ROCHESTER, NY (WROC) — The nationwide shortage of coaches and referees for youth sports continues to grow, including in our area. With games underway for the new school year, what does this mean for the rest of the fall season?
When it comes to the coaching and referee shortage across Section V, Brian Young with the Victor Junior Blue Devils said that Victor is a more fortunate area — for coaches, at least. Refs are a different story.
“There has been a slow escalation of parent and coach behavior over the last five to eight years that has really discouraged the refs from working additional games,” said Young.
That negative tone from the stands and in the field is something that’s been seen across the US. “The behavior of people around them can turn them away,” he said.
And work-life balance can be an issue, with referees doing multiple games throughout the day.
“So, they’ll come and do the third-grade game at 10:30 in the morning, they’ll do the 4th, 5th-grade game at 12:30, and then the 6th and 7th-grade game at 2:30,” he said.
Ernest Clyburn was at the Wilson versus Brighton game on Thursday in the City. He helps coordinate a lot of the games for the Rochester City School District. He said the coach and ref shortages could upend multiple game schedules across Section V.
“A lot of the games won’t be played, and the season will take longer,” he said.
That, also delaying championships and things of that nature. But Dominique Thompson said with her kids and all their play schedules, she’s confident on her end, it will work out.
“Our team seems like we work as a family, so we fill in where we have to fill in,” she said.
Section V says there has been a coach and referee shortage for years.., adding, they have been ‘collaborating over the past several years relative to official recruitment and retention’ for coaches, and when it comes to refs, they are ‘always looking for ways to encourage people to join the ranks of officiating,”
Section V currently has a campaign up to recruit folks interested in being a coach or a ref. They say there are competitive wages involved and above all, this is about giving back to the community.
Section V said the deadline to apply is October 15.
ROCHESTER, NY (WROC) — The nationwide shortage of coaches and referees for youth sports continues to grow, including in our area. With games underway for the new school year, what does this mean for the rest of the fall season?
When it comes to the coaching and referee shortage across Section V, Brian Young with the Victor Junior Blue Devils said that Victor is a more fortunate area — for coaches, at least. Refs are a different story.
“There has been a slow escalation of parent and coach behavior over the last five to eight years that has really discouraged the refs from working additional games,” said Young.
That negative tone from the stands and in the field is something that’s been seen across the US. “The behavior of people around them can turn them away,” he said.
And work-life balance can be an issue, with referees doing multiple games throughout the day.
“So, they’ll come and do the third-grade game at 10:30 in the morning, they’ll do the 4th, 5th-grade game at 12:30, and then the 6th and 7th-grade game at 2:30,” he said.
Ernest Clyburn was at the Wilson versus Brighton game on Thursday in the City. He helps coordinate a lot of the games for the Rochester City School District. He said the coach and ref shortages could upend multiple game schedules across Section V.
“A lot of the games won’t be played, and the season will take longer,” he said.
That, also delaying championships and things of that nature. But Dominique Thompson said with her kids and all their play schedules, she’s confident on her end, it will work out.
“Our team seems like we work as a family, so we fill in where we have to fill in,” she said.
Section V says there has been a coach and referee shortage for years.., adding, they have been ‘collaborating over the past several years relative to official recruitment and retention’ for coaches, and when it comes to refs, they are ‘always looking for ways to encourage people to join the ranks of officiating,”
Section V currently has a campaign up to recruit folks interested in being a coach or a ref. They say there are competitive wages involved and above all, this is about giving back to the community.
Section V said the deadline to apply is October 15. NewsRochesterFirst
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