Clifford: NHIAA needs to make an allowance, override final score

By Shannon Davenport Clifford - mother of three teens, high school teacher for over 26 years, former high school soccer coach, former soccer referee, soccer player and NCAA D1 Champion

Last week, the varsity girls’ Winnacunnet soccer team played hard against its rival, Exeter. The players left everything on the field when they walked off with a 1-1 tie. The Seacoastonline Staff Report titled “Exeter girls earn last-second tie after ‘controversial goal’” neglects to include the most important aspect of this game.

The head referee of this game was an atrocity. It’s not that he didn’t understand what he was doing; he understood completely and his behavior was deliberate. His obvious one-sided calls against WHS, in addition to his clear and egregious over-estimation of extra time, were what directly led to the “controversial” goal in the last seconds of the game. This referee essentially gave Exeter a tie in a game that Winnacunnet won. The calls were so horrendous that neither the players, the coach, nor the parents could make sense of them. They can be clearly seen in the game film.

The Winnacunnet coach and athletic director have gone through the proper channels to lodge a complaint through NHIAA (New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association) as well as the NHSOA (New Hampshire Soccer Officials Association). However, the NHIAA by-laws state that teams may not protest referees’ judgment. The laws also say that NHIAA will never look at film. What recourse, then, does any school have after unethical behavior on the part of a referee?

The NHIAA website lists a plethora of criteria under their code of ethics. The expectations of good sportsmanship, commitment to fair play, ethical behavior, and fair play amongst coaches, players, and even spectators, are clearly outlined. They’re excellent. But what is missing in all of this are the expectations of the referees. Nowhere could I find the expectation that referees behave in an ethical manner. But if they don't, the whole system falls apart.

I have incredible respect for the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in these soccer matches. In general, the rules are thoughtful and tend to work in the best interest of all parties involved… But not this time.

Once in a blue moon, the rules don’t work the way they're supposed to. This is one of those times. Someone needs to step up to the plate and take one for the team. Someone in power needs to take a look at the film and see what a travesty was inflicted on our hard-working girls. A single adult male with a clear chip on his shoulder abused his position of power in such a way as to leave 20 teenage girls completely demoralized and heartbroken, the coaches and AD utterly flabbergasted, and the spectators absolutely disgusted.

Honestly, in all my years of playing, coaching, refereeing, and spectating, I have never seen a referee behave in such a grievous manner. There should be a way forward under such circumstances. Ethically, there needs to be a way to undo what he did. The real problem is with NHIAA’s by-laws themselves. They’re in direct contradiction to their mission: “to ensure that high school athletics are fair and that all participants have equal opportunities.” In this case, which is exceptional, the only way to ensure fairness is to question the referee's calls by looking at the game film. If NHIAA refuses to look into it, then they’re just as guilty as the dirty referee.

The NHIAA code of ethics says “An awareness is expected of the impact of an individual’s influence on the behavior of others.” Of course, NHIAA had players and coaches in mind when they wrote the code. But it’s far more powerful to view it in light of a referee’s corrupt calls. The irony is not lost on me. Look at the impact one man abusing his power had over so many young, impressionable minds.

Imagine one corrupt individual abusing his power in front of hundreds (it was a big game) of people who recognized it as it was happening. And NHIAA refuses to stand up for these players? Sometimes, adults in power need to go beyond what they normally do in order to right a wrong. As an educator, I do it too. Sometimes, extenuating circumstances mean adults who work with kids need to go out of their way to rectify a situation gone awry. The beauty of athletic participation is the myriad of lessons we learn. Certainly, the Winnacunnet soccer team learned a lesson when we played Exeter the other day. But it’s not the lesson any of us want them to learn. Yes, life happens, and sometimes we have no control over the outcome. They know this. But by not investigating further (and by not acknowledging the limits of the by-laws themselves),
the additional lesson NHIAA is teaching our girls’ squad - and all of the other students watching that day - is that ultimately, the behavior of one power-hungry crooked adult is more important than a team full of hard-working student-athletes who played their hearts out and sought only to be treated fairly. Finally, NHIAA is teaching these girls that when it comes down to it, the adults in power are able but unwilling to stand up for them, whether out of laziness or out of fear.

I challenge NHIAA to change the lesson they’re teaching female athletes across the state. The entire Sports Officiating Committee and/or the NHIAA Council Appeals Board should take some time to watch the game film. Acknowledge that the ref stole the win from Winnacunnet. He did not “show good-faith efforts in [his] adherence to all NHIAA by-laws.” Take a risk, and change the score to what it really was, a 1-0 win for Winnacunnet over Exeter. That’s how you set an example of good leadership. That’s how you change the lesson to actually match NHIAA’s mission: “to ensure that high school athletics are fair and that all participants have equal opportunities.”