to three years in prison, 18 months of mandatory post-release supervision, and the potential for fines or probation. The legislation comes in the wake of an incident in November, where 40-year-old Joshua Littrell from Omaha was charged with misdemeanor assault after allegedly punching a 35-year-old referee following a youth sports game in Sarpy County. Littrell has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for a pre-trial conference in March.
Andersen's Legislative Bill 657, titled the “Respecting and Ensuring Fairness for Sports Officials Act,” was motivated in part by the assault on referee Marcus Marinkovich, as well as a 2023 interim study which examined the declining number of available sports referees. Conducted by Niobrara State Senator Barry DeKay, who has extensive experience as a referee for high school and college sports, the study aimed to address the shortage of officials. Findings from a survey of referees involved in the study revealed that 33 percent of those officiating high school sports have considered resigning due to issues related to sportsmanship.
The survey also indicated that over half of respondents had been verbally threatened by spectators, 20 percent by coaches, and 10 percent by players. Additionally, around 14 percent reported having faced physical threats from spectators. Senator DeKay emphasized the need for action, stating, “What I’ve seen and heard, something needs to be done.”
Image source: unknews.unk.edu
By: Robert Tengker