A new law would increase penalties for violence at high school and youth league games.
By SCOTT PURKS
Published May 18, 2004
Hot-headed fans and parents take notice: Punching a youth league or high school referee could get you in far more trouble than punching, say, some guy at the car wash.
At least it will if Gov. Jeb Bush signs off on Senate Bill 678, which he's expected to do within the next few weeks.
The bill, pushed for three years by the Florida High School Athletic Association, says any person who commits a battery or assault on a "sports official" will be punished more severely.
For example:
John Doe is infuriated with an umpire's call, and in the parking lot after the game Mr. Doe tells the umpire he's a #$*%@ and punches him in the nose.
In this case a judge could drastically increase the penalty on the battery, which is a standard first-degree misdemeanor (punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and a year's imprisonment), to a third-degree felony (up to a $5,000 fine and five years in prison).
That's music to the ears of Larry Cretul, a Republican representative from Ocala who pushed the bill until the final day of the session before it finally passed the Legislature.
"(If Bush signs the bill) the hope is that the word will get out far and wide that this law is in place," Cretul said. "It would be great if a public address announcement could be made before games and/or a sign was posted at stadiums and gyms stating the law.
"Then maybe some people would think twice before acting like idiots and assaulting an official over some call in a game. A game that kids are supposed to be learning from."
The bill was backed by the FHSAA for three years partly because the organization has seen officials' numbers dropping, a fact that might be attributed to fan harassment, FHSAA commissioner Bob Hughes said.
"Upwards of 14 other states around the country have enacted such a law because of increasing problems with attacks on sports officials," Hughes said. "This is just a reaction to how our society is acting at large. We need to let the officials know we will do everything we can to protect them."
As for verbal assault, Cretul admits there is a gray area.
"Of course a fan questioning an umpire's call is part of a baseball game, so logic has to play a part in this," Cretul said. "But there needs to be something to help cool emotions as well. We're hoping that this bill will help keep people in check before the emotions boil over into an assault or battery."
Hughes said the FHSAA plans to include a mention of the law in a public address announcement before FSHAA-sanctioned games.
West Coast Umpires Association president Jose Rodriguez said he couldn't be more pleased that the FHSAA and the state's politicians are showing concern for sports officials.
"We're encouraged because it sounds like it has teeth," Rodriguez said. "I think one of the reasons there has been a dropoff in the number of people becoming (referees and umpires) is that they don't want to deal with the hassle. There are some unruly parents and coaches and so on at too many games.
"All any (sports officials) want to do is their job, and they're doing it for the love of the game. But no one wants to put up with the hassle."
Rodriguez said problems at high school games are actually rare compared to youth games, which the West Coast Umpires Association also works. (The bill protects only officials certified by an association.)
"The worst fan is often the youth league fan," Rodriguez said. "It's the youth league fan or parent who too often doesn't have any perspective on the game and is ignorant of the rules and sportsmanship that causes the problems.
"Ignorance about the game is the worst problem, and believe me, there is plenty of ignorance out there."
Rodriguez said he and his umpires have run into situations at games (again more at youth leagues) where they've been threatened in parking lots, shoved and punched.
"(If the bill becomes law) we will talk to each (youth) league before the seasons start and explain to them the law," Rodriguez said. "We will tell them to spread the word and hopefully it will."
State Rep. Bob Henriquez, a Tampa Democrat who was a longtime football coach at Tampa Catholic and now an assistant at Jefferson, said the bill is nothing but positive.
"(Sports) officials should never have to worry about getting assaulted," Henriquez said. "If this helps even a little it's worth it."
KEEPING IT CLEAN
Increased penalties for attacking a sports official at youth league and high school sporting events from Senate Bill 678:
(a) Aggravated battery, from a second-degree felony to a first-degree felony.
(b) Aggravated assault, from a third-degree felony to a second-degree felony.
(c) Battery, from a first-degree misdemeanor to a third-degree felony.
(d) Assault, from a second-degree misdemeanor to a first-degree misdemeanor.
Maximum penalties:
Felony, first degree: $10,000, 30 years imprisonment.
Felony, second degree: $10,000, 15 years imprisonment.
Felony, third degree: $5,000, 5 years imprisonment.
Misdemeanor, first degree: $1,000, 1 year imprisonment.
Misdemeanor, second degree: $500, 60 days imprisonment.
