Youth sports referee shortage grows amid aggression from parents, coaches
RAMSEY, N.J. (CBS) -- Youth leagues across the country are facing major umpire and referee shortages. At the same time, we're seeing a lot of aggression from parents and even coaches at youth games.
It's one of America's favorite past times.
"Baseball is like, it's very fun," said Jack Wood, a little league player.
But the kids' fun is being ruined by adults.
Brawls are breaking out at youth baseball games around the country. A coach was caught on video coming after an umpire at a little league game in Alabama. Another video also shows parents aggressively yelling at an umpire in Texas.
"I don't understand it either. There's an expectation that, you know, every game is do or die for their kids' future in this sport," said John Dugan, president of Ramsey baseball and softball.
The physical and verbal abuse by parents is having a dramatic impact, leading to an umpire shortage. Since 2017, the number of youth umpires in the U.S. has dropped.
And at the high school level, there are nearly 20,000 fewer referees across all sports than before the pandemic, however, there are signs those numbers may tick up this year.
"We have suspended people from the park," Dugan said. "Usually it's one game, two games to begin with. And if it becomes worse than that, we ask them not to come back."
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On a picture-perfect evening in Ramsey, New Jersey, the Robins played the Orioles.
Carl Kearney, a 21-year veteran umpire, called the little league game.
"I'm the boss out there. No doubt," Kearney said.
He's a calm boss, which works in his favor.
He said parents cans sometimes get out of control.
"Some can be a little, uh, louder than the coaches. Some vulgarity at times," Kearney said. "But, I let the parents say what they're going to say. If they continue, then you have to then tell the coach. If you don't calm that down, I'm gonna have to ask you to remove them."
Mike Wood has gotten into his fair share of arguments with umpires.
"It has been suggested maybe that I leave a game, but we never got to that," Wood said. "The umpire said, 'If you don't like the way I am calling the game, you can leave.' I'm not going to leave. It doesn't mean I enjoy the way you are calling the game though."
But his son, Jack, who is the catcher for the Orioles, and Evan, the catcher for the other team, see it from a different perspective.
"The umpire is the top-tier man and you have to respect him," Jack said.
"They should be excited and focused on the game. But when they talk to the umpires and yell at the calls and stuff, I think that's a little unnecessary, maybe," Evan added.
When asked why, Evan said, "Because it's a kids game and it's just little league, and kids are just trying to have fun."
When adults behave badly, it's the kids who lose.
"I have to stop the game. Nobody wants that," Kearney said. "I can also understand that a parent wanting their child to, you know, to succeed. But not at that price."
In the end, the Robins beat the Orioles for first place. But really, everyone was a winner, after a clean game by the kids and parents.
The National Umpire Association said the number of baseball and softball umpires in the Babe Ruth Youth Leagues has been on the decline. Since 2017, it has dropped from just over 6,000 to just under 5,000.
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