In 25 years as an official, Venditto says she has seen officials threatened by fans, and berated by coaches, some of who have followed them after the game. Most officials have been banned from officiating at certain schools because someone, usually a coach, did not like the calls they made.
Most officials look around worrying about exits and safety at a volatile game.
Venditto says the lack of respect afforded some officials carries over to the game. At that point, enforcing the rules and keeping the peace become equally important. It's hard to keep focused on the game when you are baby-sitting instead of officiating, Venditto said. A lot of kids are not taught to respect the official. When I was a player, we would be benched or suspended if we ever talked back to an official.