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Sports officials set tone for behavior
archived from: 2006-03-09
by: John Franko

Before each diocesan-sanctioned sporting event begins, the athletes from both teams gather for a prayer.

Most of the time, the Christian atmosphere carries over to the contest that follows. Sometimes it doesn’t.

It’s up to the officials to set the boundaries of proper conduct.

“They’re not officiating in a basketball (or any other) league, they’re officiating in a Catholic school league,” said Dr. Ronald Bowes, assistant superintendent for public policy and development in the Department for Catholic Schools. “That’s a big thing. We’re held to a higher standard.”

The officials are members of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association and officiate at parochial and public school contests.

Donna Miller, a member of Incarnation on Pittsburgh’s North Side, has been an official for 26 years. The bulk of her work has come on the basketball court, but she has moved into soccer and volleyball.

Miller said officials must be respectful and friendly, and be proper examples to young people.

She noted that while officials call the game, it’s up to coaches and parents to be the real teachers of good behavior.

Miller said her work as a home health care provider and her ministry work at Incarnation parallel her officiating duties.

“Mostly everything I do is giving back to the kids or the people I help at home,” she said.

“West View Joe” Halder of St. Athanasius in West View has become one of the more recognized officials in the area. For 54 years, he has officiated in contests from basketball and soccer, to baseball, football and softball.

While he said there is no difference in the way he approaches diocesan or public school contests, he noted that the idea of having players pray before the contest is a good one. “I’d like to see the public schools do something like that,” he said.

Bowes said people must understand the context of Catholic school sports, which involve a holistic approach of mind, heart, body and soul. They must view them in a Christian perspective.

He has advocated additional diocesan sanctions for coaches and players who have been assessed technical fouls in basketball or similar penalties in other sports.

Bowes pointed out that if problems on the field or court go unchecked, they can lead to problems among parents or others in the crowd.

“We want to cut it off before it gets to that level,” he said.

Diocesan coaches must watch videotapes on proper conduct and receive accreditation from the diocese. Parents of players are also asked to view similar videos.

Ray Shaming, who attends Holy Angels in Hays, serves as diocesan coordinator for boys’ basketball. He is also an official. At Bowes’ urging, he included the stipulation of prayer before games in guidelines sent to fellow officals.

Shaming said the prayer, and the PIAA mandate that coaches and team captains are instructed on proper conduct prior to each contest, have contributed to better sportsmanship.

“They’ve both helped quiet the situation to a degree,” he said.

Father Kris Stubna, diocesan secretary for education, noted that participation in sports is a wonderful opportunity for young people to develop at every level.

He said that while programs help youth develop their skill level and learn the value of competition, more importantly they teach critical values of teamwork, discipline, achieving goals and good sportsmanship.

“These programs are more about personal fulfillment than simply winning,” he said. “Oftentimes, these are the values that get lost or overlooked in athletics when young people are pushed to win at any cost.”

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