Local news- Press Release
Fredericksburg Virginia - Youth Sport Referees Needed in Fredericksburg 09 June 2022 ( news )
Fredericksburg , state Virginia ( By Press Release office)
Jun 09,2022
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Referee Shortage Threatens Youth Sports Offerings
The City of Fredericksburg Department of Parks , Recreation and Events offers recreation leagues designed to introduce children to the games of soccer , field hockey , baseball and basketball . Designed to be less competitive , affordable and accessible for all children , the recreation leagues are an ideal setting for instilling a love of the game and a healthier lifestyle that can last a lifetime .
A growing shortage of referees is impacting these recreation leagues , and the City is
in need of more sports officials to referee in every sport
. “Consider getting involved in your local sports programs , as a proactive parent , as a volunteer coach , or as a paid sports officiate – they are all equally important as positive role models for a great youth sports experience , ” stated Todd Brown , Director of Fredericksburg Parks , Recreation and Events .
And as athletic leagues have resumed in recent months , the availability of sports officials have not resumed at the same level . A recent article published by National Federation of State High School Associations ( NFHS ) states that 50 , 000 individuals discontinued their service as high school officials since the 2018 - 2019 season . Virginia is experiencing more than a 50% decrease in officials since that time .
This decline in officials has directly impacted the City of Fredericksburg’s recreation leagues . For example , the spring 2022 soccer season lacked officials for nearly 2/3 of the games . In order to keep the season running , City staff worked with Commonwealth Cardinals FC and James Monroe High School’s boys’ varsity team who were able to provide players to officiate the youth games .
While there may be many reasons sports officials have not returned to refereeing since the pandemic , the most significant of these stated factors are 1 ) the amount of pay received per game officiated and 2 ) the behavior of players and their families . “Together we can improve the culture of sports in our community . With your help officiating , coaching and positive parenting , the City’s local recreation leagues can continue to make a difference in the lives of so many children , ” said Jillian Franklin , Superintendent of Sports and Fitness .
If you have a love of the game and are interested in learning to officiate sports , while earning some income , consider becoming a sports official . You can find your local sports official association contact information for baseball , basketball , cheer , field hockey , football , gymnastics , lacrosse , soccer , softball , volleyball , and wrestling at:
https://drive . google . com/file/d/1m3ybUDNZ4TyvHZbiKkcSkfB3Fom2lJLR/view
.
For more information on the Fredericksburg Parks , Recreation and Events’
sports division
, please contact Jillian Franklin at 540 - 372 - 1086 or
jlfranklin@fredericksburgva . gov
.
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