Roughed ref helps effort to pass resolution in Washington

(RACINE, Wis.) — The National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) today applauded the Washington House of Representatives for their passage of House Resolution 2003-4636. The resolution acknowledges those officials working at the recreational level who serve as role models for society.

"As a society we must act on the belief that respect for authority is critical to living, working, and playing together in a civil society governed by the rule of law," the 300-word document says.

"With the passing of this resolution, I can now put some closure to an

unfortunate event that has consumed me for the past seven years," said Bob West, an NASO member and Washington resident who has spearheaded the local effort to enact protection laws for sports officials. "Without NASO’s support, I know this resolution would not even have been possible. It's not the law that we wanted, but it's a start."

In 1996, West suffered one of the most celebrated and documented physical assaults any official has endured. While working a high school wrestling match, a student wrestler headbutted West so hard he lost consciousness and stopped breathing for nearly 20 seconds. The entire incident was captured on video and has been seen by millions on such programs as ABC Nightline, 20/20, Inside Edition and others. The incident is also available for viewing at the NASO website (http://www.naso.org/sportsmanship/clips.html#wrestling).

Only through his own relentless pursuit of justice did West finally get the courts to pursue a conviction against the student athlete. The offending wrestler pleaded guilty to fourth-degree assault and received 30 days in jail, one-year probation and was ordered to perform 100 hours of community service. Only because the student involved had a previous assault conviction did the court administer the jail time. Had the assault on West been a first-time offense, it is likely that nothing would have happened, according to West.

"Monetarily, this event has cost me dearly," says West, who has written thousands of letters, made hundreds of phone calls and traveled the 522-mile roundtrip between his home in Spokane and Olympia innumerable times. "Emotionally, it has cost much more. But as of the passing of this resolution, it may have all been worth it. The State of Washington at last has recognized the problem."

West has personally lobbied legislators in Washington since the incident to provide enhanced assault laws to protect sports officials. Poor sportsmanship continues to increase at sporting events at all levels and NASO cites a 2000 study of high school level administrators saying the fear of physical assaults against officials is impacting recruiting efforts. Currently 16 states have protection laws for sports officials.

NASO President Barry Mano agrees that the resolution "acknowledges the important contribution sports officials make" and added "this is a positive first step toward future legislation."

"We must do something to send a clear signal that such behavior will not be tolerated and we need to do so for two reasons," says Mano. "First, the men, women, boys and girls who give their time and energy to officiate games not only deserve our collective respect, they must have complete confidence they will be able to carry out their responsibilities in a safe environment. Without this confidence, we will lose the ‘best and brightest’ in our field.

"Second, as a society we need to act on our belief that respect for authority, whether you agree with it or not, is critical to living, working and playing together. Sports need to be a beacon, highlighting positive accomplishments and the need for sportsmanship and fair play.

"While education of the public about these vital matters continues to be important, recent events point out the need for strong sanctions against those who engage in bad behavior at sporting events."

State of Washington

HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 2003-4636

by Representatives Jarrett, Delvin, Orcutt, Kristiansen, Cox, Tom, Alexander, McMahan, Bailey, Shabro, Skinner, Ahern, Mielke, Schindler, Benson, Roach, Schoesler, Holmquist, Nixon, Woods, McDonald, Priest, Clements and Boldt

WHEREAS Sports participation has become an integral part of American life ingrained into the consciousness of society; and

WHEREAS Sporting events have components essential to their continued success, such as the players, coaches, and fans; and

WHEREAS Many sports officials volunteer their time or receive only minimal compensation and participate out of a sheer love of the game and to teach children who play the game the valuable lessons that are learned through participating in sports, including sportsmanship, teamwork, and complying with the rules of the game to achieve a common goal; and

WHEREAS It is critical that there are a sufficient number of qualified sports officials to enforce the rules of the game and judge potential disputes between participants on the field; and

WHEREAS Sports officials act as on-field judges for their respective sports and as neutral participants who have no stake in the outcome of the game; and

WHEREAS Sports officials who give their time and energy to officiate games deserve our collective respect and must have our collective assistance in creating a safe and secure environment for our children to play; and

WHEREAS Young people observe both the good and bad behavior of their sports heroes, other athletes, coaches, and fans and often emulate that behavior in either a positive or negative manner; and

WHEREAS As a society, we must act on the belief that respect for authority is critical to living, working, and playing together in a civil society governed by the rule of law;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the state of Washington express its appreciation to all those sports officials in recreational programs, who do all they can to promote sports as a beacon to highlight positive behavior and the need for good sportsmanship and fair play.

I hereby certify this to be a true and correct copy of Resolution 4636 adopted by the House of Representatives March 24, 2003.

Cynthia Zehnder, Chief Clerk