Umpires are often privy to the most flagrant violations of sportsmanship, according to Player, as parents and coach vent their frustrations over disagreements in officiating. Communication with parents and athletes is the key to keeping things courteous and professional. That also means having the parents trust that we re able to take care of things. Coaches agree that respect for officials begins with them and goes beyond leading by example. Berating or arguing with officials is the most common source of in- appropriate conduct.
People have to remember that the officials are human beings.
They re not perfect and a lot of disagreement is subjective and that s never going to change. Only a small percentage cause problems, and it really doesn t bother me. I hate to see parents set that kind of example, though. Negativity and criticism have an impact on the experience of the kids, who approach the game with an entirely different agenda. At the same time, even the worst kid on each team is going to make a good play this season, and they deserve the chance to experience that.