At the beginning of every intramural basketball game, referees remind teams to be sportsmanlike and remember just to have fun. But, I didn’t pay an intramural fee so that I can just have fun. I play because I want to compete, and I want to win.
I would appreciate it if referees were more experienced, or at least trained better. I was a referee for Junior Jazz as a teenager, so I understand the pressure put on them. But this isn’t church ball where it’s understandable when inexperienced volunteers miss a lot of calls. When participants are paying to play, and referees are getting paid to officiate, I would expect them to understand the game of basketball — that players are not allowed to lower their shoulders and use their elbows to clear space under the basket, camp in the key or travel.
If referees expect players to show sportsmanship, we should be able to expect trained referees in return. I understand that this does not apply to all referees. There have been games where I have been completely satisfied with the officiating, but it’s the worst when the difference between a win and a loss is the officiating.
BEN LUTHI
West Jordan
