Nationwide referee shortage hits USU intramurals
LOGAN — As a new intramural sports season started this semester at Utah State University, Campus Rec rushed to hire more referees.
With over 600 players signed up for the basketball league and only 14 referees, officiated games seemed out of reach.
Campus Rec coordinator of competitive sports Bailey Adams emailed current players stating if more students didn’t apply to officiate, they would have to call their own games.
“While we are on pace to have a record number of teams signed up to play in the 5v5 basketball league this season, there is, unfortunately, a lack of students that are interested in the part–time officiating position,” Adams wrote.
Nationwide, there is a shortage of sports officials. Utah State is no exception.
“Officiating sports, especially for your peers, is not a particularly easy job,” Adams wrote. “Our program is willing to work with students to find a part–time schedule that works with your classes and other extracurricular activities.”
The email told players that without enough referees, they would have to call their own games.
“Unfortunately, if no more students are interested in the officiating position, we will only be able to provide referees for regular season games every other week,” Adams wrote. “On the weeks that your division does not have referees, players will need to call their own fouls and violations.”
Adams finished the email with a hopeful call to the registered players.
“This is not an ideal situation, and we are hopeful that 1.7% of the players in this league are willing to come officiate the sport for a few hours a week,” he said.
Aggies answered the call, and by the first basketball game, enough referees had been hired. First–year student Brenden Reed was relieved to hear the positions had been filled.
“I think it would take some of the organization out of it. It’s fun to come and play a team you don’t know. I feel like it might cause fights if we don’t have one,” Reed said.
Some players pointed out that reffing their own games wouldn’t be fair to either team.
“I feel like people would take it less seriously,” player Ella Nunn said. “They’d keep playing and not call the fouls because you wouldn’t want to call it on your own team.”
Izzie Finlinson, a first–time official, also admitted to players not calling fairly.
“It would not be taken very seriously because obviously if you’re judging your own game, you’ll be harder on your opponent than your own team,” she said.
Cade McDougal has reffed since August and believes the entire game would change with official refs.
“It would be a lot different,” he said. “It wouldn’t be as competitive, and you couldn’t play the actual rules since no one would be setting up free throws or things like that. It would just be a whole different game.”
There are multiple reasons why shortages are happening across the nation. At USU, it could have something to do with low pay, bad reputation or pressure on the job.
Adams expressed his own concern about the pay and how that may be what’s preventing students from applying.
“I am under the belief that officials for all sports are underpaid,” he said. “Even though this is a paid part–time position on–campus, we are still constrained to certain wage scales within the department and division.”
Current Campus Rec officials expressed other concerns that may stop students from applying for the position.
Intramural ref Andrew Austin said, “I think that refs get a really bad rep. We just try to do our job, and people think that we’re bad people. Or they’re too scared to get yelled at; but somebody’s got to do it.”
McDougal says the yelling is part of the position.
“You are an official, so you will get yelled at, and people may not like you,” he said. “But that’s just something that comes with the job.”
Reed said the refs he’s encountered have been “awesome.”
“They joke around with us and they have fun,” Reed said. “I don’t know why students wouldn’t apply.”
While the position isn’t as glamorous as other jobs may be, Campus Rec is hopeful students will continue to apply and join their team.
“It’s definitely worth it, and people always come up to you after the game and say sorry if they do something wrong,” Austin said. “It’s a great environment, and I’ve loved it a lot.”
Finlinson reffed her first game on Monday. She still had an optimistic view.
“It seems like a great gig to me,” she said. “Maybe it’s just intimidating to learn how to do it and learn the rules of the sport. But I think it’s a great gig.”
To apply for a position, go to usu.joinhandshake.com.
Featured image by Phil Weber.