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Why Umpires Don't Card Coaches
By UmpireHockey.com
Sep 30, 2013 - 9:00:00 AM

Is there a reason that otherwise good umpires don't card coaches? This video show an example of gross misconduct by a coach who isn't carded. What cultural or employment related issues should be explored to explain why the coach wasn't carded?

Here's What Happened

Attacking play entered the circle. The attacker dribbled past all of the defenders except for the goalkeeper. One of the beaten defenders reached (made an intentional action with her stick) over the attacker's stick for the ball but instead obstructed the attacker's stick (a.k.a. a stick hack). The umpire called a penalty stroke. The defender's coach came 15 yards onto the field (interrupting the penalty stroke procedure!!) to question the umpire's decision.

NOTE: Even questioning the umpires decision FROM THE TEAM AREA is explicitly against the rules governing this game (NFHS RULE 12.1.2: Coaches and non-participating team personnel shall not: f. Challenge official's decisions [and] i. Move in front of the team line.)

The umpire tried to be reasonable and deal with the coach rather than simply carding her. Eventually, we can see that only when the umpire put her hand in her pocket to get a card did the coach leave the field.

Crossing in front of the team line is misconduct. Challenging an umpire's decision is misconduct. Entering the field without the umpire's invitation is misconduct. Doing all three of these things at one time is a willful disregard for the rules (gross misconduct).

The coach should have been immediately carded. There should be zero discussion and ZERO tolerance for this gross misconduct.

The lack of action by the umpire begs the question, "Why would an umpire who so expertly called the penalty stroke not card the coach for such a blatant disregard for the rules?"

Things To Consider

The assigner is paid by the school/conference and the evidence is that without any demonstrable consideration for an umpire's proper performance, and often without even contacting the umpire involved, the assigner quickly agrees to any request to blackball an umpire who the coach doesn't like.

This includes withdrawing the umpire from future games at the school for which the umpire is already under contract to officiate.

This has been allowed to proliferate because...
  • The umpire is not compensated for the game(s) from which they have been removed
  • Umpire unions/associations turn a blind eye, allowing other members to cover the games wrongfully taken away from a colleague
  • Umpire unions/associations do not provide their members with a due process provision that would force the association to make its members aware when a school has banned a member for a reason determined to be unjustified by the association
In short, there are no consequences for the assigner, school, or conference. The practice has been allowed to grow unabated due to the lack of push back by umpire unions/associations in support of their members and the absence of a professional code of conduct guiding umpire assigners.

How To Fix The Problem

  1. Umpire unions/associations must begin to aggressively support their members
  2. National/state associations/conferences, all of which have codes of ethics/conducts for coaches and officials, must publish a code of ethics/conduct for assigners
  3. Teams must fully compensate umpires for games removed from their schedule when the umpire's union/association determines the umpire's conduct is supported by the rules

Let's Take A Look




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