Verbal Threat

[Guest Southern Umpire]

In a recent game I had a coach verbally threaten me.  He was mad after being ejected for arguing balls and strikes and as he was leaving he yelled the usual (you are horrible, etc) but also said that he was going to "beat my ass".  I am a younger umpire (only 18 and still in HS) and this is the first time someone has ever said something like this to me.  I included this in the ejection report, and as of now it is still under review by the league.  I have never had anyone threaten me like this before.  I do not know if I should do anything else (such as contact the police, etc) or if I have done everything that I need to by putting it in the ejection report.  My fellow umpires tell me I have nothing to worry about as he was just mad and that the league will take care of it, but for some reason I just do not like how he threatened me.  What would you all do?  

[noumpere]

Document it and keep the documentation in case something else happens later on.

[ricka56]

You're still in HS, and even though you're no longer a minor, I think that you should tell your parents about it.

I'm not a lawyer, but I think that this kind of terroristic threat is a crime. You could at least make report it to the police and see what they can do. This may not hold you in high regard with your league, but if that's the position they take, then I wouldn't want my HS age kid working in an environment like that.

Talk it over with your parents.

[BuckeyeMike]

In my experience, coaches will say some crazy stuff in the heat of the moment.   I have a tendency to confront the threat right then and there when I hear it with a, "is that a threat?" or "are you threatening me?".      Not one of them has meant it, because they immediately back down and apologize. 

Not the answer for everyone, but it has worked for me thus far (all 2 times it's happened).

[Guest Sir_Umps_A_Lot]

Maybe 20-30 years ago, I'd not worry too much about what was said by coaches or players, but nowadays, I wouldn't waste a single second with anyone making any sort of threat, real or imagined.  You say you're going to do XYZ, I'm taking you at your word.  I would not only file a report with the appropriate reporting agency/state agency/school, I'd also let them know you're forwarding your report to the local authorities.  I'd let the school know this if it was a high school game or any sort of school game and let the athletic director know as well.  Since you are 18, you may or may not need parental involvement with this.  I am NOT a lawyer, this is NOT legal advice, you need to seek counsel and work with your appropriate reporting agencies.

[blue23ll]

I don't know about getting a lawyer, but I would definitely report it to local law enforcement. Threats of violence against sports officials should never be ignored or taken lightly. This person needs the scare of his life. 

[Guest Southern Umpire]

Thanks guys for the info.  I have talked to my mom about it, but I do not think she really understands all of it as she is not really that sports savvy.  She is the type that comes to my basketball games and just cheers every time I touch the ball haha.  One of the guys in my group is a city police officer and I have talked with him about everything and he has been some help.  He told me that my best option is to make a statement to the police in that area so that it is on record in case something happens.  According to him no charges can be filed as no crime was committed.  He says at most it would be criminal threats, but that it would be more trouble than good to try and get that conviction.  He said that he has had this coach before and that he is just an obnoxious hot head and not to let it get to me.  He called an officer in that city that he knows, and I am going to make a statement first thing Monday when I get out of school.  He thinks that the guy will not do anything, but if something were to happen my report will show that it was premeditated. 

[HuskerUmp22]

I work basketball as well, and I had a coach say something similar to me at a basketball game I was officiating this winter. He said, "I'm going to beat your ass..." I walked off the court and forfeited the game. I did not go to the police though. I didn't think about that. 

Edited May 3, 2015 by HuskerUmp22

[BuckeyeMike]

You no sh!t, FOR REAL, terminated the game?!!    HOLY COW

I don't know how to feel about this.  

[ZebraStripes]

In a recent game I had a coach verbally threaten me.  He was mad after being ejected for arguing balls and strikes and as he was leaving he yelled the usual (you are horrible, etc) but also said that he was going to "beat my ass".  I am a younger umpire (only 18 and still in HS) and this is the first time someone has ever said something like this to me.  I included this in the ejection report, and as of now it is still under review by the league.  I have never had anyone threaten me like this before.  I do not know if I should do anything else (such as contact the police, etc) or if I have done everything that I need to by putting it in the ejection report.  My fellow umpires tell me I have nothing to worry about as he was just mad and that the league will take care of it, but for some reason I just do not like how he threatened me.  What would you all do?  

​File a police report.  That is making a terroristic threat and should be taken seriously.  Take a look at all of the sports official assaults and this individual has no business in youth sports.

[Umpire in Chief]

Document it and keep the documentation in case something else happens later on.

​Not only this but let the league know, let the assigner know, let everybody who has any area of responsibility know.

[dannyboy]

In my experience, coaches will say some crazy stuff in the heat of the moment.   I have a tendency to confront the threat right then and there when I hear it with a, "is that a threat?" or "are you threatening me?".      Not one of them has meant it, because they immediately back down and apologize. 

Not the answer for everyone, but it has worked for me thus far (all 2 times it's happened).

​This also falls in line with, 'Thats a bump' ,  'did you just beak me' , etc. I would use this as well, it brings them down and makes them realize that what they just said was heard, taken seriously and causes them to pause. This particular act has never happened to me, however I did have one coach threaten another coach, and when I asked him about it he right away apologized, the other coach waved it off...and did the ole'    ' alrite den' like in Sling Blade.  All was good, they became friends, yet I another umpire could have made something out of it. I believe we can calm things down, and that is our job, not ramp things up, to show we have the power. Settle em down, besides we may have done something to cause the tension also, or played a minor part. 

I like to respond to some coaches who get irate with this one. " Coach _ _ _ _, don't let this moment define who you are " 

That one line has stopped more anarchy in wrestling, baseball, football, even soccer, 20 years ago. It works. Use it on players also. Even better. 

[Stan W.]

If this had appended to one of our young umpires, and our association confirmed that it did, the senior members would be calling the league one by one asking what will be done to correct this. If there was no satisfactory action, the league may find it hard to get umpires to cover those games for that coach's games......  

[MadMax]

I work basketball as well, and I had a coach say something similar to me at a basketball game I was officiating this winter. He said, "I'm going to beat your ass..." I walked off the court and forfeited the game. I did not go to the police though. I didn't think about that. 

​

You no sh!t, FOR REAL, terminated the game?!!    HOLY COW

I don't know how to feel about this.  

​I wouldn't blame @HuskerUmp22 in the least, @BuckeyeMike, for terminating a basketball game. There's something about hockey and baseball (as the best two examples) that because it's "inside these walls / fences", it's much more insular and to a degree, protected. The game is "in here" and the rabble are "out there". When you eject a coach / player, they are now "out there", with the rest of them. For them to follow-through on a threat, they'd have to get through a wall / fence.

As we've seen with countless videos, though, when it comes to something like basketball or soccer, the violence easily transcends and ignores the ethereal boundary line and overwhelms an official's reaction time so as to maintain order and protect himself (or herself). In my case, I'm a pretty imposing guy (6'2", 206), and I know I will likely never work as a basketball official because you're much more likely to have fans leave the stands to confront you than inside the confines of a baseball park or a hockey arena. Same can be said for soccer. If you feel personally threatened in a soccer or basketball game, terminate that sucker and get the heck outta Dodge.

I don't work football because I don't get the whole pass interference thing, but that's a different topic. 

[HuskerUmp22]

You no sh!t, FOR REAL, terminated the game?!!    HOLY COW

I don't know how to feel about this.  

​It was the only time I've ever done that EVER working basketball or baseball. It was in a bad part of town about 9 PM and I just did not feel safe there. There was no site director and college kids were doing the score and foul sheet. My assigner said I did the right thing.

[BuckeyeMike]

I wasn't judging anyone by my comments.  It really just made me think about what I would do if someone said that to me and I felt the threat was substantiated.  Would I have the guts to terminate a contest?  I don't know.   Hearing some supporting information puts it in a better context though.  I hope I never have to make this kind of decision under these circumstances.

[Majordave]

In the context that you described, because of your position as an authority figure officiating that contest, the verbal threat by that coach was most likely a criminal act.  I would look through the criminal code of your state as in many jurisdictions there are varying degrees of criminal responsibility for assaults upon sports officials-even verbal threats.

I know that in the state where I once prosecuted crimes that threat was a misdemeanor and I would definitely have taken it up and prosecuted the offender for it upon a verified complaint by you and at least one other competent witness (over 18, not inebriated, not adjudged legally incompetent by a court of law).   The matter would likely have been disposed of by come community service, counseling and a two year watch on the offender's behavior as if on probation via a diversionary program.  However, this would require that the offender admit that what he did was wrong in front of a judge AND, he would have to agree to no more coaching or even attending ANY youth sports events, from high school level and below, of any kind as a coach or a fan or even as a parent.  Any violations of the conditions or failure to attend and complete the counseling would result in a jail sentence and stricter conditions upon release.

I had to do this twice and it worked.  One guy was a parent- you know not being able to see his kid play any games for two years hurt him very much.  The other guy was a college kid who wound up moving away and not returning to our jurisdiction after his semester ended.

So, you should look up the criminal code in your jurisdiction and see what you need to do just in case.  

My .02.............