There are so many things wrong about the fight in the stands at a Salmon Arm Midget Tier 2 hockey game held in Sicamous over the weekend, it’s hard to know where to begin.
Suffice it to say that adults should be the role models of sportsmanship for young players, not the reason for police attendance at games.
But we would like to focus in on another element of the situation – the abuse of referees in sports.
Saturday’s situation stemmed from the disagreement among fans of a referee’s call to toss a player from the game for aggressive and potentially dangerous play.
Too often referees, often young players themselves, are subjected to horrible abuses from spectators. Boos, catcalls, even spitting at refs have taken place in the past – all in the name of a sporting contest, usually played by amateurs. It has become so bad that the Vancouver Island Amateur Hockey Association is threatening to kick hockey moms and dads out of the stands after rampant abuse of referees by some spectators.
It’s time for sports fans to give their heads a shake and remember that referees are a critical part of the game and are out there to call the game as they see it. Yes, they are human and can make mistakes, but they do not deserve to be treated like garbage for it.
Show some good sense – if a call doesn’t go your way, keep your lips zipped and your fists clenched in your lap.
