The March 1 Press Herald editorial, “Our View: Berating refs should be out-of-bounds conduct” (Page A6), captures the essence of a long-standing problem that has seen a dramatic increase. The slow, but sure, loss of high school sports referees poses an existential threat to a long-standing quality of life experience in our communities.

As is always the case, only a few bad apples spoil the experience for everyone else. As a lifelong school-sports junkie, I have found that the offenders are easily spotted and could be summarily removed if refs pointed them out to police or if the police had the mandate to address behavior that, at a minimum, is a disturbance of the peace.

Once removed, the offender would be prevented from attending sports events for a year. A prominent sign warning of the constraints might help.

Referees attempt to guarantee an orderly progress of the game, safety, an education in civility under pressure and the value of life by the rules. This considerable responsibility should be paid $200 per game, which in itself might reduce the erosion of essential numbers of referees.

Coaches manage to keep their opinions in control for the most part, as do the athletes themselves, with the occasional exception, such as the action of one player at the end of the 2018 Scarborough-South Portland regional game, when one player made a gesture to the refs by going the length of the court and stuffing the ball, followed by the prohibited hang from the rim. It was a rare but memorable act of defiance that diminishes the importance of playing by the rules.

It is hoped that this letter will encourage others to write to the Maine Principals Association advocating for change that will protect our refs and our kids.

Art DiMauro

Scarborough


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