Reminder - Zero Tolerance Policy in Regard to Any Inappropriate Behavior Towards Referees

A letter from the League Commissioner (Update on the Zero Tolerance program)

As you are hopefully all aware, in Spring 2022 UYSA attempted to help alleviate our shortage of referees which was caused by the abuse they were and are subjected to by coaches, players and sidelines.

I am happy to report that Zero Tolerance has helped – especially with those teams who were penalized with multiple games worth of suspensions for their sidelines. Referees are reporting that sidelines have gotten better. With that being said -

We believe that the program still needs to stay in place. Too often, when there are difficult moments, parents and coaches are choosing to scream at the refs rather than allowing them to do their job and work with the players and coaches to best manage the moment.

UYSA will continue to enforce a ZERO TOLERANCE policy as to any inappropriate behavior towards referees.

Any coach, parent or spectator at the field that yells at or berates a referee could be disciplined with a strict no spectator season going forward. Meaning - that team would not be allowed to have ANY spectators on the sideline for the remainder of the season.

A coach has the responsibility to coach the players, parents and spectators on the sideline have the responsibility to cheer for players and their teammates. At no time does a parents role cross over to being a referee mentor or educator, regardless of knowledge or understanding of the game. That role belongs to the State Referee Committee.

This also means that the sidelines are responsible for policing themselves. If someone is out of line, find a way to help them mend their ways. (I always recommend a quick walk all the way around the facility.) That person’s misbehavior could cause everyone else on your team to lose the ability to attend games.

DO NOT tell the referee “to call the game”, “to keep the kids safe”, to “call it both ways”, that they “are a terrible referee”, that “you are going to file a complaint” (you can file a complaint - but there is no reason to yell this at a referee as it is viewed as a threat), or any other derogatory or personal, public or provocative remarks directed at the referee. Further, never approach a referee to demand to know their name to file a complaint. That is considered abusive. UYSA knows who refs each game.

There are no excuses for these types of behaviors - if you are making any remark other than positive towards a referee, you are at risk for the entire sideline being uninvited the rest of the season. You put your team at risk of a forfeit and other potential outcomes as adjudicated by the league.

Let's let the kids play, coaches coach and referees ref- it is their game!