At a recent Durango youth soccer game, we were moved to see a sign encouraging best behavior from parents with reminders, including “officials are human.”
These reminders come when across the country, adults’ bad behavior on the sidelines has resulted in a national soccer referee shortage. According to the National Federation of High School Associations, some 50,000 high school officials – about 20% – quit between 2018 and 2021.
We don’t know how much signs like these deter uncivil conduct. They fall into categories like The Golden Rule – the principle of treating others as one wants to be treated – or those from the 1986 bestseller, “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten” by Robert Fulghum. In “Kindergarten,” especially, rules could easily apply to the most obnoxious soccer parents and coaches with rule No. 2. Play fair; No. 3. Don’t hit people; and No. 7. Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.
These rules also transfer easily to political worlds, where we’re seeing an uptick in civility.
And we’re glad for it. We grew tired of the rudeness, the pettiness and are happily embracing a return to decorum after midterm elections. Not counting Kari Lake, Arizona’s GOP candidate for governor who is questioning the legitimacy of the election she lost, we’ve heard many dignified concession speeches. It’s feeling old school, the gracious loser.
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