Relationship with Game Officials

The commissioner of an interscholastic sports league says it is never appropriate for a parent to approach a game official during a break in the action.

How can coaches and parents best work with an umpire, given that they are likely at some point to blow a call? Coach Clemens offers nine tips for getting along with "Blue."

Parents and youth sports officials never seem to be on the same page. There always seems to be some tension between them. It often seems to parents that the person officiating must be seeing a different game than they are. Every call seems to go against their child's team. But it doesn't have to be that way.

The tragic death of soccer referee Ricard Portillo is just the latest example of the abuse of game officials and poor sportsmanship that has led to a shortage of referees, leading leagues and states legislatures to enact rules of conduct and criminalize assaults.