May 6, 2021 / 10:29 PM EST
LEBANON, Ind. (WISH) Lebanon Little League is fed up with bad fans, and program leaders are promising to ban coaches, spectators and parents for rude behavior.
A message from the Lebanon Little League president said, “We’ve been getting several complaints that coaches, parents, and spectators are being very rude to our umpires.”
Brian Barlow, collegiate soccer referee and founder of the Facebook page Offside, said he applauds the organization for making this move. Offside is a page that features stories from across the country that show bad behavior at youth sporting events.
“There has to be a level of accountability, there has to be. You are going to lose the privilege, it is a privilege, it is a privilege, to get to watch your kid play youth sports in America and if you lose your right because you can’t behave responsibly and appropriately, then yeah I think the punishment should be severe,” said Barlow.
Lebanon Little League Threatens Year-Long Ban For Disrespectful Parents, Fans
LEBANON, Ind. You’ve been hearing about a referee shortage in many different youth sports in Indiana and you know that baseball has been no exception to that problem.
The IHSAA has touched on the fact that they are dealing with an umpire shortage for high school baseball games. They mainly blame the pandemic for the shortage with so many regular umpires opting out of this season.
However, in Lebanon the town’s Little League organization is fed up with heckling from fans, parents, and even coaches. So much so that they have decided to crack down and crack down hard.
Lebanon Little League starts no tolerance policy after umpire harassment We are sick of it and we want these kid and adult umpires to have a good experience, just like all the kids on the field, said the league president. Author: Lauren Kostiuk Updated: 12:24 PM EDT May 7, 2021
LEBANON, Indiana Lebanon Little League is trying to stop the verbal abuse of its game officials with a no tolerance rule. We are sick of it and we want these kid and adult umpires to have a good experience, just like all the kids on the field, said Brian Tandy, the president of Lebanon Little League.