APOLOGY TO YOUTH OFFICIALS

[MARSHDOC]

I owe the youth officials on the site an apology for a few comments I made in a post regarding kids fabricating or over exaggerating injuries.  My comments about yelling at the officials for allowing these incidents to go on were out of line.  I was and still am upset with seeing it happen not only to my child but also to others, but that does not excuse the statements I made about my potential behavior.  I know you guys have a difficult job with a great deal of responsibility.  I do not, however, back off from my belief that certain wrestlers either consciously or unconsciously feign injury when they find themselves in jeopardy.  I think this is a real problem, but as stated by an official on a different thread it needs to be handled with caution for the safety of the kids.

[MOEGYMAN]

Marshdoc you went WAY over the top on that other thread but now that you back peddled a little I will say this.I have seen probably a couple hundred matches stopped for kids crying and I myself remember two of those as being serious injuries.So take away what you want from those numbers.Maybe there needs to be a guideline for this when the crying wrestler is not actually hurt.Maybe one point if the kid is the down not in control wrestler and five if the crying wrestler is on his back.I actually had this happen to my kid last year at state and yes my kid was the crying wrestler.He never has cried out during a match until last year at state,he was down the other kid had a wrist and a arm bar and was taking it straight over the head it must have hurt because normally my kid is not a wimp,he wasnt going over just whining out loud.The ref stopped the match and gave the other kid three near fall points because he felt had my kid not cried out the other kid would have turned him for three.So there you have it I have seen probably 200 matches stopped for crying never any points awarded but when it happened once to us it cost the kid the match.So to sum it up make a rule one point crying if not on back five points crying if on your back.And for the one kid I saw who had his arm snap my heart goes out to you.

[MARSHDOC]

Marshdoc you went WAY over the top on that other thread but now that you back peddled a little I will say this.I have seen probably a couple hundred matches stopped for kids crying and I myself remember two of those as being serious injuries.So take away what you want from those numbers.Maybe there needs to be a guideline for this when the crying wrestler is not actually hurt.Maybe one point if the kid is the down not in control wrestler and five if the crying wrestler is on his back.I actually had this happen to my kid last year at state and yes my kid was the crying wrestler.He never has cried out during a match until last year at state,he was down the other kid had a wrist and a arm bar and was taking it straight over the head it must have hurt because normally my kid is not a wimp,he wasnt going over just whining out loud.The ref stopped the match and gave the other kid three near fall points because he felt had my kid not cried out the other kid would have turned him for three.So there you have it I have seen probably 200 matches stopped for crying never any points awarded but when it happened once to us it cost the kid the match.So to sum it up make a rule one point crying if not on back five points crying if on your back.And for the one kid I saw who had his arm snap my heart goes out to you.

Well it sounds like your son was actually really in a potentially dangerous position and got cheated which is just as bad .

[Spartan]

Marshdoc, you really need to get your hands on a rule book, read it or have someone explain it to you. Before you continue to place your foot in your mouth.

No body is getting cheated, the officials are not idiots, we put in long hours learning our trade. We apply the rules within the spirit of the sport, we are there to make sure the matches are conducted safely, and have a lifetime more experience of what takes place on the mat, than you can possibly imagine.

Do we make mistakes, yes we are human and that happens. But I have never witnessed or heard another official go out of his way to sway a match.

Do me a favor take off your daddy hat and look at this impartially. That is what we try to do everytime.
Good luck to your son/daughter this weekend.

[catzfan]

good to step up. parents need to handle these situations so the refs don't have to. I say it every year. there are only a few problems in youth sports. almost all of them are related to the clueless (few) parents.

[MARSHDOC]

Marshdoc, you really need to get your hands on a rule book, read it or have someone explain it to you. Before you continue to place your foot in your mouth.

No body is getting cheated, the officials are not idiots, we put in long hours learning our trade. We apply the rules within the spirit of the sport, we are there to make sure the matches are conducted safely, and have a lifetime more experience of what takes place on the mat, than you can possibly imagine.

Do we make mistakes, yes we are human and that happens. But I have never witnessed or heard another official go out of his way to sway a match.

Do me a favor take off your daddy hat and look at this impartially. That is what we try to do everytime.
Good luck to your son/daughter this weekend.
[/quoteNow you are just being outright insulting.  I know the rules very well.  I wrestled myself and was quite a good wrestler.  I think most officials do attempt to be impartial, but you need to also admit in any given tournament wrong calls cost several wrestlers matches.   We can live in the land of make believe here and pretend it doesn't happen, not saying it is deliberate, but it does happen and more than it should.  All the upity parents on this site will be the ones crying wolf when their son or daughter is at the receiving end of a bad call.  It's easy to be the perfectly behaved parent on the internet.  I am sure no one will protest any calls this weekend.  There are officials who I think need to re read the rules, some have trouble seeing where the circle ends.  I am through with you, you seem to think I have some grudge against all officials.  This all simply started because of of a real problem in our sport that needs addressing- the problem of a minority of athletes fabricating injury when in comprimised positions.  Or we can pretend this doesn't happen either.

[Spartan]

No one on here has said that it doesn't happen. But there are limited things that can be done. Catzfan does have a point it falls more on the parents that allow this behavior to occur than the official. Stopping the situation.

As for you abilities no one has questioned them either but it is a far step from a accomplished wrestler to an accomplished official. And the rules have changed since you were strapping it up to compete

[MARSHDOC]

No one on here has said that it doesn't happen. But there are limited things that can be done. Catzfan does have a point it falls more on the parents that allow this behavior to occur than the official. Stopping the situation.

As for you abilities no one has questioned them either but it is a far step from a accomplished wrestler to an accomplished official. And the rules have changed since you were strapping it up to compete

Spartan I started this thread to apologize to you and the other officials as well as the parents I offended by my poor choice of words when expressing my frustrations.  As for me you won't have to worry about dealing with as my kids club coach will be cornering him.  You are right I do need to read a new rule book as things must have changed since I was wrestling.  Believe it or not I think I'll take an officiating course.  I know your job is difficult and often thankless.  I have been defensive on here not because of the comments of the officials, who have the right to scold me, but those of the parents most of whom will be protesting as loud as the next guy if they think a call goes against their wrestler.

[mike]

No one on here has said that it doesn't happen. But there are limited things that can be done. Catzfan does have a point it falls more on the parents that allow this behavior to occur than the official. Stopping the situation.

As for you abilities no one has questioned them either but it is a far step from a accomplished wrestler to an accomplished official. And the rules have changed since you were strapping it up to compete

Spartan I started this thread to apologize to you and the other officials as well as the parents I offended by my poor choice of words when expressing my frustrations.  As for me you won't have to worry about dealing with as my kids club coach will be cornering him. 

that is the best thing marshdoc has said in his posts.  his club coach will be matside....sounds good for everybody.

no ref should have to "deal with" any parent.....even parents who wrestled and were "quite good"

[imnofish]

I have been around the sport of wrestling for over half a century and competitors crying out has always been an issue at one or more levels.  Adjustments have been made to correct it, but consideration for wrestler safety must be the top priority.  My wife was an EMT who served in that capacity at many wrestling tournaments over the years.  She has seen several situations in which the wrestlers appeared to cry out unnecessarily; then, the situation proved to be justified.  In one instance, a youth wrestler was fighting a half nelson while on his hands and knees, then succumbed to the pressure that put his forehead on the mat (not that hard, either).  At that point, the kid cried out and the ref stopped the action.  The father/coach came onto the mat and pulled the boy (by the arm) into a semi-erect seated position, urging him to "shake it off" and continue.  The child continued to cry out in pain and my wife was called in to assess the situation, eventually immobilizing his spine and transporting him to the emergency room via ambulance.  There, a spinal fracture was confirmed and it was determined that any further spinal dislocation (a millimeter, according to doctors) would have led to immediate cessation of breathing and imminent death.  The father was very grateful that the situation was stopped, as was the father of his opponent.  Sometimes, the outcome of the match is the least important consideration.