A baseball referee from Seinäjoki Tiia Alakoskela published a social media update in August of last year, in which he took a stand on the sports culture in an exciting way.
– The young referee bursts into tears after the game and goes to apologize to the opposing team because he was so bad. Does it sound familiar? I hope it wouldn’t sound like that, Alakoskela wrote.
This summer, Alakoskela took a stand on the matter again in the baseball-themed online publication Supervuro.
He says that he knows many young referees who have been made to think about the meaning of the whole thing by the behavior of the players and the public, and some of them have even given up on the whole thing.
– I talk a lot with young judges. Many have said that “what is he standing there on the field when he doesn’t know how to give praise or barks and shouts even though he tries his best”.
The baseball association’s new head referee Joona Tervonen recognize that the situation is difficult and requires work.
– We have examples where a tear has come to the eye. In those situations, it is not the child’s job to go to an adult to advise how the behavior should improve.
In baseball, the proportion of underage referees is clearly higher than in many other team sports. Of the 2,500 judges, almost 1,700 are child and juvenile judges.
At the highest league level, in Superpesis, minors do not judge in the hardest place, i.e. as a pass judge, but they can be a nest judge.
The elder on the court protects the child referees
Tiia Alakoskela talks about baseball’s helmet syndrome – in the sport, you live with emotion and you let out “little goblins” that normally wouldn’t be said.
– Many personalities are completely different off the field than in the game. Then there might be excesses when you live the game with such emotion.
The Baseball Association has not been inactive in the matter. In the past, behavior police were stationed on the pitches, now the elder of the pitch, who has been acquired by the organizing team, sits among the audience at the junnu games.
The elder on the court is there to support the judges and can intervene in disruptive behavior from the audience. In practice, he is a protective wall between the junior judge and the audience.
Why is the behavior in the baseball stands such that we have to resort to this? Tervonen does not know how to take a direct position on that.
– Do we have a certain style of handling things in baseball? Talk about an emotional game. But yes, all other sports are also emotional games.
Disciplinary manager of the Baseball Association Sea Mountain believes that naming an elder on the field is a good thing and reduces shouting. He does not consider the need for a role to be a sign of problems in the culture of the sport.
– In baseball, there are significantly more individual, difficult refereeing situations than in football or hockey, so I think it’s more about this than that there is something wrong with the sport culture of baseball.
The activities of the judges are covered with videos on social media
It is also sometimes customary in pesisipiris to share video recordings of the refereeing of games on social media. They may be commented bitterly, which can increase the pressure on the judges.
Sotkamo people Juuso Hyvönen and Olli Korhonen according to this, an attempt is made to influence the actions of the judges.
Olli Korhonen thinks his own skin is thicker than average. However, he reminds that no one has to put up with excessive shouting or inappropriate behavior.
You can listen to Hyvönen and Korhonen’s thoughts on referee work below. Tanja Heikkonen interviews.
Dozens of cards for inappropriate shouting
Chief referee Joona Tervonen has refereed eight seasons in the men’s super bowls and before that two seasons in the women’s super bowls. In total, the judge’s history is more than 10 years.
In his opinion, the sport has become cleaner. The rules have been tightened, and disciplinary decisions are available for everyone to see online.
– The behavior of the public, on the other hand, belongs to the organizing club and the orderlies. It is their responsibility.
Nearly a couple of hundred disciplinary penalties have been handed out so far this summer in games at the major league levels for men, boys, women and girls.
Players, especially in men’s and boys’ leagues, have had to be suspended dozens of times for unsportsmanlike behavior, loud inappropriate language, protesting or prolonged protesting.
Executive Director of the Baseball Association Miika Rantatorikka says that during the winter and summer the issues have been discussed with the judges.
– It’s always a lot when warnings are given. Rules make it possible to intervene in behavior with their help.
Protesting is only allowed in the rules of the nest
However, the rules of baseball allow protesting the referee’s work. For example, you cannot find such a record in the rules of football or ice hockey.
Disciplinary manager Meri Vuorio thinks this is also related to the nature of the sport.
– A relevant question and a short discussion about the verdict is allowed. This often comes up in the locker game, when looking for a line for, for example, a pass position or a sufficient height for the pass.
However, Vuorio reminds that even a spontaneous reaction must not be inappropriate in any situation. The fact that a junior judge starts crying is not part of the sport.
– We must be able to meet this challenge. Promoting safety and well-being within the sport is one of the principles and values observed in baseball at all league levels, and it should also be reflected in practice.
According to Referee Manager Joona Tervonen, the next step in the Päsäpalloliito is to develop resources for providing mental support to referees as well.
Have you been a victim of inappropriate behavior while serving as a judge? You can contact [email protected] if you can be interviewed on the subject.
You can also participate in the discussion on the topic of the story on 17.8. until 11 p.m.