Bill Carollo, who was an NFL official for two decades, said angry parents who verbally and sometimes physically abuse referees and umpires play a large part in the shortage.
While Corollo said he has not experienced difficulty finding officials for Big Ten games, the 70-year-old who officiated in the NFL for 20 seasons, said official shortages in lower-level sports are a “severe probleAccording to the New York Times, roughly 50,000 high school refereesercent of all prep officials — quit between 2018 and 2021
Read more about the officials’ shortage HERE
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Where are they Now? We feature athletes and difference makers from the past, standouts in sports who excelled over the years and have moved on. Know of a former athlete, coach or difference maker we should feature? Know of a former standout competitor whose journey beyond central Wisconsin sports is one we should share? Send us information on athletes and difference makers of the past with our simple form HERE
Baked or Fried! We also feature difference makers throughout central Wisconsin: coaches, booster club leaders, adminstration, volunteers, you name it. Send us your nominations for who you’d like us to interview HERE
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Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
