Have you ever seen people get riled up about a game? Me too. But have you seen it in a not-so-okay extreme? You’re lucky if you haven’t. And I’d recommend you to try to keep it like that.

Just last weekend, I attended my little brother’s (who is 11, by the way) soccer game. It was a home game against the team of Roanoke, who they have had some rivalry with before. Although, my brother’s team, SVU, had never even beaten this team before, so there’s really about as much rivalry as you make it out to be.

The teams warmed up on their opposite sides of the field, and after a while, the first whistle blew and the game began. I immediately noticed how physical and aggressive the other team was, but to an extent, that’s something to be cherished in soccer. However, after about ten minutes into the game, the referee began to call the fouls.
Keep in mind; this referee is my age, about 15.

Roanoke’s parents were outraged. What for, I have no idea. Their team was obviously fouling; their arms up, slide tackling and getting no ball, coming from behind, all things illegal in soccer. Then, one parent started it all. After the second call, he called out, “Terrible call ref! What are you doing?”

I was amazed. A 15-year-old ref, who I happened to know, was refereeing his second game ever and got the call right; and this 40-year-old man, was biased and ignorant enough to scoff at him? I mean wow.

And it didn’t stop there. The bad-mouth and belittling continued throughout the game, not only from him, but a couple other grown adults as well, all directly aimed toward the hardly teenage referee. “What’s your problem?” “Do you know the rules of the game? You’re fine Sammy, keep doing what you’re doing!”, Sammy being their kid.

And when our SVU team did as little as brush up against the other team, they came back with things like “Is that not a call?” he said.

“Got to go both ways ref! Get ‘em back Sammy!”

I mean I was really taken aback. I couldn’t believe it. Grown adults, all at least forty years old, and they were one, yelling to a 15 year old referee who was just learning, and two, they were fretted this much about the topic of their 11-year-old’s Saturday afternoon soccer game. Ignorance is the only word for it. Please never turn into a parent like that folks.