Oregon, Illinois Faces Referee Shortage in High School Sports

Oregon, Illinois is experiencing a significant shortage of referees for high school sports, particularly volleyball. Athletic Directors in the region are struggling to secure enough officials for various games, leading to cancellations and rescheduling issues.

According to Mike Lawton, the Athletic Director for Community Unit School District 220, the lack of officials is primarily due to harassment from fans. “The thing we hear most from people as to why they don’t want to do it or why they’re getting out of it is the grief that they take from spectators,” Lawton explained. He shared a recent experience where the Athletic Director at North Boone had to call him midday to announce that there weren’t enough available referees for the night’s volleyball games.

As a result, the Oregon Athletic Department announced that tonight’s Freshman and Sophomore games at North Boone had to be canceled due to the ongoing official shortage. This is just one of many instances where local schools have struggled to fill referee positions for their sporting events.

In an effort to address this issue, the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) has introduced incentives for high school seniors and recent graduates who want to get involved in officiating. Many believe that former athletes could make a significant contribution by taking on these roles. One spectator, Mark Tremble, said, “I just think that the younger players that matriculate out of high school and college should look into officiating at the high school level.” He emphasized the idea of starting at the grade school level and working up to higher competitions.

Those interested in becoming a referee, umpire, or official are encouraged to visit the IHSA’s website for more information on how to sign up. The hope is that by attracting more officials, the local sports programs can continue providing competitive opportunities for their young athletes.