Hey world, I’m still stuck on the fact that my child was serving as a line judge at a high school volleyball game last week and ended up being verbally attacked by an opposing coach instead. She pointed her finger at my child, said, “you’re bad, you’re really bad,” kept challenging her credibility, and argued calls through the entire game. The referees were aware of it, tried to calm her down, but never removed her, and once she settled down, she still let her team keep harassing my child.

The damage from that does not stop with one game. My child was traumatized, and numerous other children were traumatized because they saw and heard all of it. When adults in positions of authority treat young people this way at school sports events, it sends a message that kids who volunteer, referee, umpire, or line judge are fair game for abuse, and that is exactly how we lose the people willing to make youth sports possible.

That is why I am calling on Ohio’s high school sports leadership to take real action now. We need clear consequences when coaches verbally abuse student officials, mandatory enforcement when referees witness this behavior, and stronger protections for students serving in game-day roles. A public apology matters, but this is bigger than one apology. This is about making sure no child is ever left standing there while adults intimidate them and nobody in charge steps in.

If you believe kids deserve safety and respect in school sports, please sign this petition. Help me push for accountability, real protections, and a standard that says student officials are not targets for humiliation. Let’s do what the internet does and get results.