Leo Gillick
Being the upholder of the rules comes with a few risks. A referee at a high school football game has been forced to defend himself when a player didn’t like his decision and attacked him.
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What happened: Tempers can get high in sports. Players will sometimes fight players, and crowds are comparable to zoos. But one person on the field should always be shown their due respect: the referee. Although they may be awful at their job and may make the wrong decisions, they are untouchable. Their word is final.
- However, one high school football player has lashed out at the referee at the T. Wingate High School and Smith High School game. The player, who reportedly played for the Smith team, had a disagreement with the referee.
- Police, working off duty at the game, responded to the altercation. They reported that the high school football player had punched the referee. He was detained along with one other player. The first was charged with assault on a sports official, and the other with disorderly conduct.
The two boys were 16 and 17 years old. Hopefully, this mistake during an intense game won’t reflect badly on the rest of their lives. We’ll see what comes of the case.
Heat of The Moment
The consequences: During sports games, players can get pretty pumped up. The adrenaline and aggression needed for something like American football are hard to turn off just because a referee says so. This is why fights break out on the field, and proper training is needed.
The two boys detained by police at the sports game were young and dumb. At 16 and 17 years old, their emotions are still pretty unchecked. Football can be a violent game, and when emotions are high, people sometimes lash out.
The high school football player was foolish to punch a referee, but these things happen. If it had happened off the pitch, it would be a different story. But when the blood is running hot, it’s best to practice impulse control. Now, the football player is paying with his permanent record.
