During a match, officials respond to statements made by players or coaches in a way that inflames the situation.
Some officials will respond defensively when it might have been better to ignore the comments or respond more professionally, controlled, and soothingly.
These officials often create a mountain out of a molehill or add more fuel to the fire than necessary, causing the situation to escalate and possibly get out of control. Seldom will a problem get resolved when an official’s reply is disproportionate to the comment made?
An official will never have a valid excuse for overreacting or losing their cool while officiating.
Officials are sometimes guilty of unsporting behaviors similar to those that carry penalties being assessed to players and coaches. While player and coach misconduct cannot be condoned due to an official’s mistake, officials are expected to be mature enough to control their emotions when questioned. An impolite response by an official is as much of an unsporting behavior as one committed by a player or a coach.
Officiating, coaching, and playing demand emotional maturity from all the participants. Any lack of maturity on the participants contributes negatively to the goals and objectives of athletic competition.
