By Stephen Smoot
Basketball and wrestling seasons have fallen into the rearview mirror with baseball, softball, and track just starting. Attention from almost all goes into their own team’s chance to field a competitive squad, the capabilities of rivals and other opponents, as well as, of course, how well one’s own loved one will perform.
Little attention, however, goes into the part of the game that ensures a fair chance at a good outcome. That role gets played by referees, umpires, line judges, and all others who spend a lot of time, and make hardly any money, regulating the ebb and flow of games and other competitions.
In 2023, the National Association of Sports Officials reported that 51 percent of youth or high school game officials “have felt unsafe” or “feared for their safety” due to “administrator, coach, player, or spectator behavior.” This has led to, as the Denver Post reported, the fact that “approximately 50,000 officials have left the high school ranks nationally since the 2018-19 school year.”
The same organization reported that 43 percent got involved in officiating due to “the love of the game.”
That love attracted former Washington Irving High School champion basketball coach Donnie Kopp into the field.
“I knew at the tender age of six that I wanted to be a high school coach,” shared Kopp. That influence came from the legendary Harrison County coach John Mazzie. As Kopp tells, he “became a legend coaching at a legendary school that is no longer in existence. The name of that school was VICTORY HIGH SCHOOL.”
There “Coach Mazzie lit the fire that I carried for basically the rest of my life.”
It burned as he took the court as a player, then the sidelines as a coach. “In 1988, a career change occurred. My first season of not coaching was the hardest of my life. I missed everything about the game and struggled to get through that first season.”
Passion and love for the game drives a young man or woman to go to the wall for their sport. They develop knowledge and physical skills, relationships with teammates.
And then, for most, it all ends suddenly at high school graduation. They can no longer play in meaningful games, but that does not quench the love of the sport. Many carry that into officiating. Kopp took an officiating course, performed at middle school and junior varsity levels for three years, then earned his way into officiating varsity games.
“The first couple of years is when most officials quit, but they told us if we could hang in there through that we would make it. They were correct.”
A number of factors have led to officials leaving the profession and fewer people emerging from the pool of possible candidates. Kopp puts some of the blame on technology, saying “from scheduling to officials evaluations to getting paid, technology has had a dramatic effect on the profession.” He elaborated by saying “a lot of the changes are positive, but not all of the changes are.”
Some changes include that “a good official needs to spend many more hours in preparation for games than in the past” and “the pay is not commensurate with the amount of hours for a lot of officials.”
Kopp added that “another factor leading to the shortage is fan behavior.”
The 2023 NASO survey agrees with Kopp. Almost 70 percent of officials claim that fan behavior has deteriorated with 21 percent saying there’s been no change and a little over nine percent stating that it has improved. A little over 18 percent say that high school games are the worst environments, but a little over 50 percent cite the worst behavior comes from travel ball squads.
Almost 90 percent of the problem, say officials, comes from parents, coaches, and other fans. Only nine percent say players are the biggest problem. The West Virginia State Legislature attempted to pass a bill in 2025 enhancing penalties for attacking sports officials. Governor Patrick Morrisey supported the effort, but vetoed the act because it placed those penalties as double those for attacking a law enforcement officer. The Governor requested that Legislators rewrite and rerun the bill in a later session.
Current state law regards assault of an official as punishable by six months in jail or a $500 fine. Battery is still a misdemeanor, but doubles both possible punishments.
One of the biggest joys that comes from serving as a game official mirrors one of the best aspects of playing in a team sport. It comes from the camaraderie and lifelong friendships “built with fellow officials, coaches, and players from all over the state.” A lot of that comes from, as Kopp shared “traveling together to and from games and the practical jokes we played on each other are things we always remember.”
Another enjoyable aspect of the work came from “seeing the school spirit and passion for sports that occur in every single community from all over West Virginia.” Also, some of the environments that can put the most pressure on officials can also create the most excitement. “Getting to referee the huge rivalry games in front of a packed and passionate fan base” provided “memories that I will always cherish!”
West Virginia high school sports in recent years has seen the pinch from the dwindling number of officials willing and able to serve in games. Some high school football varsity games had to move to Thursday nights so that each game could have a full crew.
“The first thing I would say to new officials is not to get into the game for the money.” Although “the money does come in handy if you have the time and resources to do multiple sports.” Compensation comes more from “the satisfaction you will receive, the relationships that you build, and the respect you earn.”
Said Kopp “It is very rewarding, will help keep you young, and will help quench your competitive spirit.”