Photo Credit: NAYS
There has been so much publicity about the struggle to recruit and keep officials in youth sports these days. The constant abuse that officials endure—from T-ball to high school—has turned what was once a labor of love into something seemingly no one wants to do.
Let’s face it, not many people over the age of 18 are officiating youth games for the money. Many officials were participants, perhaps even coaches, and they have found that officiating allows them to stay in touch with sport they love while performing a valuable service to their community at the same time.
When my own daughter began playing soccer, there was one gentleman—at least 65 years old—who would come out every Saturday at 8 a.m. for her soccer league. I live in South Florida, and even though it was fall, the temperatures were always approaching 90 degrees. He would not only officiate the games until noon, but also take time to talk to the new coaches about the intricacies of the game.