Louisiana Creating New Youth Sports Law That Should Be In Every State
As a father of two boys who’ve played a lot of youth sports, I’ve seen my share of bad behavior. Not so much from the kids. Okay, maybe a little from the kids. But mostly from parents aimed at referees, umpires, and other officials.
Lawmakers in at least one state have had enough.
Louisiana legislators are backing a bill to make it a crime for parents to scuffle with or otherwise harass officials at school and recreational-level youth sporting events. The legislation would authorize penalties if the official feels in “fear of receiving bodily harm” while doing his or her job.
Those penalties are no joke. Anyone found guilty could face up to 90 days in jail, along with mandatory counseling and community service work. If signed into law, this bill would also create a new crime and penalties for entering or remaining onsite at a youth athletic event after being told to leave.
The Louisiana House of Representatives gave final passage to the bill on Monday (6/3) with a vote of 102-1. It now goes to the governor for approval.
I hope this does become a law that’s enforced in Louisiana, and I’d like to see this happen in all states. A parent’s role in youth sports should be that of a helper, teacher, cheerleader, and model of good behavior. Nothing else.