“Don't Blame the Ref”

by Ben Askren
(4/14/03)
Don't Blame the Ref

The sport of wrestling is a "one on one" sport and most people involved take pride in that aspect. However, to me, it seems many only keep it "one on one" when it seems convenient for them to do so. What am I talking about? Blaming the referee!

How often do you hear "I got screwed by the referee"? Last week I heard the phrase from an 8 year old member of the club I help out with. It made me sick. Well I am here to tell you, by blaming the referee you are taking the easy way out and degrading the sport.

I say this for a number of reasons. First, most refs are good natured and do their job to the best of their ability. They don't get paid a lot and more often than not, they ref as a service to the sport of wrestling. Which brings me to my next point. Why are fans so out-of-control in regard to referees? Refs are trying to do a good job. The next time there is a questionable call be quiet and listen to those around you. Most likely you will be thinking "Wow. These people are crazy" or "Man, these people sound stupid". Well, guess
what, you sound the exact same way. Next time, as a fan, you feel the
need to scream an obscenity at the top of yours lungs, DON'T! It really isn't
necessary and isn't fair to the referees. How would you like it if someone came to your job and screamed obscenities at you and told you, you sucked?

There is a wrestling referee shortage in America, and it is the fans fault. Give refs a break, and use your energy to support your wrestler instead.

As a wrestler, the reason to not to blame the referee is simple. It is your fault you lost, not the refs. So often, it is sickening to see wrestlers waiting for overtime or double OT and the flip. That concept is foreign to me. I figure if you wait that long you deserve to lose the match. I have a simple philosophy that prevents me from blaming the referee. If my match is close enough where the ref can make a difference then it is my fault I put him in the equation. I strongly believe all wrestlers should think this way. If you have a problem beating people by a lot, the answer is simple: Work Harder. I have never seen Cael Sanderson or Alexander Karelin whine about the call of a ref. Did you? Wrestlers, do your jobs! Take responsibility for what you do and don't blame someone else.
Next time you are at a wrestling meet, relax, cheer for the wrestlers and don't heckle the referee. Rather applaud (not literally) his effort.

Wrestlers, next time the ref makes a questionable call, think of where you could have worked harder and be mad at yourself instead.

Good job refs!

Have fun everyone.



http://wiwrestling.com/2004/stories/Askren/04.htm

Ben Askren
2008: Olympian
2007: NCAA National Champion
2006: NCAA National Champion
2005: NCAA 2nd Place
2004: NCAA 2nd Place

Great article.
Thanks!
Bob

Awesome thanks for posting

Good stuff...........blaming the referee is wrestling's version of the kid on the bball team, or football team, coming home after a loss and saying "Billy missed that tackle, or Susie missed that free throw". Just a way to blame someone, anyone, other than yourself.............

It is a good article and very true, but that doesn't mean a coach shouldn't stand up for his wrestler when there was missed calls, points not awarded or a dangerous move not stopped.

I have never heckled or been abusive to a ref even in these circumstances. I have asked them with respect to explain the how and why of their call or non-calls.

Some coaches do it every match some rarely do it.

Work a table when you have no one involved and you will see a wide spectrum of coaching styles.

It all comes down to there are refs that continually make bad call weekend after weekend, but there is no way to govern them.

One of the worst refs I have seen worked a mat at state a few years ago at the table I worked. I had no wrestlers involved on that mat at all. I said wow he should be back next year but he was.

The ref shortage I don't buy either, we had several from our district that are good and have begged to get in the state series to no avail. So there are choice to make.

I also agree that blaming the ref is an excuse, but at the state level and at one like TOC they can have a impact on the state of mind of young wrestlers.

I never said I wouldn't stand up for my wrestlers, or talk to a ref about a call, but what I WON"T do is give my kid an excuse. There is a dozen things the kid could have done differently to win the match, bad call or not. I am not saying we do NOT have a problem with some refs that need some help. Let's give them the help they need, by utilizing some of the ideas posted on here. Ways to grade refs, ways for refs to scrutinize each other without getting booted out of the "group". Let's make sure this sport remains the great life lesson teacher that it is. The reason I can't stand to watch a BBall game is because of the impact that refs can have on the outcome. Wrestling is not like that, and never will be...........

Hello Everyone, I have not posted for almost 7 years now however been checking the forum all that time keeping up with some of the kids that it was my honor to coach.

This post has to be one of the best post I have seen. After I left for Iraq and came back my son got back into wrestling and I coached for a year for a team in Virginia. Here they wrestled in a league and used High School kids to officiate. These were Friday night matches and were mainly novice duals that they wrestled. If you attended a tournament the officials were still USA certified and also High School officials. When my son started wrestling High School I decided to start officiating myself. I was lucky enough to have some very professional individuals give me more and more aspects to my mechanics and position to be at on the mat to make better calls. I will be the first to tell you it has helped me to understand the sport more now.

Education, just like when your young wrestlers got started they had to learn, well so do the young refs. The goal when I was coaching was to produce young wrestlers to complete in the High School program, that is why high schools allow us to use there rooms, to help them and give them wrestler with knowledge so that they do not have to start at year 1 every year. The same can be said about young refs in the kids program, get them ready to officiate High School. Encourage the training of officials there, Kansas has some of the best officials I have seen and I hope to get a chance to work with them on day.

Just some of my thoughts, again great post Paratroop!

Ron Rhea
Former President
Wichita East Wrestling Club