Referee Jonathan Cohen and his crew stand at center ice and watch two high school hockey teams shake hands after a hard-fought 45 minutes.
In the NHL, the handshake line is sacred. Images from post-Stanely Cup final handshakes are immortalized in history.
In high school, the storied ritual is much more common and occurs after every game. It ends with each player taking their turn thanking officials for their time.
The NJSIAA wants everyone to learn from these hockey players. It is encouraging student-athletes, coaches and even fans to follow their lead during Officials’ Appreciation Week, which will take place from Monday, Jan. 27 through Sunday, Feb. 2.
“When the kids come up to us after the game – whether they agreed with some of the calls or not – they’re not stewing about it. They put it behind them,” Cohen said. “That’s what we are all really hoping that coaches are teaching. The game is the game during the game, but when the game is over, it’s time to move on.”
For some fans, coaches and even players, moving on is difficult.
In extreme cases, officials need to be escorted out of gyms or rinks by police. Nearly all of them have had insults hurled at them. As a result, the number of referees is quickly diminishing and threatening the state of high school sports as we know.
Inappropriate behavior from parents and fans has been cited as the main reason for the national shortage of referees with 62.3-percent of officials saying that they are dealing with aggressive parents and adult fans according to an Op-Ed piece from NFHS Executive Director Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff.
“My advice to parents would be to enjoy the competition and let up on the criticism of officials,” gymnastics official Barbara Wallace said. “There is a time and a place to address concerns about meets or games. It is not during competition. It doesn’t show a good example to the kids. It certainly doesn’t show respect to the sport, the schools or the community.”
The NJSIAA’s student ambassadors acknowledged this issue and hope their initiative can shine a positive light on the referees because without them, there would be no game or meet.
The week-long dedication was widely successful in the fall and is a trend that the NJSIAA plans to continue. Each game throughout the state will begin with a pregame announcement to show appreciation as well as a postgame thank you – some teams may even provide refreshments and certificates of appreciation.
“As ambassadors, we can see how officials are often mistreated and disrespected,” Park Ridge senior basketball and volleyball player Shannon Burns said. “Officials across the state work hard to make sure that events run smoothly, fairly, and safely. However, they often face backlash from parents, athletes, and coaches alike, while just trying their best to do their jobs.”
A simple thank you can go a long way for officials.
Most work day jobs, run home to grab quite a bite to eat and change, then are on the road again heading to a high school game. The next morning, they wake up and do it all again. They don’t do it for a paycheck, which is quickly diminished by taxes and travel expenses. They do it because they love the game and want to give back.
“Most of us don’t do it for the money,” basketball official Steve Peloso said. “That’s why this is an important step for the NJSIAA. Even at your own regular job, you want to hear that you’re doing a great job…What makes this all worthwhile is that we get to be a part of the game. Sports were a big part of my high school experience and I’m glad that I can still be part of them today.”
Most referees relate to the student-athletes and longtime gymnastics official Mandy DiNuzzo cited the mutual respect between players and referees as one of the most important parts of sports.
Now, the students are making that relationship crystal clear.
Whether they’re shining on the ice, basketball court, swimming pool, balance beams or wrestling mats, New Jersey’s student-athletes want all officials to know that their presence is appreciated and necessary.
“It’s a great thing that we are being recognized as an important part of the process,” wrestling official John Giovannitti said. “It means so much that this is coming from the students. To know that they are aware of the importance of officials is really great.”
Richard Greco covers boys basketball for NJ.com and may be reached at rgreco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Richard_V_Greco. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
