10/09/2026
PSA......
As we head into another weekend of football, we want to take a minute to talk about something just as important as touchdowns, tackles, and big plays: RESPECT FOR OUR OFFICIALS!
We know how passionate our football families are! We love seeing everyone cheering, supporting our kids, and getting excited on game day. But we have a few friendly reminders for everyone on the sidelines and behind the fence.
🏈 1. The men and women officiating our games put in countless hours, often traveling from field to field and working long days for a relatively small fee. They do this because youth sports need them, and because they want our kids to have the opportunity to play the game we all love.
Are they going to get every call right? Nope! Are coaches going to disagree with calls? Absolutely! Will there be a call here and there that leaves all of us scratching our heads? You bet!
But let's remember that they're human beings doing their best, just like the rest of us. A little patience, courtesy, and grace go a long way.
🏈 2. THE OFFICIAL SHORTAGE IS REAL!
The number of officials available for youth sports continues to be a challenge for leagues everywhere. Fewer officials mean fewer opportunities to schedule games, more scheduling headaches, and sometimes fewer chances for our kids to get out on the field.
The last thing any of us wants is for our children to lose playing opportunities because there aren't enough people willing to wear the stripes. The way adults behave toward officials matters. Let's make our sidelines a place where people feel respected and want to return!
🏈 3. YOUR ACTIONS CAN DIRECTLY AFFECT YOUR SON'S TEAM!
This one is especially important, so please take a moment to read it.
Under the rules being applied to our games, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty assessed for a parent or spectator's behavior can be charged to the HEAD COACH OF YOUR SON'S TEAM.
And here's where things get serious: a second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty involving a parent or coach can result in the head coach being ejected from the game.
Think about that for a second. A parent losing their cool over a call could mean their son's head coach is sent to the locker room, leaving the entire team without that coach for the remainder of the game.
Our coaches put in countless hours preparing these kids, teaching them, organizing practices, and giving up their own family time to be there. Please don't put them in a position where their ability to coach their team is affected by something happening on the other side of the fence.
One frustrated moment isn't worth putting your son's coach or his teammates in that situation.
🏈 4. We absolutely encourage cheering, celebrating big plays, supporting our players, and bringing the energy! That's what makes youth football special.
What we don't need is yelling at officials- most importantly personal insults, profanity, or continuing to argue over a call. Disagreeing with a call is one thing. Making it personal is another.
🏈 5. At the end of the day, these are KIDS playing FOOTBALL. They're learning teamwork, discipline, accountability, sportsmanship, and how to handle adversity.
They watch us. They hear us. They learn from how we react when things don't go our way.
If we want our kids to respect their coaches, teammates, opponents, and officials, we have to show them what that looks like. We can't ask them to demonstrate good sportsmanship while the adults around them are doing the opposite.
We appreciate every parent, grandparent, family member, coach, volunteer, and official who helps make this season possible. We know emotions run high because we care about our kids and want them to succeed.
LETS HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!
