Behind the Whistle
What is Behind the Whistle?
Behind the Whistle is a campaign by the LBA to restore respect, and ensure positive treatment towards officials (Referees & Table Officials). Being an official is a difficult job. They are often the ones to receive the blame for a loss, and the last ones to be credited for a win.
We have all been to a match, at any level, where there are supporters or players making the basketball experience unpleasant. For a majority of sports, Referees and Officials are also learning to develop their skills, just like basketball players. Anyone on and off the court, would be horrified to witness abuse aimed towards a young player developing their skills and participating in a match to have fun, so why are they treated differently?
We should never underestimate the difficulty of officiating a game. Ultimately officials are responsible for ensuring the game runs as smoothly and fairly as possible. They go through enough stress already and being abusive towards them does not help in any way shape or form.
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Here are some key points to remember:
- Being aggressive towards officials will not help their performance. It will most likely make it worse and affect the environment for all.
- Coaches have a responsibility to set an example for their players, and the parents, and supporters of players.
- It is OKAY to want an explanation for a decision you are struggling to understand. It is NOT OKAY to berate an official.
- At the end of the day, it is just a game, everyone is at the game because they love basketball!