BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. - High school sports are back in action across West Virginia, and referees are once again taking the field to enforce the rules of the game. But while athletes and fans are gearing up for the season, officials say they’re preparing for something else too: hostility and abuse.
Across the country, mistreatment of referees has become a growing concern. According to the National Association of Sports Officials, more than 87% of referees have experienced verbal abuse, and 13% have been physically assaulted during or after games. For many in West Virginia, that reality hits close to home.
“It’s never been good, but it’s gotten worse over the years,” said veteran official David Marra. He’s been refereeing high school sports for more than 30 years. “Parents seem to think their little Johnnies and Joes are the most important thing in the world, and they’re all going to go to the NFL, which is not going to happen, so they take it pretty personally.”
The consequences of that hostility are clear. The West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission reports a 50% retention rate for sporting officials across all sports each year. In football, there are just 539 active available statewide.
ESPN data shows the trend is not unique to West Virginia: 80% of new referees in the U.S. across all sports quit within their first two years, largely due to abuse from parents, coaches, and athletes.
A Push for Harsher Penalties
Earlier this year, West Virginia state Senator Mike Woelfel, D-Cabell, introduced Senate Bill 531 to address the problem. The measure sought to increase penalties for assault or battery against referees and sports officials to the following:
Assault: Up to a $1,000 fine and two years in prison.
Battery: Up to a $2,000 fine and three years in prison.
Woelfel argued the bill was necessary to protect officials who often work long hours for little pay — sometimes no more than “a corn dog,” as he said in a floor speech earlier this year one Little League umpire told him. He said this isn’t enough compensation, and that the legislation was meant to deter parents and fans who threaten, intimidate, or even attack referees.
“There is nowhere in society for those types of behaviors,” said Zach Boyd, athletic director at Scott High School in Madison. “The penalties should be harsh for those types of actions, because not only are we displaying horrendous behavior, but we’re also sending a message to our children that this type of behavior when you don’t get your way is okay, and that’s not right either.”
A Divided Outcome
Senate Bill 531 passed both the House and Senate but was ultimately vetoed by Governor Patrick Morrisey. In his statement, Morrisey said he could not support a law that imposed harsher penalties for crimes against referees than for those committed against police officers.
Marra, however, sees little difference.
“We serve basically almost the same function; we just do it on the football field as opposed to the streets,” he said.
While Marra admits the bill would not have ended harassment, he believes it would have set an important precedent in the fight to protect referees.
Despite the veto, supporters aren’t giving up. Senator Woelfel says he plans to reintroduce the bill during the 2026 regular legislative session.
Until then, referees across West Virginia will continue to lace up their shoes, grab their whistles and face the game — not just with athletes, but with the growing challenge of managing abuse from the sidelines.
This article was adapted from a television news story using AI. All reporting, facts and quotes from sources are original. AI was only used to assist with formatting and style for a digital platform.