Across the United States we are facing a referee crisis. From verbal abuse to physical altercations, this problem has gone too far. As more and more officials leave the field every year it is important that we take a look at ourselves in the mirror and ask how we can shift from being part of the problem, to being part of the solution. We recently sat down with several local officials from Ohio and Kentucky to hear from them on their experience as referees and how clubs, coaches, players and parents can all help end the referee abuse across the country.
Over the next few months, we will be sharing stories from local officials on how they started their referee journey, how the youth soccer landscape has changed during their time officiating, instances of referee abuse, and their thoughts on how we can all play our part in introducing new officials to the game.
The referee crisis is more than Kings Hammer. We encourage all our neighbor clubs in Cincinnati and beyond to work together to help create a better environment for all!