By Miriam Meek
Pushing, shoving and getting in the ref''s face are taken by some as all part of the game.
But Rep. David L. Hogue, R-Riverton, wants to change that, or at least make the consequences more severe.
Today, the former basketball referee expects to pass a bill through the House that would increase penalties for anyone who assaults a sports official before, during or after a game.
'We''ve seen a real increase in violence over the past few years to the point that I''m real concerned,' said Hogue. 'And I think a lot of officials are scared of some of the situations they''ve been getting into.'
If House Bill 67 becomes law, jail sentences would be quadrupled and fines tripled, which adds up to one year in jail and $2,500 in fines.
The current assault charge for offenders is a $750 fine and 90 days in jail, which is the same for assaulting an ordinary citizen.
From pee-wee leagues to professionals, this bill covers sports officiating on all levels. Fourteen other states have similar laws on their books.
Although the Intramural Office at BYU has not had serious assaults incurred on its referees, tougher penalties might make people think twice before they act, said Kristen Johnson, assistant director of intramurals.
Intramural referee Warren Hess has been officiating BYU games for three years and says that while he''s been pushed around, verbal abuse is the No. 1 problem on the courts and fields.
'The other night I had a guy come up to me and get pretty abusive right in my face. And if I knew about the bill then, I might haves said something to him about it,' said Hess, 24, a senior from Merced, Calif., majoring in Spanish. 'A lot of people just don''t think in the heat of the moment.'
John Robison, a football referee for the Big 12, has seen players get lost in 'the moment' from Utah County high school teams to the San Francisco Forty-Niners.
He''s had times where the threat of assault was so great that police surrounded him and escorted him off the field.
'Officials are looked at as some John-Doe punching bag to lash out at when someone gets angry,' Robison said. 'In the minds of some people that is just part of the sport, but it''s a warped perspective.'
This type of treatment is deterring people from getting into sports officiating, said Jerry Bovee, associate director of the Utah High School Activities Association. Assault on officials used to be rare but now a few reports are filed with the association each year.
In the last five years, the number of referees in Utah has dropped 10 percent for all high school sports, Bovee said. UHSAA has 1,500 officials statewide.
Sports officials receive the most problems from male teams in high-profile sports such as basketball, baseball and football, he said.
'When I talk with officials who are getting out of the sport, money, time and family are factors but poor sportsmanship is right at the top,' Bovee said. 'They are sick of being yelled at and treated poorly.'
He attributes the rise in abusive behavior to a win-at-all-costs attitude held by parents, coaches and players. Society as a whole has also become more violent, and this is carrying into the sports arena, Bovee said.
People are also mimicking the actions of some professional athletes who become physical when they don''t like a call, said Barry Mano, president of the National Association of Sports Officials. When Dennis Rodman head-butted a referee three years ago, reports of similar incidents were filed within weeks to the association.
With 75 reports of assault being filed with NASO each year, it provides 19,000 members with medical insurance and access to legal services, Mano said.
To view the bill, visit