THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Shortage of referees, officials, umpires a growing concern in North Idaho ... and beyond
Photo by MARK NELKE/Press Illustration by GRANT PURDUM/Press We take officials for granted. But someday, unless more people sign up to be officials in ALL SPORTS, they might be GONE ... or some games might NOT GET PLAYED.
MARK NELKE/Press High school football in North Idaho has five-man officiating crews in all classifications except for eight-man, which has four-man crews.
MARK NELKE/Press Official Tim Young listens to Lake City boys basketball coach Jim Winger while Moscow coach Josh Uhrig, right, looks on.
MARK NELKE/Press The shortage of officials in wrestling is not as bad because there are fewer duals — but that sport could still use a few more refs as well.
Thursday Night Lights doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, does it?
But, due a shortage of football officials in North Idaho (mirroring a national trend), some local high school football games traditionally scheduled for Friday nights will likely have to be moved to Thursday nights....
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