Umpiring drives some parent supporters crazy at National B Division basketball game

Jurong West Sports Complex, Wednesday, March 25, 2009 – Rookie umpiring since the start of the National B Division Basketball Championships is making some parent supporters and coaches see red.

On Monday, in a girls game between Unity and Yuying Secondary, a call by an umpire was enough to make the Unity coach, not the calmest of coaches to begin with, walk across the court to yell at the umpire.

On Wednesday, at a point in the game where Raffles Girls’ School were trailing Woodgrove, irate RGS parents berated the umpires for their calls. When told to calm down by the umpire, the parent told the umpire twice, while pointing a finger at her: “You better watch your behaviour!”

With the decision to cram most school sports into the first five months of this year, the lack of experienced umpires to call games at national championship level is becoming apparent. The A, B and C Divisions, plus the primary school competitions, are going on at the same time. In previous years, the C Division championship was held after the June holidays.

However, yelling at rookie umpires doesn’t solve the problem either. The sight of a middle aged man yelling at a young girl is not something that anyone wants to see.

Rookie umpires only become experienced umpires when they get to call games. And the only practice they will get – whether parents, coaches and players like it or not – is to call school games.

RGS vs Woodgrove Secondary Basketball