I cannot let this one go....
As a mother of 2 wrestlers, one has since graduated college and the younger graduating in May... I have a whole new perspective for the referees now!
Our oldest became an official mainly the love of the sport, and to help put himself through college. I have grown a whole new perspective for ALL the refs out there. It is SO easy to sit on the bleachers and saythe ref mad a bad call.... BUT.....you wear the officials shoes for 1 tournament, and maybe you will have a different outlook and a new respect for the referees! Until you are in their shoes, no one knows the mental stress that each and every one of them have to go through. I know of one imparticular, that can recall each point scored through THAT match when questioned.....after the match has ended!
It is so easy to sit in the bleachers or in the coaches chair and yell and scream at the ref....but it is that distinguished individual that took it amongst him or herself to keep the wrestling alive....they should be praised not begrudged!
Maybe more coaches need to become officials first and do a 3 year reffing season, then go to coaching, and then things will seem clearer!
I hope someday when the parents have no more wrestlers,and they are their to support their official... they will see things diffentley!
God Bless all the Ref's we have today...they may not be here tomorrow!